Dunstablians RUFC

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Dunstablians
Dunstablians.png
Full nameDunstablians Rugby Union Football Club
Union East Midlands RFU
Nickname(s)The Dees
Founded1948;77 years ago (1948)
Location Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, England
Ground(s)Bidwell Park
ChairmanJon Gilbert
PresidentDamian Daize
Director of RugbyRichard Anderson
Coach(es)Martin Morris & Mick Coogan
Captain(s)Kevin Boland
League(s) Midlands 3 East (South)
2019–205th
Official website
dunstablians.rfu.club

Dunstablians Rugby Union Football Club are an amateur rugby union club based in Bedfordshire, who play their rugby in Midlands 3 East (South), an eight tier league in the English rugby union system. Their ground is located just outside nearby Houghton Regis and is commonly known as Bidwell Park. [1] The club run two Senior teams and a full Mini & Junior section (catering for 5-15 year old players) and Academy teams (catering for 16-18 year old players). Numerous local rivalries are shared, most notably with Stockwood Park and Luton Rugby Club.

Contents

History

In 1927, members of Dunstable Grammar School formed a rugby section, based at Fensomes Field in Leagrave, Luton. Unfortunately, the number of regular players dwindled, forcing the closure of the club after only three seasons. [2]

In 1948, another group of former pupils made a new start, securing a ground at French's Avenue in Dunstable and later moving to Skimpot Lane in Luton. In 1954 ground in Bullpond Lane, Dunstable was leased. The event was marked with a match against an East Midlands Invitation XV. It was eventually decided that a new ground was needed and the site at Bidwell Hill in Houghton Regis should be purchased, with the bulk of the financing raised through the sale of the Bullpond Lane site for housing development.

In September 1985, the club opened the current clubhouse by hosting an International XV that included six past England Captains.

The club has seen several promotions in the past. Highlights include the near perfect 1999/2000 season which delivered victory in all RFU competitions entered, along with League, County and East Midlands Cup success. This culminated in Dunstablians becoming National Intermediate Cup Champions at Twickenham.

A successful period followed; Dunstablians retained the County Cup in 2000/01 and added the Colts Cup to the collection. They lifted the County Cup again in 2005. [3] During 2006/07 Dunstablians also secured the Bedfordshire County Cup, defeating Bedford Athletic in the process. [4] They then returned to Twickenham for their second Intermediate Cup Final [5] losing 36–46 to Cornish side Mounts Bay and finished 3rd in Midlands League 1 (RFU Level 5), their highest ever league placing.

After a five-year wait, Dunstablians won the Beds County Cup again by defeating Stockwood Park in 2012, but since then have finished runners up in no less than three successive County Cup Finals. [6]

Club honours

1st XV:

Youth

Current squad

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

PlayerPositionUnion
Thomas Hake Hooker Flag of England.svg England
Glenn Brinkley Prop Flag of England.svg England
Will Hewitt Prop Flag of England.svg England
Chris Chandler Prop Flag of England.svg England
Nathan Aris Hooker Flag of England.svg England
Rhys Thomas Flanker Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Wales
Adam Shelley Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Matthew Knight Lock Flag of England.svg England
Richard Shaw Lock Flag of England.svg England
Will Bryant Lock Flag of England.svg England
Simon George Prop Flag of England.svg England
Ashley Jenkinson Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Nathan Dominique Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Charlie Bailey Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Kevin Arnold Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Simon Husc Howard Prop Flag of England.svg England
Marshall Topp Number 8 Flag of Russia.svg Russia
PlayerPositionUnion
George Aitchison Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Michael Morris Scrum-half Flag of England.svg England
Scott Warren Number 8 Flag of England.svg England
Mattie Anderson Wing Flag of England.svg England
Kevin Boland Fly-half Flag of England.svg England
Tarkan 'TK' Kranda Centre Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
Jack Newton Wing Flag of England.svg England
Zach Bourne Fullback Flag of England.svg England
Sam Wilkins Wing Flag of England.svg England
Josh Klymyszyn Centre Flag of England.svg England

International honours

NationalityPlayerHonours
Flag of Denmark.svg Marcus Vass Denmark
Flag of England.svg Neil DavisEngland U9 Tiddlywinks Record Holder
Flag of England.svg Max ThorneEngland Deaf & England Deaf Sevens
Flag of South Africa.svg Morne Loxton South Africa U21s
Flag of South Africa.svg Harry Roberts South Africa
Flag of New Zealand.svg Anthony Niven New Zealand U19s
Flag of England.svg Reece Marshall England U18s [7]
Flag of England.svg Josh Skelcey England U18s [8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Not to be confused with Midlands 1 East.

References

  1. ↑ "RFU Handbook – Dunstablians". RFU. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  2. ↑ "Dunstablians – Club History". DRUFC . Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Dunstablians Win County Cup". Luton Today. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  4. ↑ "Cup Win". Bedford Today. Retrieved 5 October 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Community Details – Cup Win". RFU. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "County Cup Final". Pitchero. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Justin Bridou European Championship". FIRA-AER. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Young Gun: Josh Skelcey". The Rugby Paper. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
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