 | |
| Full name | Deal and Betteshanger Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | Kent RFU |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Location | Deal, Kent, England |
| Ground(s) | The Drill Field, Deal |
| Chairman | Matthew Curd |
| President | Robbie Scully |
| Coach(es) | Mal Graves |
| Captain(s) | Sam Hanley |
| League(s) | London 2 South East |
| 2019–20 | 8th |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The coal industry came to Kent in 1912 and Betteshanger Colliery started production in 1927 and was the largest of the Kent collieries. It was the last Kent colliery to close, closing for good in 1989. The colliery was served by a railway branch which left the main line between Deal & Sandwich. [1]
Rugby was first played at Betteshanger (The Colliers) in 1936, and was disbanded in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. The club reformed in season 1948-49 when the Yorkshire and Lancashire rugby league enthusiasts combined with the Welsh exiles. The Colliers were highly respected throughout their 57-year history winning county 7’s championship twice, as well as Kent 2, Kent 1 and London Div.4 SE.
Deal Wanderers started life as Walmer Wanderers in season 1958-59. The change of name came in season 1960-61 when it separated from the cricket section. Wanderers won Kent Div.3 in the 2004-2005 Season, which was a fitting prelude of what the future had in store.
Following closure of Betteshanger Colliery and the RM barracks both clubs found themselves competing for an ever-decreasing pool of players and in 2004 the two clubs engaged in discussion about amalgamation. Although they had very different backgrounds and histories the joining of the clubs was the right decision and in 2006 Deal and Betteshanger Lions RFC was born, and has proved very successful.
The Club is one of the very few sides at Level 7 that play predominantly home grown talent blended with a few players that have moved into the area. The club endeavours to field three regular senior sides. The club also has a thriving mini’s and junior section where we coach all children from 6 to 17 years. The coaches work hard to ensure the clubs ethos of teamwork, respect, enjoyment and discipline, are values to be aspired to at all times. Deal and Betteshanger was one of the first Rugby Clubs in East Kent to be awarded the coveted “Seal of Approval”. [2]
The rugby club had a strong association with the Royal Marines School of Music, then barracked in Walmer, and the tragic IRA bombing in 1989 killed 11 students, several of whom played for the Wanderers. The community of Deal & Walmer was distraught and in commemoration of that day, an annual rugby match takes place, alternately hosted by the Lions at The Drill Field and by the Royal Marines Band Service in Portsmouth.
The club runs a thriving Youth section, made up of a minis with age groups from 6 to 11 year olds and Juniors with age groups from 12 to 17 years old. Training and matches take place on Sunday mornings from 10.00am
For the start of the 2015-2016 Deal & Betteshanger rugby club have become a partner club with Saracens. Saracens provide club visits as well as lectures and pro sessions along with providing an opportunity for Youth players to take part in fixtures at Allianz Park Stadium on the 4G pitch itself while the crowd builds for the game.
For the start of the 2016-2017 Deal & Betteshanger rugby club are part of the CBRE All Schools Partnership, along with Deal school Goodwin Academy. The rugby club provides the ground for training and any matches which the school take part in. The Deal & Betteshanger club logo is shown on the school rugby shirts.
Several players have come through the junior section at Deal & Betteshanger and moved into professional positions within rugby. These include Matthew Carley, a professional RFU coach, Danny Herriott who played for England U21 and Northampton Saints, Ross Widdett who played for 2022 Mid-American RFU (MARFU) winners St Louis Bombers and Archie English who went to Hartpury College, represented Kent in men's and now plays for Blackheath F.C.
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
Wasps Rugby Football Club was a professional rugby union team. They last played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby, until being suspended on 12 October 2022. On 17 October 2022, the club entered administration, resulting in relegation from the league and all staff being made redundant. They exited administration on 16 December 2022.
Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the reigning RFU Championship champions of 2023–24 but were considered ineligible for promotion to Premiership Rugby as their home ground's capacity is too small. They were promoted to the league after they won National League 1 in 2014–15.
