History
1995-2009
Millwall Albion Rugby Union Football Club was founded in 1995 by Billy Canaway and Billy Lancaster, initially started as a small, informal collection of local men sharing a common interest following on from the 1995 Rugby World Cup Bill. Interest quickly began to grow and as more people joined in sessions on Millwall Park and it was decided to formalise things into a registered and RFU affiliated Rugby Club. From humble beginnings using borrowed shirts and as more funds came in it was possible to buy proper rugby kit and the recognisable black, white and red strip became a fixture in the local area. Millwall Rugby Club quickly gained players and in September 1996 was granted league status and accepted into Division 5 of the Eastern Counties Rugby Union (the regional organisers of rugby in an area covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex) winning the division in its first season.
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promotes and runs the sport, organises international matches for the England national team, and educates and trains players and officials.
After an unprecedented season in 2006/07 many players and coaching staff were acquired by another very successful rugby club. This led to a player shortage on all fronts but was also the catalyst for many players from the other teams within the club to show their worth and many of these players have now made the positions and teams their own. Although all teams within the club struggled for the first season after many departures, they have all gone on to dominate their respective leagues within the Essex County setup.
Millwall Lions
In the summer of 2003, 18 players from the Adult Section of the club volunteered to take the training course to become qualified as RFU Level 1 (Youth) Coaches to help get a Youth Section up and running. Jamie Rockman, who was also running the Adult 1st team at the time, agreed to become the club's first "Youth Chair".
November 2003 saw a very successful "Tag Rugby Festival" at which over 150 local Year 6 children attended, representing 6 local schools. In December 2005 Pat Salmon took over as 'Youth Chair', and after completing her coaching training in January 2006, she took on the coaching too.
In the years since, former Club Chairman Matt Shorrock has been running the youth section and through successful recruitment of enthusiastic volunteers, Millwall Lions have gone from strength to strength, fielding teams in many different age groups with fantastic results including Under 10, 13, 15 & 17’s. Millwall Lions now boasts over 30 volunteers helping with the running and management of the youth section.
England v Rest Of the World day
Every year at the end of the regular season an intra-club men's game is played between all the English players of the club and the players from elsewhere. Early matches saw several England victories but recent results have been thoroughly dominated by the ‘Rest Of the World’ teams, who chalked up their tenth consecutive victory in 2013. The game is often played amongst the Ladies/Venus section with England winning most recent encounters (though this reversed in 2013). Commonly referred to as 'Rest of the World Day', the day is formally known as 'Festival of Rugby Day' and also involves teams from all areas of the youth section on what is always a well-mannered and strongly attended fun day out for all the family.
After election of following-season officers at the AGM, the season is rounded off by an annual dinner and awards ceremony at the Palace of Westminster hosted by the Honorary President of Millwall Rugby Club, Jim Fitzpatrick MP.
The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London, England.
During the offseason, the club hosts summer touch rugby and occasionally opens to screen international tests in the Southern Hemisphere. Pre-season training typically recommences in July.
Reading R.F.C. is an English rugby union club, which runs a total of 21 sides across Mens, Womens, Girls and Junior rugby. The 1st XV play in Southern Counties North. The club is located in the village of Sonning, on the outskirts of Reading. The 1st XV is coached by Ben Wills, assisted by set-piece coach Charlie Davey and 2nd XV coach Jck Lynch. The coaching team is headed up by DIrector of Rugby Andrew Arter
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union team from Orrell in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Douglas Rugby Club are an English rugby union club based in Douglas on the Isle of Man. The club run two senior sides and age range teams encompassing both mini and junior rugby. The men's 1st XV currently play in North 1 West, at the sixth tier of the English rugby union system, following their promotion from South Lancs/Cheshire 1 via the playoffs at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Rugby Lions, nicknamed The Lions, are a rugby union club based in Rugby, Warwickshire in England. The club play their home matches at Webb Ellis Road. Their developmental squad is known as the Crusaders. The club also has a ladies team known as the Lionesses. They currently compete in Midlands 1 East at the sixth tier of the English rugby union system, having switched from Midlands 1 West at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Sheffield Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union club based at Abbeydale Sports Club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The club plays in Midlands Premier, at the sixth level of the English rugby union system, following relegation from National League 2 North at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English rugby union club, located in West London. The club's first team play in the Greene King IPA Championship RFU Championship after they won National League 1 in 2014–15, the third tier of the English domestic rugby union league system.
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 fifth tier of the English league system — Midlands Premier. The second XV plays in the Bateman BMW Premier League with the third and fourth teams playing in the Raging Bull Division 3 South and Raging Bull Division 5 South respectively.
Whitchurch Rugby Club is an amateur rugby union club in Whitchurch, Shropshire. The club was formed in 1936 and currently competes in the Midlands 1 West league since their promotion into the division as champions of Midlands 2 West (North) at the end of the 2017-18 season. Until the early 1970s, the club relied mainly on the facilities of the local Grammar School until the move to Edgeley Park where they now reside.
Bolton RUFC are an amateur rugby union team who play in the Lancs/Cheshire Division 1 league of the English rugby union league system.
Tunbridge Wells RFC is an English Rugby union club that plays in London & South East Premier from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.
Hackney Rugby Football Club is a rugby club based in Hackney, London, England. Hackney RFC has five senior teams, playing home matches at Spring Hill Recreation Ground. They are currently playing in London 2 North West after gaining promotion from London 3 North West as champions in the 2016-17 season.
Halifax Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The club currently runs three senior men's teams along with 2 Women's rugby union teams and a Mixed Ability rugby team.
Yardley & District RFC is an English rugby union club currently playing in the Midlands 4 West (North) Division.
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. As of the 2019-20 season, the first XV will play in the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union system.
South Shields Rugby Football Club are an amateur rugby union team based in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England. Established in 1956, they currently play in Durham/Northumberland 3 following their relegation from Durham/Northumberland 2 at the end of the 2018-19 season. Since their formation in 1956, South Shields have played their home games at South Tyneside College a ground known as Grosvenor Road in South Shields. At the start of the 2019/20 season, the club committed to playing its home games at Brinkburn.
Bletchley Rugby Union Club is an English rugby union club from Milton Keynes who play at Manor Fields. They routinely put out three Senior XVs, a ladies side and a Vets side. The 1st XV play in Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship and the 2nd XVs in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2 North table. The 3rd XV and Vets side play ad hoc friendly local fixtures. Bletchley Ladies is a developing team which is intending to enter the RFUW leagues in the 2011 season.
Gareth Collins is a former English-Welsh rugby union player who is currently head coach at Melton Mowbray and Head of Psychology at The King's School Grantham. A Leicester Tigers youth player, Collins was a versatile back who made his name scoring tries, being one of the most prolific finishers in National League 2 North history with 152 tries scored during his time with Rugby Lions and Leicester Lions, which included a joint divisional record 32 tries in a season. As well as playing club rugby he has also represented Warwickshire in the county championships and has captained the England Counties XV.
The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, although sides as low as level 12 or even outside the league system can sometimes enter. The competition is a national one, but split into regions until the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. Presently, the RFU Junior Vase is the fifth most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup, RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase.
The Essex Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Essex in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Essex, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Essex county rugby representative teams.
Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club that is based in Scalby near Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The club operates four senior men's teams, a women's team and mini/youth rugby. The men's 1st XV currently plays in North 1 East – a league at level 6 of the English rugby union system – having been promoted into the division from Yorkshire 1 via a playoff at the end of the 2017–18 season.
