Rugby Unlocked: Global Rugby Recruitment Platform

Rugby Unlocked

The Global Infrastructure for Rugby Recruitment

Executive Summary

Rugby Unlocked is a commission-free recruitment platform connecting verified semi-professional and high-level amateur players with clubs. We replace fragmented, manual processes with a quality-first marketplace where signal is prioritised over volume. Our vision is to become the global recruitment infrastructure layer for rugby.

The Problem: A Fragmented Systems

For Clubs: Recruitment is manual, inconsistent, and reliant on informal networks. Screening low-signal candidates is costly.

For Players: Opportunities are gated by connections rather than merit. Career mobility is restricted without a central discovery platform.

The Reality: Rugby is a global game, but recruitment remains local and inefficient.

The Solution: Verified Data Marketplace

Rugby Unlocked is purpose-built for the semi-pro and high-performance amateur tier. We enforce quality at entry. • Structured Rugby CVs & Match Scores (0-100) • Mandatory YouTube Highlight Footage • Direct, Agent-Free Messaging • Global Club Search & Vacancy Pipeline

Competitive Landscape

Player Membership & Ecosystem

Base Player (Free)

• Create structured rugby profile • Upload YouTube highlights • View clubs & vacancies • One active application

Player Plus

• Verified Badge (Signal) • Priority placement in search • Weekly shortlist visibility • Apply to 3 active vacancies • Restricted view insights

Player Pro

• Unrestricted profile views • DM priority & read receipts • First access to vacancy alerts • Max priority in search • Unlimited applications

Core Platform Features

• **Structured Rugby CV:** History, positions, archetypes • **Match-Score Intelligence:** 0-100 rating • **Global Search:** Verified talent pool • **Direct Messaging:** Agent-free communication • **Federation Integration:** Centralised verification

The ecosystem allows risk-free sampling of the system's value (Base). However, inbuilt friction points—such as application limits and visibility restrictions—create natural pressure to upgrade without successfully blocking the user experience.

Club Subscription Tiers

Club Base

• Create account • View limited talent pool • Surface level search For exploring with minimal commitment. No vacancy posting or elite data.

Club Plus

• Post 3 active vacancies • View player scout scores • Access broader talent pool • Access 'Diamond' players For clubs recruiting periodically or seasonally.

Club Pro

• Unlimited vacancies • Advanced 'Diamond' filtering • Full elite talent access • Core recruitment tool For high-volume recruitment requirements.

Product Status & Roadmap

MVP Complete (Web)

Core systems are live: Structured Profiles, Vacancy Management, Matching Algorithm, and Direct Messaging.

Launch Target: Jan 2026

Initial rollout focused on a single region to ensure liquidity and high-touch quality control.

Post-Launch Pipeline

Mobile app development and integrated on-platform payments/contracting in Q1.

Product Status & Launch Readiness

Launch Target: End of January

MVP execution is complete. We are moving from build phase to go-to-market immediately.

Desktop Web MVP Complete: Profiles, Vacancies, Matching, and Messaging live.

Initial Rollout: Focused single-region launch to ensure liquidity.

Lean Operations: Payments and contracts handled off-platform for MVP to reduce compliance friction.

Target Market & Quality Control

<strong>Players</strong><br>Aged 18–32, semi-professional or high-level amateur, actively seeking opportunities, and willing to trial or relocate.

<strong>Clubs</strong><br>Semi-professional & senior amateur teams with annual recruitment needs in high-mobility markets (UK, France, ANZ, SA, North America).

<strong>Quality Enforcement</strong><br>Mandatory YouTube highlights, structured profiles, and verification thresholds ensure high standards. Optional Player Plus & Pro review reinforces merit.

Market Size & Target Scale

Evidence-Based Path to 5,000 Players & 100 Clubs

<h3 style='font-size:32px; color:#c53030; margin-top:0; border-bottom:2px solid #fc8181; padding-bottom:15px; margin-bottom:20px;'>Global Participation</h3> <ul style='padding-left:25px; color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px;'> <li><strong>8M+ participants</strong> worldwide</li> <li><strong>5M+ registered players</strong></li> <li>Semi-pro competitions in every major nation</li> </ul> <h3 style='font-size:32px; color:#c53030; margin-top:30px; border-bottom:2px solid #fc8181; padding-bottom:15px; margin-bottom:20px;'>Target Player Logic</h3> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px; margin-bottom:15px;'>Focus: Semi-pro, High-level amateur, University pathways.</p> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px;'>Acquiring <strong>0.1%–0.2%</strong> = 5,000+ users.</p>

<h3 style='font-size:32px; color:#2d3748; margin-top:0; border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e0; padding-bottom:15px; margin-bottom:20px;'>Club Supply Context</h3> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px; margin-bottom:20px;'>Clubs recruit 3-10 players annually. Continuous demand across hemispheres.</p> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px;'>Targeting <strong>100 clubs</strong> is a fraction of the market.</p> <h3 style='font-size:32px; color:#2d3748; margin-top:30px; border-bottom:2px solid #cbd5e0; padding-bottom:15px; margin-bottom:20px;'>France & England Proof</h3> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px; margin-bottom:15px;'><strong>700k+ players & 3,700+ clubs</strong>.</p> <p style='color:#2d3748; line-height:1.5; font-size:26px;'>1-2% share here meets all Year 3 targets.</p>

<div style='text-align:center; width:100%;'> <span style='font-size:30px; font-weight:bold; margin-right:30px;'>INITIAL TARGET:</span> <span style='font-size:36px; color:#fc8181; font-weight:800;'>5,000 Verified Players</span> <span style='margin:0 20px; opacity:0.5; font-size:30px;'>|</span> <span style='font-size:36px; color:#fc8181; font-weight:800;'>100 Active Clubs</span> </div>

Global Seasonal Advantage

Unlike single-region sports, rugby has opposing hemispheres seasons. This creates a unique year-round recruitment demand. When the North is mid-season, the South is recruiting, and vice versa.

