Ampthill RUFC

Ampthill

Full name	Ampthill Rugby Club
Union	East Midlands RFU
Founded	1881;144 years ago (1881) [1]
Ground(s)	Dillingham Park (Capacity: 3,000)
Director of Rugby	Mark Lavery
Coach(es)	Paul Turner
Captain(s)	Josh Barton
League(s)	RFU Championship
2023–24	7th
Team kit
Official website
www.ampthillrufc.com

Ampthill Rugby Club is an English rugby union team based in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. The club runs six senior teams and the full range of junior sides. ^[2] The first XV play in the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union system. Ampthill womens team The Lionesses currently compete in the NC3 competition.

History

In 2013–14, the team finished second but lost the promotion play-off to Darlington Mowden Park of the National League 2 North. ^[3] In 2014–15, they again finished second having been transferred to National League 2 North. They beat Bishop's Stortford, the National League 2 South runner-up in the promotion play-off at Dillingham Park, 19–10. ^[4]

For the 2015–16 season Ampthill have agreed a player development programme with Saracens, allowing young players contracted to Saracens to play for Ampthill. ^[5]

Honours

• East Midlands 1 champions: 1989–90
• Midlands 3 East (South) champions: 2006–07
• Midlands Division 2 East champions: 2008–09
• National League 3 Midlands champions: 2012–13 ^[6]
• East Midlands Wells Bombardier Cup winners (6): 1996, 1997, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2013 ^[7]
• National League 2 (north v south) promotion play-off winners: 2014–15
• National League 1 champions: 2018–19

Ampthill were initially National League 3 Midlands champions in 2009–10 but were stripped of the title due to breaches of league rules. ^[8]

Current standings

2024–25 RFU Championship table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Ealing Trailfinders	11	10	0	1	548	213	+335	10	1	51	Promotion place
2	Bedford Blues	12	9	0	3	332	265	+67	7	0	43
3	Coventry	12	8	0	4	324	280	+44	6	1	39
4	Nottingham	12	7	0	5	340	235	+105	6	3	37
5	Hartpury University	10	6	0	4	294	245	+49	6	2	32
6	Cornish Pirates	11	6	0	5	254	225	+29	4	3	31
7	Doncaster Knights	12	5	0	7	293	285	+8	4	3	27
8	London Scottish	11	4	0	7	250	303	−53	4	3	23
9	Chinnor	11	4	0	7	236	240	−4	3	3	22
10	Ampthill	10	3	0	7	193	355	−162	3	2	17
11	Cambridge	11	3	0	8	188	474	−286	3	0	15
12	Caldy	11	2	0	9	191	323	−132	3	2	13	Relegation place

Updated to match(es) played on 24 January 2025. Source: Source: RFU Championship ^[9]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

1. Number of matches won
2. Difference between points for and against
3. Total number of points for
4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 RFU Championship transfers § Ampthill.

The Ampthill squad for the 2023–24 season is: ^{[10] [a] [b]}

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Syd Blackmore Hooker Wales Ben Chapman Hooker England Ben Pogson Hooker England James Flynn Prop England Luke Green Prop England Dom Hardman Prop England James Johnston Prop Samoa Jasper McGuire [b] Prop England Zac Nearchou Prop England Callum Norrie [13] Prop Scotland Jevaughn Warren [a] Prop England Beck Cutting Lock England Josh Dunne Lock Ireland Griff Evans Lock Wales Kaden Pearce-Paul [a] Lock England Joe Peard Lock Wales Alex Wardell [a] Lock England Sam Asotasi [b] Back row Samoa Joe Bercis Back row England Cai Devine Back row Wales Nathan Michelow Back row England Izzy Moore-Aiono Back row England Iestyn Rees Back row Wales Josh Smart Back row England Morgan Strong Back row Wales

Player Position Union Charlie Bracken [a] Scrum-half England Charlie Gowling Scrum-half England Joe Green Scrum-half England Pete White Scrum-half England Harri Williams Scrum-half Wales Josh Barton Fly-half England Gwyn Parks Fly-half Wales Ewan Greenlaw Centre England Oli Morris Centre Ireland Lui Natui [a] Centre England Fraser Stratchan Centre England Ollie Dawkins Wing England Alex Harmes Wing England Wilson Ijeh Wing England Francis Moore [a] Wing England Josh Skelcey Wing England Tomas Bacon Fullback England Finlay Parker Fullback England Jack Spittle Fullback England

1. Designated players are dual-registered from Saracens for the 2023-24 season. ^[11]
2. Sam Asotasi and Jasper McGuire are both on season-long loans from Saracens for the 2023-24 season. ^[12]

References

1. "...reformed after WWII in 1950 the current club..." "A brief History of Ampthill & District Community RUFC". Ampthill & District RUFC. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
2. Club website home page - headlines section Archived 11 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
3. "National League 2 South". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
4. "National 2 Promotion Playoff". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.
5. "Ampthill & Saracens Player Development Programme". Ampthill RUFC. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015.
6. "RFU".
7. http://www.emru.co.uk/clubimages/10/documents/Previous%20winners%20of%20the%20WB%20EM%20Snr%20Cup.doc ^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
8. "National League Rugby Discussion Forum".
9. "RFU Championship". England Rugby.
10. "1st XV Squad". Ampthill RUFC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
11. "Ampthill & Saracens Partnership". www.ampthillrufc.com. Ampthill Rugby. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
12. "Sam Asotasi joins Saracens Academy". www.saracens.com. Saracens. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
13. https://www.instagram.com/ampthillrufc/p/DCzpMtZtHuf/

External links

• Official website