GMS (Game Management System) is the RFU's official online platform for player registrations, club memberships, and rugby administration across England. Every rugby club in the country uses GMS to register players and process membership fees each season.

At Grove RFC, GMS is how you register yourself or your child as a player, purchase your club membership, and keep your England Rugby records current. This guide takes you through every step - and where the screen looks different on a phone compared to a desktop or laptop, both versions are shown clearly.

In this guide

- Part 1: Creating your GMS account
- Part 2: Adding your child to your account (parents)
- Part 3: Registering your child to play at Grove RFC (parents)
- Part 4: Registering yourself as an adult player
- Part 5: Buying memberships
- Quick reference
- Frequently asked questions
- Need help?

Part 1 - Creating Your GMS Account

Everyone who plays, coaches, or volunteers at Grove RFC needs a GMS account. It is free to create and the steps are the same on desktop and mobile.

1. Go to gms.rfu.com/GMS/ and click or tap Create New Account
2. Enter your first name, last name, email address, date of birth, mobile number, and home address, then click or tap Next
3. If the system recognises your details, you may already have an account from a previous club or season. If so, contact Grove RFC or visit help.rfu.com to recover it rather than creating a duplicate
4. Create and confirm a password, review the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice, tick the required boxes, then click or tap Next
5. Your account is now active and you will be taken to your personal dashboard

Tip: Use an email address you check regularly - all registration confirmations and club notifications are sent via GMS. On a mobile phone, save gms.rfu.com/GMS/ to your home screen for easy access (tap your browser share icon and select Add to Home Screen).

RFU help: How do I create a GMS account?

Part 2 - For Parents: Adding Your Child to Your Account

Children under 18 cannot hold their own standalone GMS account. You need to link them to yours first. This step looks different on desktop and mobile.

Desktop / Laptop

1. Log into GMS. At the top of your dashboard you will see your name displayed as a clickable tab
2. Click the + Add Person tab shown next to your name tab
3. Fill in your child's name, date of birth, and contact details, then click Save
4. Your child now appears as their own name tab at the top of the page - click it at any time to view their profile, manage registration, or buy memberships

Mobile / Tablet

1. Log into GMS. You will see your name, photo, and RFU ID at the top of the screen. There are no name tabs on mobile
2. Tap the arrows icon on the right side of your name row to open the account switcher
3. In the switcher, select Add Person
4. Fill in your child's name, date of birth, and contact details, then tap Save
5. To switch to your child's account at any time, tap the arrows icon again and select their name

Note: On desktop, family members appear as tabs across the top of the page. On mobile they are accessed via the arrows icon. Both do the same job but look completely different.

RFU help: How do I add a family member to my account?

Part 3 - For Parents: Registering Your Child at Grove RFC

Once your child is linked to your account, you need to complete their player registration. This is required every season. The registration prompt looks different on desktop and mobile.

Desktop / Laptop

1. Click your child's name tab at the top of the dashboard to go to their profile
2. Look for the narrow dark green bar running across the page - it shows a Registration prompt
3. Click the link in the bar to open the registration form
4. Note: the bar is a carousel - a small dot on the left means there may be more notifications. Click through to check all of them

Mobile / Tablet

1. Tap the arrows icon to switch to your child's account
2. On their dashboard, look for the full-width dark green card showing a Registration prompt
3. Tap the Register link within the card to open the registration form
4. The mobile card is more prominent and easier to spot than the desktop bar

Completing the registration form (same on desktop and mobile)

1. Under Club, select Grove RFC from the list
2. Fill in your child's playing position, school details, medical information, and emergency contact details
3. Some fields such as your home address will auto-fill from your account - check these are still accurate
4. Click or tap Save - you will receive a confirmation email and your child's status will show as amber (pending)
5. Once Grove RFC's Age Grade Registrar approves it, the status turns green (active) and your child is ready to play

Important: Your child cannot take part in any competitive fixture until their registration is green.

RFU help: How to register Age Grade players (parent/guardian)
RFU help: Age Grade FAQs 2025-26

Part 4 - For Adult Players: Registering Yourself at Grove RFC

The registration prompt for adults works the same way as for children - look for the dark green notification on your own dashboard.

