Weight-loss Rugby Comes to Chiswick

MAN v Fat initiative looking for overweight players to join

Points on the pitch then combine with team members’ personal weight loss progress

June 17, 2025

An initiative to help men lose unwanted weight through sport has begun at Chiswick Rugby Club.

The programme began last Sunday (15 June) and includes sessions specifically designed for overweight men. These start with a quick trip to the scales to track progress and then a catch up with team mates and coaches. They then take to the pitch for small-sided touch rugby games where points are awarded to the winning teams. The points on the pitch then combine with team members’ personal weight loss progress to contribute to overall standings in the Chiswick club’s league table.

Matches are managed by qualified referees, with trophies and medal awarded to winning teams and outstanding individual players at the end of a season.

The sessions take place each Sunday at Chiswick Rugby Club at Dukes Meadow on Dan Mason Drive, from 6.30pm until 8pm.

More players are being sought to take part in what is a nationwide scheme designed for overweight men with a BMI of over 27.5. Already in the UK, 276 men have lost a combined 236 (1500kg) stones in weight through MAN v FAT Rugby.

The programme is inspired by the hugely successful football-based MAN v FAT Football that has helped tens of thousands of men lose more than 800,000 pounds of unwanted weight in the last ten years.

But the initiative isn’t just about kicking fat into touch, MAN v FAT players across the UK have spoken about making new friends, building confidence and improving their mental health with the help of the programme.

MAN v FAT Rugby Lead, Karl White explains, “Whether you have played before or not, all abilities and skill levels are welcome. The only requirement to become a member of MAN v FAT Rugby is that you're above the age of 18 and have a BMI of 27.5 or over.

"After signing up, you'll be put into a WhatsApp group with your new team, and you'll support and encourage one another throughout your season. At the sessions, which are weekly, you'll turn up and be weighed by one of the coaches.

"You'll then take the field and play T1 Rugby, each game last 28 minutes, your team's results are based on the games and your team's weight loss and bonuses such as hitting weight loss percentage goals and hat tricks for losing three times in a row.

"And finally, even if your team loses, you're winning because you're healthier, gaining confidence and losing weight."

“We’re aiming for our Chiswick club to become a real community for the men that get involved. We’ve seen through our football programme that sessions are genuine highlights in our players’ weeks and somewhere that they build confidence, make new friends and improve their mental health, while losing weight.

“The club has spaces for new players and it’s never too late to join. More players means more teams within a club and we find that the more competitive our clubs are, the more weight our players lose.”

More information about the club can be found on this link.

This page is sponsored by Rocks Lane who support community initiatives in Chiswick.