Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club

What Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club does

Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club, trading as Easts Rugby or 'the Beasties', is a community rugby union football club founded in 1900 at Paddington Town Hall and currently based at Woollahra Oval, 22a O'Sullivan Road, Rose Bay, Sydney. It is Australia's oldest district rugby club and competes in the Shute Shield, the premier club rugby competition in New South Wales, fielding teams across men's (1st, 2nd, 3rd Grade), women's, Colts (U20s), and junior (U6–U18) levels. The club has produced more than 75 Wallabies over its history and currently fields 1 Wallaby, 6 Wallaroos, 5 NSW Waratahs, and 10 NSW Waratahs Women.

The club operates as a private, member-governed sporting organisation under a Board of Directors headed by President David Allen, with General Manager Fleur Steinberg leading a small (1–10 person) administrative team. Recent on-field success includes the 2023 Women's premiership, the 2024 Shute Shield 1st Grade premiership (the club's first since 1969), the 2024 Colts premiership, and the 2025 Women's XV Pool B title, supported by Director of Rugby Dan England and Head Coach Ben Batger.

Commercially, Easts Rugby runs five revenue streams: annual membership subscriptions, match-day ticket sales, a tiered sponsorship programme (Principal: Built; Major: Shaw and Partners; plus 12+ Gold partners), online merchandise sales, and on-site food and beverage / venue hire through The Field Bar partnership at Woollahra Oval. Distribution is fully domestic, concentrated in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs catchment, and the business has no disclosed technology platform, proprietary software, or digital product beyond a Wix-hosted website.

Name

Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club

Legal name

Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club

Website

https://eastsrugby.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Easts Rugby is Australia's oldest district rugby union club (founded 1900), based at Woollahra Oval in Rose Bay, Sydney. It fields men's, women's, Colts, and junior teams in the Shute Shield and earns revenue from memberships, sponsorships, ticketing, merchandise, and on-site F&B.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Rugby Club / Amateur Sports Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Community rugby club
• Club rugby competition
• Rugby union memberships
• Amateur sports club
• Junior rugby programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellevue Hill

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership program offering free entry to home games and exclusive events for members across men's, women's, and junior categories.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from match day attendance at Woollahra Oval, available online and at the gate.
3. Sponsorship: Principal, major, gold, and partner sponsorship tiers providing brand visibility and community engagement opportunities.
4. Merchandise: Sale of club merchandise through the online merch store.
5. Food and Beverage (The Field Bar): On-site food and beverage operations at Woollahra Oval run in partnership with Easts Rugby, serving match day crowds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club (Easts Rugby) is a community-based rugby union club that fields competitive men's, women's, colts (U20s), and junior teams, primarily in the Sydney Shute Shield club rugby competition. The club sells player registrations and memberships, match-day tickets, corporate sponsorships, food and beverage, and branded merchandise to members, players, families, and supporters, operating from its Woollahra Oval home ground.

Product overview

Easts Rugby is a community rugby union football club offering a multi-tiered rugby program across men's (Shute Shield), women's, colts (U20s), and junior levels. The club operates as a membership-based organization with supplementary revenue streams from merchandise sales, match day hospitality (The Field Bar), and venue functions. The core product is competitive rugby participation and spectator entertainment at Woollahra Oval in Rose Bay, Sydney.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Senior Men's Rugby Team Participation (Shute Shield) Competitive club rugby participation and representation for senior male players in the Sydney Shute Shield; targeted at players seeking high-level community rugby competition.
• Women's Rugby Team Participation Competitive club rugby participation and representation for female players; targeted at women seeking organized community rugby competition.
• Colts (U20s) Rugby Program Competitive and developmental rugby program for players under 20; targeted at young adults progressing from junior rugby into senior rugby.
• Junior Rugby Program Age-grade community rugby participation and coaching for children; targeted at youth players and their families in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
• Club Memberships Paid annual memberships granting supporters, families, and players access to club benefits, voting rights, and match-day entitlements.
• Match-Day Ticketing and Hospitality Sale of match-day tickets, corporate hospitality, and food and beverage service at home games; targeted at spectators, members, and corporate guests.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Multi-tier sponsorship arrangements offering signage, hospitality, and brand association rights to local and regional businesses; targeted at brands seeking exposure to the club's supporter base.
• Club Merchandise Retail sale of club-branded apparel, apparel, and accessories; targeted at supporters, members, and the wider rugby community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Club's first 1st Grade Shute Shield premiership since 1969, achieved in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered principal, major, gold and core.

• BuiltprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal partner of Easts Rugby. Built is a major Australian construction and property development company.
• Shaw and PartnersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor partner and financial services company. Shaw and Partners is a wealth management and financial advisory firm.
• RemaragoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• BGD DrillinggoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• AGP (Associate Global Partners)goldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• Plato Investment ManagementgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby, managing the Plato Global Alpha strategy.
• Coolabah CapitalgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby, an Australian fixed income investment manager.
• Flash PaymentsgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• Bondi Public BargoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• Harris FarmgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby, Australian supermarket chain.
• Azura Financial GroupgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• WinningsgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• Robert PlumbgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner of Easts Rugby.
• The Field BarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial hub of match day, operated in partnership with Easts Rugby. Cold drinks, full food menu, and deck with views of the oval. Run by Easts Rugby.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northern Suburbs Rugby Club (Norths): Shute Shield club based in North Sydney. Direct competitor across men's, women's, and colts grades, with similar multi-tier community club structure and senior leadership profile.
• Manly Marlins Rugby Club: Shute Shield club with men's, women's, colts, and juniors programs on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Compares directly to Easts as a multi-grade Sydney district rugby club competing for the same elite talent and sponsor pool.
• Sydney University Football Club: Competing Sydney district rugby club in the Shute Shield with comparable men's, women's, and colts programs. Directly comparable to Easts as a rival in the same competition and as the team Easts defeated to win its first Women's premiership in 2023.
• Hunter Wildfires (Hunter Rugby): Newcastle-based Shute Shield entrant formed in 2023, representative of the broader expansion of the competition. A peer club competing in the same Sydney-grade rugby ecosystem, sourcing talent and competing for sponsorships.
• Eastwood Rugby Club: Shute Shield club from Sydney's Hills District. Highly relevant peer: Easts' current head coach Ben Batger led Eastwood 1st Grade for five years before joining Easts, and the two clubs directly compete in the same grade.
• Randwick Rugby Club: One of the most storied Shute Shield clubs, fielding men's, women's, colts, and juniors. Direct Shute Shield competitor to Easts with a similar heritage-led model and Eastern Suburbs/Sydney footprint.
• Southern Districts Rugby Club: Sydney Shute Shield club whose women's team Easts played in the 2025 commemorative First Nations and Pasifika Day match. Operates the same men/women/colts/juniors structure as Easts in Sydney's south.
• Two Blues Rugby Club (Western Sydney): Shute Shield club representing western Sydney. Comparable as a multi-grade district rugby club competing in the same Shute Shield competition, though operating from a different (less affluent) Sydney catchment.
• Warringah Rugby Club (Rats): Historic Sydney Shute Shield club on the Northern Beaches with full multi-grade rugby program. Direct competitor to Easts in the same first-grade competition and historical rugby rival.

Broad incumbents

• NSW Waratahs: Professional Super Rugby franchise based in Sydney to which Easts is a primary club feeder. Not a direct rival but the elite pathway destination that Easts' Shute Shield program feeds, and a board member's employer (Toby Duncan is Head of Team Contracting at Rugby Australia).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eastsrugby_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club