Business Model: Subscription SaaS

Free Base tier to ensure liquidity. Player Plus (£5/mo) and Player Pro (£10/mo) for boosted visibility, analytics, and priority access.

£50/month per team. Enables vacancy posting, global search, and pipeline management tools.

<strong>Strategic Rationale</strong><br>Predictable recurring revenue, no commission conflicts to hinder liquidity, and aligned with annual recruitment behaviour.

Players

Clubs

Why Subscriptions?

Strategic Revenue

Federation licensing for verification standards, plus sponsorship slots on high-traffic assets (BUCS streams).

Growth & Revenue Projections

Conservative evidence-based targets combining user adoption with monetization:<br><br><b>Year 1:</b> 1,750 Players &nbsp;|&nbsp; 35 Clubs &nbsp;→&nbsp; <b>£50k</b><br><b>Year 2:</b> 3,750 Players &nbsp;|&nbsp; 68 Clubs &nbsp;→&nbsp; <b>£110k</b><br><b>Year 3:</b> 5,500 Players &nbsp;|&nbsp; 105 Clubs &nbsp;→&nbsp; <b>£155k</b>

Federation & University Strategy

Institutional buy-in secures long-term defensive moats.

The Player Progression Pathway

University

BUCS & Super BUCS. Talent exists but often drops out of the system post-graduation due to lack of connections.

Semi-Professional

The "Bridge". Verified data and structured profiles help players find clubs and continue their development.

Professional

Elite directed access. Using performance data to surface top-tier talent to professional academies.

Rugby Unlocked provides the digital infrastructure for this entire journey, capturing value at every transition.

Combined Revenue Potential

Financial modeling shows a clear path to £400k+ in medium-term annual revenue, with significant upside through professional club licensing.<br><br><strong>Conservative Plan:</strong> ~£400k–£600k<br><strong>Upside Potential:</strong> ~£750k–£1m+<br><br><strong>Recurring Revenue (Target Scale):</strong> ~£156k<br>• Player Plus Subscriptions: ~£120k<br>• Club Subscriptions: ~£36k

Commercial & Pathway Opportunities

<strong>Sponsor Categories</strong><br> ● Protective equipment (mouthguards, headguards)<br> ● Performance and skin wear<br> ● Recovery and training products<br><br> <strong>Advertising Channels</strong><br> ● BUCS / Super BUCS stream sponsorship<br> ● Kit and training wear branding<br> ● Pitch-side and digital overlays<br><br> <strong>Indicative Viewership</strong><br> ● Super BUCS streams: 5k–15k viewers<br> ● Finals: 20k+ viewers

<strong>Concept</strong><br> Rugby Unlocked can evolve into a directed talent platform for professional clubs through curated, invitation-only access.<br><br> <strong>Value to Pro Clubs</strong><br> ● Pre-screened, high-potential prospects<br> ● Reduced noise compared to open scouting<br><br> <strong>Monetisation Options</strong><br> ● Professional access licensing<br> ● Talent insight and shortlisting<br> ● Development and pathway partnerships<br><br> <em>This layer is selective, curated, and non-commission based.</em>

Strategic Roadmap

<strong>Phase 1: Launch (Q1)</strong><br>• <strong>Operational:</strong> Founder led throughout. Hands-on onboarding of clubs/players and pushing matches.<br>• <strong>Strategic:</strong> establish initial liquidity and validate matches manually.

<strong>Phase 2: Transition (Q2)</strong><br>• <strong>Operational:</strong> Founder takes a step back. Systems begin to automate connections.<br>• <strong>Strategic:</strong> Focus shifts to critical mass and reducing manual intervention.

<strong>Phase 3: Scale (Q3+)</strong><br>• <strong>Operational:</strong> No founder interaction. Platform operates as a self-sustaining flywheel.<br>• <strong>Strategic:</strong> Drive matches and onboard globally via automated pathways.

Defensible Data Moat (Early Stage)

Proprietary Intelligence

Competitors lack our scoring norms, historical data, and "Diamond Benchmarks" that define readiness by role and tier.

Compounding Data Value

At 500+ scored players, our dataset powers unique matchmaking logic, weighting verified scores and competitive context.

Step-Change Efficiency

"Rugby Unlocked compresses hours of scouting into seconds," increasing switching costs for clubs who rely on this speed.

Recruitment Infrastructure

We are not just a replaceable marketplace. Our data-led advantage cements us as essential infrastructure for the sport.

Risks & Mitigation Strategies

The Ask

Raising Seed capital to support launch, expand partnerships, and build the default recruitment infrastructure for global rugby.

The Ask

Raising Pre-Seed & Seed Capital, Connections & Enhanced Marketing Direction for Players

Support the imminent launch (End of January)

Expand Federation & University partnerships

Enhance matching engine and analytics features

Enter Reconsidered Rugby Nations

Contact us to discuss the roadmap and terms.

Our Vision

Rugby Unlocked will become the default recruitment infrastructure for global rugby—replacing fragmented processes with a transparent, efficient, and player-first system.