FAQs
Is MAN v FAT Rugby for me?
What is MAN v FAT Rugby?
MAN v FAT Rugby is a network of Rugby clubs for men who want to lose weight. Every player is in the same situation and wants the same thing – to lose weight, get healthier and enjoy being a part of a Touch Rugby community.
Each club’s league tables are decided not just on points won, but on pounds lost too. All players weigh in weekly before each game and their weight loss progress counts towards their team’s performance.
As well as the support of their teammates and club coach, all players get access to our online resources, inspiration, and support to help them reach their weight loss goals.
How much will I lose?
This is something that varies from person to person for many reasons, but our statistics from our MAN v FAT Football programme, show that 90% of people who join lose weight. In an assessed 14-week pilot scheme, 62% lost 5% of their body weight.
I have never played Rugby before
Do not worry!
MAN v FAT Rugby is primarily a weight loss programme, so although Rugby is a big part of what we do, your efforts to lose weight off the pitch are just as important.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never passed a Rugby ball or scored a try since school, no one is going to judge you for not being a pro.
What if I'm not fit enough to play?
MAN v FAT Rugby is for everyone, no matter your fitness level. If you’ve not exercised for years, that’s ok – just take things at your own pace.
If you feel you’re not able to play for the entire duration of a game, that’s fine! Do what feels comfortable. Your team can make use of subs with no problem, and you can work your way up to playing more. Remember, the safest way to return to physical activity is to go at your own pace.
Why do men join MAN v FAT Rugby?
Men primarily join to lose weight and improve their health, but becoming part of the MAN v FAT community is about so much more. We often hear from our members that being part of their league gives them a real boost to their wellbeing, and countless friendships are made at MAN v FAT Rugby sessoons.
How do I know what my BMI is?
There are loads of free BMI calculators on the web, and we’ve got one of our very own here. Simply pop your stats in and it’ll let you know what your BMI is.
MAN v FAT Rugby is for men with a BMI of 27.5 and above, which is why we ask for your BMI.
Why do you use BMI for eligibility?
I work shifts, can I still join MAN v FAT Rugby?
We have lots of members who work shifts and have to miss the odd game.
When you pay for a month of MAN v FAT Rugby membership, that place is yours even if you miss a game. Obviously, you don’t want to miss too many sessions, but we know that shift work can make it hard to attend week after week.
Just let your coach know you’re not going to make a session as soon as you know your schedule. You’ll get the most benefit from MAN v FAT Rugby if you can make at least 10 out of the 14 sessions in a season.
We’ll send you an email when you miss a session to check in and see how you’re doing, and you’ll be able to click a link to let us know you’ll be back next week. If you don’t do this for more than three weeks, we may offer your space to a new starter, so be sure to let us know if you’ll be away for longer than this.
Can I come and see a club before I join?
Email the MAN v FAT Player Support Team on rugby@manvfat.com and they’ll be happy to arrange this where possible.
Membership FAQs
I've just signed up, what happens next?
Welcome aboard!
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive an email to confirm you’ve registered to your selected league. Can’t see the email? Check your spam or promotions folder.
You’ll get the chance to join your new club’s WhatsApp group so you can start chatting with your new clubmates, and you can make use of our online resources straight away (check your welcome email for more details).
You’ll be assigned to a team ASAP. How long this takes depends on availability within your league, but your coach will be able to keep you updated.
For leagues not yet started, you’ll be assigned to a team nearer the league start date.
What do I get as part of my membership?
Your MAN v FAT Rugby club sessions
Your weekly MAN v FAT Rugby sessions make MAN v FAT Rugby an incredibly effective way to lose weight. On club nights, you’ll weigh in privately on our medical-grade scales and get a chance to chat to your coach about how your week’s gone. Good, bad, or just plain ugly – it’s always a safe space to get support.
After the weigh-in, it’s time to get on the pitch. Your membership includes use of the venue, pitch, balls and our referees.
When it’s time to celebrate your weight loss success, we use professionally made certificates, medals, and trophies.
Your weekly session summary
After every session, you’ll get a detailed post-match coach summary that keeps you up to date with the weekly outcomes from the club.
Access to a Mental Health platform: JAAQ
JAAQ is our innovative mental health and wellbeing platform. As a MAN v FAT Rugby player you’ll get free access to the MAN v FAT x JAAQ platform. There you can ‘virtually’ ask questions about topics like managing depression, substance misuse or sleep hygiene with world renowned experts and famous faces who have experienced the type of challenges that you may be experiencing.
If you are struggling with anything mental health or wellbeing related you are not alone. A recent member survey we now that X number of MAN v FAT members feel they have an undiagnosed mental health condition or maybe at risk of one.
