Where to play rugby in Valencia (and where to watch)

Four clubs carry rugby in Valencia: CAU, Les Abelles, Tatami RC and RC Valencia recruit every off-season, welcome all body types among the seniors and open their schools to children from age 4. To watch, aim for the Sunday match, in the División de Honor or the national divisions, fideuà at the bar included. In the background, a historic moment: in February 2025 the Leones sealed their ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Australia, their first since 1999. From the national XV to your child's first scrum, here is rugby the Valencian way. See also our guides to football and beach and water sports.

Why is the Valencian club called Les Abelles?

In 1971, a group of Valencian rugby players founded a club inspired by the London Wasps. They could not copy the name: the city already had its wasp-coloured club, Tatami. So they chose bees, and above all said it in Valencian: Les Abelles, a choice of language that was far from obvious in Franco's Spain. Fifty years later, the Fontsanta district club is still there, and Valencian rugby rests on an even older history: the Valencian Community rugby federation was born in 1931, one of the oldest in the country.

Where does the top level stand, from the Leones to local clubs?

On 9 February 2025, beating Switzerland 43-13 in the Rugby Europe Championship, Pablo Bouza's Spain sealed qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia: 28 years after Wales 1999, its only appearance. The Leones will face Argentina, Fiji and Canada in Pool C. Locally, the Valencian clubs (CAU, Les Abelles, Tatami RC, RC Valencia) keep rugby alive between the División de Honor, the Spanish elite, and the national divisions. A Sunday match in Valencia means serious rugby, a bar smelling of fideuà and a third half where everyone talks to everyone.

Can adults take up rugby as beginners?

Valencian clubs recruit every off-season, and rugby is the most welcoming sport there is for a beginner adult: senior teams need every body type, literally. Write to the nearest club (CAU, Les Abelles, Tatami, RC Valencia), drop by a September training, and the changing room does the rest. For the spirit without the tackles, touch rugby and veteran sections are growing, perfect for a sweat among expats and locals. Few sports turn strangers into a gang of friends so fast.

Why enrol your child in rugby?

Tatami RC's school welcomes girls and boys from 4 to 12, in S6, S8, S10 and S12 categories: at that age everything is built on play, movement and fun, with educational rugby where opposition is adapted and no one is sent into contact before learning to play. Les Abelles and CAU run their schools on the same model, with mixed teams for the youngest and fast-growing girls' sections. What your child gains goes beyond the pitch: non-negotiable respect for the referee, team spirit, and a second family that speaks Spanish. Many parents then stay for Saturday touch: consider yourself warned.

Frequently asked questions

From what age can a child play?
From age 4 in schools like Tatami's (S6 category). At that age there are no tackles: you run, pass and learn to fall through play.

Is rugby too dangerous for little ones?
Educational rugby is closely supervised: progressive contact by age, trained coaches, adapted rules. You learn to control yourself first.

Are girls welcome?
Completely: mixed teams for the youngest, girls' sections in the clubs, and a booming Spanish women's game. Just ask for the girls' slots at your chosen club.

Where to follow the 2027 World Cup?
In Australia, so often in the morning Spanish time: perfect for a rugby almuerzo. We will prepare the bars-and-times guide when the time comes.

Sources

• Spanish Rugby Federation: Spain at the 2027 World Cup, Pool C with Argentina, Fiji and Canada
• ESPN: the Leones qualify for Australia 2027
• CP Les Abelles: the club's history (1971)
• Wikipedia: Les Abelles, from the Wasps to bees in Valencian
• Tatami Rugby Club: teams and rugby school (ages 4-12)

Verified in July 2026. Calendars, divisions and slots change each season: check with the clubs before showing up to training. This article was prepared with the help of AI, then cross-checked, verified and edited by our newsroom, which takes editorial responsibility for it. Spotted an error? Write to us and we will fix it.