An Open Letter to World Rugby: The Fans Are Organizing – Will You Join Us?

By David MacLennan, URF Resident Writer | On Behalf of 500 Million Rugby Lovers

The Hook – From the Stands to the Sidelines

Eighty thousand voices rise as the Boks run out at Wembley. You can almost taste the electricity in the air — the kind only rugby can create. 

But behind every chant, every kick, and every heartbeat in the stadium, there are half a billion more fans around the world watching, debating, and living for this game — yet locked out of the conversation that shapes it. 

Six weeks ago, those fans said enough. That’s when United Rugby Fans (URF) was born — not out of rebellion, but out of love. Love for a game that has carried us through decades, and frustration at watching decisions made without the people who fill the seats, buy the shirts, and keep the sport alive.

The Proof – It’s Already Happening

This isn’t a petition. It’s a movement — with structure, momentum, and purpose. In South Africa, URF has already registered as a non-profit organisation with 55 members, sponsors on board, and a scheduled meeting with SARU next week. 

Across the globe, we’ve established early chapters in more than six nations — from Canada, where NGO registration is under way, to Australia, where the fan voice is gathering strength.

Media is already amplifying the message: a 20-hour live-stream, coverage from DSPN, appearances with Kiwi Lads, YouTube interviews, and articles that have reached tens of thousands of readers. 

Fans are organising — legally, financially, globally. We’re not asking for permission. We’re building the framework that the modern game has been missing: a structured, accountable, fan-driven voice. One that complements, not competes with, the systems already in place.

The Frustration – Why Fans Finally Spoke Up

We love rugby — that’s precisely why we’re speaking out. Because lately, it feels like the game we love keeps changing without us. Rules appear and disappear without clear logic or consultation.

Take one small but telling example: the goal-line hold-up. 

Once upon a time, when a ball was held up over the line, it led to a reset scrum for the attacking side — reward for pressure, commitment, and skill. 

Now? A 22 metre drop-out. A millimetre away from grounding the ball, and you’re sent 50 metres backward. That’s not progress — that’s punishment. It’s the kind of decision that fans see week after week and shake their heads at. 

The kind that chips away at the integrity of what makes rugby rugby. We’re not armchair critics. We’re the custodians of this game’s culture. 

We’re the ones teaching our kids to tackle low, respect the whistle, and sing the anthem with tears in our eyes. All we’re asking for is a seat at the table , because when half a billion people care this much, their voice matters.

The Ask – Partnership, Not Protest

So here’s our invitation to World Rugby. URF is extending a hand, not a fist. We want to work with you , to strengthen the global rugby community together. We’re proposing three practical ways forward: 

 1. Observer Seat at the 2026 URF Conference (Cape Town) – Come and listen to the fans directly. Hear their ideas, frustrations, and hopes for the sport’s future. 

 2. Co-Brand the Fan Voice Survey – URF will run the platform; World Rugby’s endorsement would show that the governing body values genuine fan input. 

 3. Open API for Fan Data – Let clubs, leagues, and unions tap into the URF’s rapidly expanding network to understand what fans want, what they buy, and how they engage. 

We’re not here to fight the system. We’re here to supercharge it,  to create the bridge between governance and grassroots that has been missing for far too long.

The Future – A Challenge Worth Taking

Rugby’s heart has always been its people, from the player on the pitch to the parent on the sideline. But for too long, the world’s biggest stakeholder has been the quietest one. That silence is ending. Fans across continents are organising not to rebel, but to rebuild. Not to divide, but to connect. 

World Rugby can either lead this movement,  or follow it. The choice is yours. With respect and relentless passion, 500M global rugby fans.