Related Research Articles
Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club is an English rugby union club, based in Birmingham, that compete in the third tier of English rugby. They were historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They originally played at the Reddings, but after attempting to keep up with the transition to professional rugby, the club ran into financial difficulties and were forced to sell their 125-year home to property developers. An unsuccessful five-year spell based at the University of Birmingham followed, during which time they were relegated to National Division Two. In 2005 the club moved to its new home at Billesley Common, and were promoted to National Division One in 2006. In 2009 they won their first cup in 27 years beating Leeds 23–18 in the final of the National Trophy at Twickenham. On the weekend starting 15 April 2016; defeat to Bristol, combined with results elsewhere during the same weekend, confirmed Moseley's relegation to National League 1 for the 2016–17 season.
Paignton Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club, originally formed in 1873 and based in Paignton, Devon. They moved to Queens Park in 1902 and have played there ever since. Paignton Rugby Club is affiliated to the Devon RFU and currently compete in Counties 1 Western West – a league at level 7 of the English rugby union system – following their promotion from the Cornwall/Devon League at the end of the 2021–22 season. Many of the club's players have represented the club at county or national level. The club have won the Cornwall/Devon League on three occasions; more than any other club. They have a friendly rivalry with neighbours Torquay Athletic RFC.
Launceston Rugby Club is a Cornish rugby club which play at Polson Bridge, Launceston, Cornwall. They are currently in Regional 1 South West, at the fifth tier of the English rugby union system following their promotion from Tribute South West 1 West via a play-off in 2019. At present the club fields two senior men's teams, colts (under-18), mini/junior sides, as well as several girls teams.
James Gordon Pritchard is an Australian-Canadian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer, who currently plays his club rugby union for Ampthill in National League 1 following short spells with Old Albanian and Coventry. Pritchard is best known for his time with Bedford Blues, where he spent 12 seasons across two spells with the club, and he is the club's record points scorer with 2,883 points in all competitions, including 99 tries. He is also the RFU Championship all-time top points scorer with 2,673 points from 251 league and play-off games while playing for Bedford Blues and Plymouth Albion, as a fullback, wing or centre. Pritchard has played internationally for Canada, with whom he appeared in four Rugby World Cups, and is his countries all-time top points scorer with 607 points.
National One, up until 2023 known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage League National Division Three when founded in 1987. Chinnor are the current champions.
Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club who play in Plymouth, England. The present club was founded in 1920 from a merger between Plymouth RFC and Devonport Albion RFC. Since 2003 they have played their home games at The Brickfields stadium. Albion's traditional strip and club colours are white, strawberry and green.
Cornwall/Devon League was an English level eight, rugby union league for clubs principally based in Cornwall and Devon. Following the reorganisation of the English rugby union leagues in 2022, the league was replaced by two level eight leagues based in Cornwall and Devon. The Pirates Amateurs won the last competition in season 2021–22 and were promoted to Counties 1 Western West
Barnstaple Rugby Football Club was established in 1877 and is a rugby union club based in Barnstaple, Devon. The club's first team play in the 5th tier of the English rugby union system, Regional 1 South West, following their relegation from National League 2 West in 2022–23. The first team are called the Chiefs, and there are also 2nd and 3rd teams, a number of youth teams from under-7s to under-18s (colts), and a girls side. The club colours are red and white and their nickname is Barum.
The 2012–13 RFU Championship is the fourth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of English domestic rugby union competitions, played between August 2012 and May 2013.
The 2013–14 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, was the fifth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It was held between 14 September 2013 and 4 June 2014. It was contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. It was also the first Championship season with a title sponsor, as the Rugby Football Union and Greene King Brewery reached a deal by which the brewery would become the competition's main sponsor from 2013–14 through to 2016–17.
The 2014–15 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, is the sixth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. This is the second year of the competition's sponsorship with Greene King Brewery, which runs until 2017. The twelve teams in the RFU Championship also competed in the British and Irish Cup, along with clubs from Ireland and Wales. Matches in the RFU Championship were broadcast on Sky Sports.
The 2015–16 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, is the seventh season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. This is the third year of the competition's sponsorship with Greene King Brewery, which runs until 2017. The twelve teams in the RFU Championship also compete in the British and Irish Cup, along with clubs from Ireland and Wales. Some matches in the RFU Championship are broadcast on Sky Sports.
Gary Kingdom is an English rugby union player who can play in a variety of positions most notably at Full back or Centre. He is currently playing for Taunton Titans in National League 2 South but has played higher level rugby for both Exeter Chiefs and Plymouth Albion as well as representing the Devon county rugby side with whom he has won the County Championship twice. Kingdom has become an excellent points kicker over his career and is, the second highest all-time points scorer in National League 2 South with over 1,900 points for Taunton. As well as playing, Kingdom is also employed by the RFU as a community rugby coach for the South Devon region.
The Devon Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Devon in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Devon, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Devon county rugby representative teams.
The Devon Senior Cup is an annual rugby union league and cup club competition organized by the Devon Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced in the 1886-87 season and the inaugural competition was won by Tiverton. During the early years of the cup the format changed several times from a knock-out competition to a league format, then to hybrid league/cup, then back to being a knock-out cup once again. The competition also was had periods of inactivity, with World War I preventing play for a number of seasons and then the cup being cancelled in the 1930s before being reintroduced for the 1969-70 season when it was won by St. Luke's College. The Havill Plate was introduced in the 1970s for teams knocked out of the first round of the cup which would continue until 1999. Competitions similar to the Havill Plate were introduced in 2009 for teams that got knocked out of the earlier stages of the cup were introduced - plate and vase - but these were discontinued due to a lack of interest by the clubs involved.
The Devon Junior Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Devon Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced in the 1888–89 season when it was won by Paignton. During the pre-war years the Devon Junior Cup was open to lower ranked teams in the county, along with the reserve sides of the larger clubs such as Exeter and Devonport Albion. Like the senior cup competition, the junior cup has periods of inactivity over its history due to World Wars, and was cancelled towards the end of the 1950s only to return in the 1986–87 season when it was won by Exeter Saracens. The Havill Plate was introduced in the 1970s for teams knocked out of the first round of the Devon Senior Cup but later included clubs knocked out of the early stages of the Junior Cup – it was discontinued after the 1998–99 season.
Torquay Athletic RFC is an English rugby union team formed in 1875 that is based in Torquay, Devon. The club operates 4 senior men's teams as well as youth and mini teams, with the men's first team currently playing in Tribute Cornwall/Devon following their relegation from Tribute Western Counties West at the end of the 2017–18 season. Nicknamed the "Tics", the first team's kit is black and white hoops and they play home games at the Recreation Ground. They have a local rivalry with Paignton RFC.
Matthew Shepherd is an English and Cornish rugby union player who currently plays at scrum-half or full back for Redruth in National League 2 South, having previously played for Plymouth Albion in National League 1. An extremely reliable points scorer with a knack for scoring important tries, he was instrumental in Cornwall's County Championship victories in 2015 and 2016 and has also been capped by England Counties XV. As well as playing union, Shepherd has played summer rugby league for the Cornish Rebels.
The RFU Knockout Cup was an English rugby union competition open to any member of the Rugby Football Union. First contested in 1971, it was the premier competition in English club rugby before the establishment of the English league structure in 1987.