What happens at a MAN v FAT Rugby session?
All players weigh in at the start of each session. If it’s your first time, this weigh-in will be your starting point. You’ve got to weigh in to be able to play – no weigh, no play! Don’t worry about stepping on the scales, only you and your coach will be able to see the number.
You’ll be able to chat to your coach about how your week’s gone and get any support you need to make the next week a good one.
After you’ve weighed in, it’s time to lace up your boots and get on the pitch. Your team will play against another team from your club, with the game lasting 28 minutes. Team performance on the scales gets added to the pitch results for the final score.
Where do you have clubs?
If you’re taking part at this stage then you’ll be joining one of a small number of the first ever MAN v FAT Rugby clubs. We’ll be using everything that we know from supporting our current community to make these new MAN v FAT Rugby clubs a success. We currently have clubs in Birmingham, Cheltenham and Leicester.
Can I join on my own?
Yes! We put all new members into teams, so you don’t need to worry about getting a team together before you join. We know it can be daunting to start something new on your own, but you’ll always get a warm welcome from your club’s coach and your fellow players.
Is there a deadline for joining a club?
No, you can join a club at any point. It doesn’t matter if you join part-way through a season, as clubs automatically roll on, so you’ll be part of the next season too.
When can I attend my first MAN v FAT Rugby session?
You can attend your first MAN v FAT Rugby session after you’ve been assigned to a team. If you want to take a look and meet your new clubmates before getting started, just drop our Player Support Team a line on rugby@manvfat.com
What happens if I get injured?
If you’re unlucky enough to get injured during your MAN v FAT Rugby membership and you feel your injury means you can’t play, don’t worry. Let our Player Support Team know as soon as you can by emailing rugby@manvfat.com or calling 0345 163 0042.
You can continue to attend your MAN v FAT Rugby club nights to take part as a non-playing member, meaning you’ll continue to weigh in without playing Rugby.
We know how important accountability and routine is to weight loss, so this gives you a way of keeping up your healthy habits while you’re injured. As well as being good for your motivation, your progress on the scales will also continue to contribute to your team’s overall score, so you can still help your team while you’re out of action.
If you’re injured and unable to play, we’d urge you to keep eating well and keep attending your weekly weigh-in. If you choose to cancel your subscription, we may be unable to reserve your spot, as many of our locations have a waiting list for new members.
How do I cancel my membership?
If you’ve decided MAN v FAT Rugby isn’t for you, no hard feelings.
Fill out this form and your membership will be cancelled within 48 hours. Please only do this once you’ve had your last game.
Payment FAQs
How much does MAN v FAT Rugby cost?
It costs £9.99 to register with a club. Your monthly payments start once you’ve been assigned to a team, and you’ll pay £35 a month depending on your location.
When is payment taken?
You will pay a registration fee when you sign up, and then your first monthly payment is taken when you’ve been assigned to a team.
Your monthly membership subscription will begin on the date you get assigned to a team. You won’t get assigned to a team until the same week as the first available session you can join, so you won’t be paying your monthly membership fee without being able to play.
You pay in advance for one month of membership at a time, so your payments will come out on or near to* the same date each month, unless you cancel your membership before that date. If you want to change the date your payments are taken, contact the Player Support Team by emailing rugby@manvfat.com or calling 0345 163 0042.
*Collection dates may be affected by weekends and public holidays.
Do you offer a pay as you go option?
No, sorry. We don’t offer a pay-and-play option because once you join a team, you take that spot on the team for the duration of your membership, and we cap the maximum number of players on each team to ensure everyone gets a game.
How do I cancel my membership?
If you’ve decided MAN v FAT Rugby isn’t for you, no hard feelings.
Fill out this form and your membership will be cancelled within 48 hours. Please only do this once you’ve had your last game.
Can I pause my membership?
We expect MAN v FAT Rugby is a popular programme and places to be in demand, so we don’t offer a way of pausing your membership. Once your membership has been cancelled, we will offer your place to someone on the waiting list.
Do I need to pay another registration fee to return after I've left?
If you choose to re-join MAN v FAT Rugby after cancelling your membership, you will have to pay another registration fee so we can set up your regular monthly membership subscription payment. However, we offer a reduced registration fee to returning members and all money collected from return registrations is donated to MAN v FAT Causes, a benevolent fund set up and run by MAN v FAT Rugby members to contribute to charities nominated by players. Get in touch with our Player Support Team by emailing rugby@manvfat.com or calling 0345 163 0042 (Opening hours from 10am-6pm Mon-Fri)
Playing FAQ
Where can I find the MAN v FAT Rugby rules?
You can find the rules here.
What should I wear to MAN v FAT Rugby sessions?
