 | |
| Full name | London New Zealand Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | Rugby Football Union |
| Emblem(s) | Silver fern |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Location | London |
| Ground(s) | Twyford Avenue Sports Ground |
London New Zealand Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club currently based in Acton, London. They were formed in 1926 as a club for New Zealand expatriates in the United Kingdom and are affiliated to the Middlesex Rugby Football Union. [1]
London New Zealand was initially founded in 1926 for visitors from New Zealand to be able to play rugby in England. [2] However the club became inactive during the Second World War and remained so until 1962. The club were initially based at Aorangi Park in Wimbledon, leased from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. [3] The lease was terminated by the All England club in 1981 in order for The Championships, Wimbledon to be held. [4] Since then the club has been nomadic, moving to Osterley and Greenford before settling in Acton and playing their matches at Wasps FC's Twyford Avenue Sports Ground. [4] By 2012, the club had downsized to running only one team. [4]
A number of players for the New Zealand national rugby union team have played for London New Zealand, including Doug Rollerson, Terry Morrison and Paul Sapsford. [4] In recognition of their history, the club have been granted privileges by both the Rugby Football Union and the New Zealand Rugby Union. They are the only rugby team aside from New Zealand national representative teams that wears the silver fern as their crest and the RFU exempted them from the overseas player quotas, [5] prior to their abolition. [4] The club have also taken part in a number of New Zealand government functions, including traditionally playing a rugby match against an invitational national side for commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele. [6] They also represent New Zealand culturally in England by performing the traditional haka. [7]
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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.
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Middlesex Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in Middlesex, England; Middlesex is a historic county of England that covers areas in the ceremonial counties of Greater London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. The historic county is still in use when referring to sport, and some businesses in the area. Middlesex RFU was originally created as the Middlesex County Rugby Club but within six years was being referred to as the Middlesex County Rugby Football Union and is now known simply as Middlesex Rugby.
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London 2 North West is an English rugby union league which is at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and is made up of teams predominantly from north-west London and Hertfordshire. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 North West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season.
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