Desktop / Laptop

1. Log in and look for the narrow dark green bar across the page showing a Registration prompt
2. Click the Register link on the right side of the bar
3. Complete the form, select Grove RFC, and submit

Mobile / Tablet

1. Log in and look for the full-width dark green card on your dashboard showing a Registration prompt
2. Tap the Register link within the card
3. Complete the form, select Grove RFC, and submit

Once submitted, Grove RFC's administrator will review and approve your registration. You will receive a confirmation email once your status is active.

RFU help: How do I register to play?

Part 5 - Buying Memberships

Grove RFC collects membership fees through GMS. The Quick Links section on your dashboard is the easiest way to find this - though its location takes a little scrolling on both platforms.

Not sure which membership to buy? Visit groverfc.co.uk/join for a breakdown of Grove RFC's membership categories and prices before you log in.

Desktop / Laptop

1. Log in and scroll down your dashboard to the Quick Links section
2. Click Buy Membership
3. To buy for a child, click their name tab at the top of the page first to switch to their account, then scroll to Quick Links and click Buy Membership

Mobile / Tablet

1. Log in and scroll down past the Activity, Upcoming Events, and Player Welfare sections
2. Find the Quick Links section (shown as a list with arrow links)
3. Tap Buy Membership
4. To buy for a child, tap the arrows icon first to switch to their account, then scroll down to their Quick Links

Tip: Quick Links appears further down the page than most people expect - on mobile especially, keep scrolling past the sections above it.

Tip You can add more than one membership to the basket at once. Select the person you are adding membership for, add correct membership to basket, then switch profiles and follow the steps to add the membership for the selected person to the basket.

Completing the purchase (same on desktop and mobile)

1. Select the membership scheme you want to purchase
2. Add to basket, then click or tap View Basket
3. Review your order - if instalment payments are available, you will see the option to pay in full or by direct debit. Select your preference
4. Click or tap Pay Now to complete

RFU help: How do I buy memberships?

Quick Reference

Switch between family members
- Desktop: click the name tab at the top of the page
- Mobile: tap the arrows icon next to your name

Add a child to your account
- Desktop: click the + Add Person tab
- Mobile: tap the arrows icon, then select Add Person

Find the registration prompt
- Desktop: narrow dark green bar across the top of the page
- Mobile: full-width dark green card on the dashboard

Buy a membership
- Desktop: scroll to Quick Links, click Buy Membership
- Mobile: scroll past Activity, Upcoming Events, and Player Welfare to Quick Links, tap Buy Membership

Reset your password
- Go to gms.rfu.com/GMS/ and click or tap Forgot Password

Contact Grove RFC
- groverfc.co.uk/contact

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a new GMS account every season?
No. Your GMS account carries over year to year. At the start of each season you just need to renew your player registration at Grove RFC and purchase the current season's membership.

My child played last season. Do they need to re-register?
Yes. Player registration must be renewed each season. Your child's details will already be saved in GMS so it is quicker from the second season onwards.

I already have a GMS account from a previous club. What do I do?
Log into your existing account and register to Grove RFC from your dashboard. You do not need to create a new account.

I cannot find the registration prompt on my dashboard.
On desktop, look for the narrow dark green bar near the top of the page - it can be easy to miss. On mobile, scroll down and look for the full-width dark green card. If neither appears, contact Grove RFC at groverfc.co.uk/contact.

How long does registration approval take?
Grove RFC aims to approve registrations within 48 hours during the pre-season period. If it has been longer, contact us at groverfc.co.uk/contact.

Can my child train while their registration is pending?
Yes. Your child can attend training sessions while their registration is amber. They cannot take part in any competitive fixture until the status is green.

What is the difference between registration and membership?
Registration records your child with the RFU as a player at Grove RFC. Membership is the seasonal subscription paid to the club. Both must be in place before your child can compete.

I cannot find the Buy Membership option.
On both platforms, Buy Membership is in the Quick Links section - scroll down your dashboard to find it. On mobile it sits below the Activity, Upcoming Events, and Player Welfare sections. Keep scrolling - it is further down than most people expect.

I am having technical problems with GMS. Who do I contact?
For technical issues with GMS itself, raise a support ticket at help.rfu.com. For Grove RFC-specific questions, contact us at groverfc.co.uk/contact.

Need More Help?

- RFU GMS support: help.rfu.com
- RFU GMS Digital Support Guide: View on the RFU help site
- Contact Grove RFC: groverfc.co.uk/contact

Last updated: May 2026. Guide maintained by Grove RFC. For the latest RFU guidance, always refer to help.rfu.com.