You should wear a shirt in your team’s colour (you’ll find out your team’s colour once you’ve been assigned to a team) that you feel comfortable in. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, basic gear from your local sports shop is absolutely fine.
You must wear appropriate footwear with trainers or studs. This will vary by location, so ask your coach in your club’s WhatsApp group or your venue to find out the best footwear for the surface.
Gum shields are completely optional.
You don’t have to wear MAN v FAT branded kit at any point, but you can check out our sportswear shop in partnership with Hope + Glory here.
Where can I buy MAN v FAT Rugby branded kit?
Our very own MAN v FAT Rugby branded kit is made by Hope + Glory, and you can find our shop here. We’ve got training tops, hoodies and jackets as well as an option to design your own kit.
Do I have to buy MAN v FAT Rugby kit?
No, you don’t have to buy MAN v FAT Rugby kit to play at a MAN v FAT Rugby session. Basic kit from your local bargain sportswear shop in your team’s colours is fine as long as you’re comfortable in it!
We do sell our own branded kit and training gear made by Hope + Glory, which you can buy here, but it’s completely optional.
What do I do if I can't attend a game?
If you can’t attend a game, let your coach and team captain know as soon as you can so they can balance the team accordingly. If you’re well enough, you can still attend the weekly weigh-in without playing so you can keep track of your weight and contribute to your team’s score – remember it’s about goals on and off the pitch.
How does my weight loss affect the score?
As long as you record your weight prior to the start of your team’s weekly fixture, weight loss of any amount can count towards your team’s overall score.
To qualify for scoring, your current weight must be both lower than the previous week and lower than your weight at the start of the current season.
A qualifying loss of any amount will net your team half a bonus point, which will round up to the nearest whole point when all the bonuses for your team are added together, up to a maximum of 5 bonus points for your team overall. We call this a team bonus.
If you accrue 3 non-consecutive team bonuses in a season, you’ll receive an additional full bonus point towards your team’s overall score. We call this a hat-trick bonus.
If your weight matches or beats one of your precalculated incremental 5% weight loss milestone targets, you’ll receive a one-time 3-point bonus for your team in addition to any other team or hat trick bonuses you may have been awarded on the same week. We call this a milestone bonus.
If your weight matches or beats your precalculated target for a healthy BMI of 25 (based on a healthy weight for your height) you’ll receive a one-time 3-point bonus. We call this a maintenance bonus.
This means an individual player can score between 0.5 and 4.5 bonus goals via weight loss for their team on any given week.
Points will not be awarded to players whose current weight exceeds their weight at the start of the current season.
Once players drop below their healthy BMI target weight, they graduate to our maintenance scoring system. These players can no longer earn any 3-point bonuses as they no longer have any milestones to reach, so to compensate for this, players in maintenance receive a full 1-point team bonus rather than the 0.5 team bonus players normally receive.
If you are a player in maintenance, you’ll receive a 1-point team bonus each week when you log any weight that is under your BMI 25 target, whether it’s a loss or a gain against the previous week, or your weight at the start of the season.
Players on maintenance can still acquire hat trick bonuses in the same manner as before, i.e. by scoring 3 non-consecutive team bonuses in the same season.
Where can I see upcoming fixtures?
You can see your MAN v FAT Rugby club’s upcoming fixtures by finding your club’s homepage. Click here to find a club.
What type of pitches do you play on?
This varies by club location but is mostly 3G/4G pitches. We use both indoor and outdoor pitches. You’ll be told in advance what’s at your specific MAN v FAT Rugby club location.
Why aren't the games longer?
Each MAN v FAT Rugby game lasts 28 minutes. This is because we know how difficult it can be to be active for long periods of time when you’re not used to exercising. Most people who join MAN v FAT Rugby fall into this category, and we’re keen that everyone can enjoy MAN v FAT Rugby from their first session, no matter their fitness level.
I want to play more Rugby; can I do that?
Games played at your club sessions are set at 28 minutes to give everyone an opportunity to join in, even if they’re a total beginner.
How can I contact my coach?
Most questions can be answered by our dedicated Player Support Team, so don’t hesitate to send them an email (rugby@manvfat.com) or give them a call (0345 163 0042) if you have any questions about your membership or payments.
My club has a waiting list. What does this mean?
There will be times when a club is full, but you can still register for that club to be put on a waiting list. When a player achieves his weight loss goals and decides to move on, opening a space up on a team, we’ll contact players on the waiting list in order of registration.
If I leave, can I re-join my team at a later date?
If you choose to leave MAN v FAT Rugby, or your membership lapses, we may immediately offer your place to a new starter to ensure teams continue to have an equal number of players. If you then decide to come back, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to re-join the team you were in previously. If you’d prefer to re-join your old team, contact us and let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate your wish.