Richard Eric Peter Wigglesworth is an English rugby union coach and former professional player. He is the record appearance maker for Premiership Rugby, he played for Sale Sharks, Saracens and Leicester Tigers. He has won Seven Premiership titles, one with Sale, five with Saracens, and one with Leicester as well as three European Rugby Champions Cups with Saracens. Between 2008 and 2018 he won 33 caps for England. In his career he has played over 400 club games.
Sandbach RUFC is a rugby union team based in the Cheshire town of Sandbach. It operates four senior sides, junior and senior colts and ten mini/junior teams. The first XV plays in the sixth tier of the English league system — Regional 2 North West. The second XV plays in the NOWIRUL Cotton Traders Premier League with the third with the third team playing in the NOWIRUL Division 2 South and fourth team social rugby.
Northern Football Club are a rugby union club that was founded in 1875, and is based in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Their strip is coloured navy blue, red and white. They currently play in Regional 2 North, the sixth tier of the English rugby union system, having been promoted from Durham Northumberland One at the end of the 2021–22 season. Northern field three senior teams. These are the first team, Northern Wanderers and Northern Panthers. Northern have a large and successful mini and youth rugby set-up.
Chess Valley RFC is a rugby union club originally from Rickmansworth but now based in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire. It is a member of the Hertfordshire Football Union and the Rugby Football Union. It is a community club and fields adult Men's, Youth and Minis sides
Tunbridge Wells RFC is an English Rugby union club that plays in Regional 1 South Central from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.
London 2 South East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.
Counties 4 Kent is an English level 10 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Currently promoted teams move up to Kent 1 and there is no relegation although until the 2007–08 season teams could drop down to Kent 3. Now a single division, in the past Kent 2 was divided into regional divisions - Kent 2 East and Kent 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 5 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 4 Kent.
Maidstone Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Maidstone, Kent. The men's first XV currently compete in Counties 2 Kent - a league at the eighth tier of the English rugby union system. The club has thriving mini and youth sections, with enjoyment and development a priority. There are three men's senior teams, catering for all ages and abilities, along with a senior women's team.
Snowdown Colliery Welfare F.C. was an association football club based in Snowdown, Kent. The club existed at different times as a Junior, Intermediate and Senior status club; at the latter level the club competed in the original Kent League, Aetolian League, Greater London League, Thames and Medway Combination and the second Kent League. The club entered the FA Cup between 1949 and 1979 reaching the third qualifying round on one occasion.
Counties 5 Kent is an English Rugby Union league that is the lowest RFU league for clubs in south-east London and Kent. Promoted teams go up to Counties 4 Kent and relegation is to the Kent RFU merit leagues.
Tom Woolstencroft is an English former rugby union player who played in the position of hooker. He won the Premiership at Saracens and represented England at youth level.
Long Eaton RFC are a rugby union club based in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, UK. They were promoted as champions after only 2 years in Regional 2 East Midlands following their promotion from Midlands 2 East (North) as champions at the end of the 2020–21 season with over 100 points. The club went on an impressive run of promotions having been 2017-2018 champions of RFU Midlands Division 3 East (North) and 2016-17 champions of RFU Midlands Division 4 East (North) having remained unbeaten for both seasons. They are also won 2016-17 RFU Junior Vase, narrowly missing out on the national final. The clubs current director of rugby and head coach is former Nottingham RFC players Murray McConnell
Salisbury Rugby Club is an English rugby union club in Salisbury, Wiltshire, who play in Regional 2 South Central, a level six league. The club is based at Hudson's Field, Castle Road, near Old Sarum.
The Kent Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Kent in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Kent, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Kent county rugby representative teams.
Winchester RFC is an English rugby union club affiliated with the Hampshire RFU. Winchester currently run four senior men's teams – 1st XV – who play in Regional 2 South Central, 2nd XV – who play in Hampshire 2, a 3rd XV – who play in Hampshire 4 and the Knights – largely a veteran's side who play in Hampshire 5. There is a Women's team and mini and juniors and Colts sides covering all age groups from U5s upwards.
Sam Crean is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop forward for Premiership Rugby side Saracens.
Counties 1 Kent is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Kent, Greater London and East Sussex. Administration of the leagues is divided between Kent Rugby, Sussex Rugby and the London & SE RFU.
