Full name | Old Elthamians Rugby Football Club |
---|---|
Union | Kent RFU |
Founded | 1911 |
Location | Chislehurst, Bromley, London, England |
Ground(s) | Hospital Ground Perry St Chislehurst (Capacity: 1,800) |
Chairman | Jonny Mack |
President | Mike O'Connell |
Captain(s) | Richie Trew |
League(s) | Counties 3 Kent |
2019–20 | 9th |
Official website | |
www |
Old Elthamians Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Chislehurst in SE London-Kent. Due to financial difficulties they withdrew from National League One, the third tier of English club rugby, in August, 2021. [1] Upon returning to league rugby and despite only taking one season away, the RFU place Old Elthamians in Counties 3. The club left the College meadows ground and have returned home to Chislehurst. They returned to Chislehurst for the 2022-23 season after they were removed from College Meadows by the headmaster Guy Sanderson due to the debt owed to Eltham College by Kobus Paulsen.
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Old Elthamians was formed in 1911 and ran four senior teams and a full range of junior teams. [2] [3] In 2014–15 the club moved ground from the Foxbury to Queen Mary Sports Ground in Chislehurst, where they were resident for just two seasons before moving their home of College Meadow (owned by Eltham College) in Mottingham, for the 2016–17 season. [4] [5] Old Elthamians had their first home game at College Meadow on 17 September 2016, defeating visitors Clifton 46 - 19 in front of 420 spectators. [6]
On 25 March 2017 Old Elthamians, riding high in National League 2 South, achieved a club record win 97–7 against bottom club Exmouth, a tally that included 15 tries. [7] They finished second that season, qualifying for a promotion play-off against the runner-up from National League 2 North. On 6 May 2017 Old Elthamians travelled to take on Sale at Heywood Road, winning a close game 19–14 to claim promotion to the 2017–18 National League 1; the highest level in the club's history. [8] The 2016–17 season also saw Dominic Lespierre score 36 league tries to break the previous best of 32 set by Renford Bennet. [9]
On 16 December 2017 Old Elthamians beat Blackheath 32–7 in front of a then club record crowd of 1,653 at College Meadow, in what was the first league meeting between the two sides in 106 years despite both being based in south London. [10] This record was topped the very next season when a crowd of 1,770 at College Meadow saw Old Elthamians lose 11–12 to Blackheath on 22 December 2018 in a top of the table clash. [11]
They finished ninth in their final league season.
Regional 1 South East is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following re-organisation by the Rugby Football Union while the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season to make it more obvious that it is a regional league. London & South East Premier was the highest regional rugby union league covering London and south east England. Following the RFU Adult Competition Review the league was decreased from 14 to 12 and the name changed to Regional 1 South East. Part of the area formerly covered by London & South East Premier is now covered by a new league Regional 1 South Central.
Regional 1 South West is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as South West Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union, and the name change from National League 3 to South West Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for what is a series of regional leagues. Regional 1 South West, is the highest regional rugby union league covering South West England. The club finishing in first place is automatically promoted to National League 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to either Regional 2 South West or Regional 2 Severn, depending on their location.
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.
London 1 North was an English level 6, rugby union league for clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, north Greater London, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 North, changing to its final name ahead of the 2009–10 season.
Regional 2 South East, previously known as London 1 South, is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from East Sussex, south Essex, south Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 South, changing to London 1 South ahead of the 2009–10 season. It was the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season is promoted. The second-placed team entered a play-off against the runner-up of London 1 North. Three teams were relegated into either London 2 South East and London 2 South West depending on their location.
Kent 1 is an English level 9 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. The league champions move up to London 3 South East while the runners up play against the runners up of Sussex 1 for the remaining place. Relegated teams drop down to Kent 2.
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 3 men's senior teams, catering for all ages and abilities, along with a senior womens team.
Exmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team based in at the Imperial Recreation Ground in Exmouth, Devon. The club runs four senior teams and a ladies side as well as the full range of junior boys teams and girls teams at three age levels. The first XV plays in the Regional 1 South West, the fifth tier of the English rugby union league system.
The 2014–15 National League 2 South is the sixth season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division include Worthing Raiders, Dorking and Old Elthamians and Lydney. The league system is 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National League 1 while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National League 2 North for the final promotion place.
The 2015–16 National League 2 South is the seventh season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. There was talk of this being the last season in this format due to RFU changes to tier four which were supposed to result in a restructuring of the league from two regional divisions to three for the 2016–17 season but this seems to have been put on hold due to protests from the northern clubs who stood to lose revenue from a smaller fixture list.
The 2015–16 National League 2 North is the seventh season of the fourth tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. There was talk of this being the last season in this format due to RFU changes to tier four which were supposed to result in a restructuring of the league from two regional divisions to three for the 2016–17 season but this seems to have been put on hold due to protests from the northern clubs who stood to lose revenue from a smaller fixture list.
The 2016–17 National League 2 South was the eighth season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division include Henley Hawks and Cinderford while Exmouth (champions) and Barnstaple were promoted from National League 3 South West along with London Irish Wild Geese who won National League 3 London & SE. The league system is 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions are promoted to National League 1 while the second-placed team play-off against the second-placed team from National League 2 North for the final promotion place.
The 2016–17 National League 2 North is the eighth season of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division include Wharfedale who were relegated from National League 1 while Sheffield Tigers were promoted as champions of National League 3 North along with Scunthorpe (champions) and Hinckley (play-off) from National League 3 Midlands.
The 2017–18 National League 2 North is the ninth season of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
The 2017–18 National League 2 South is the ninth season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
The 2017–18 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1 is the ninth season of the third tier of the English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier RFU Championship was introduced; and is the 31st season since league rugby began in 1987.
The Kent Rugby Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Kent Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1890-91 season, with the inaugural winners being R.N.C., Greenwich. It was discontinued after the 1926-27 season, but reintroduced during the 1969–70 season, the winners in that year were Sidcup.
The 2018–19 National League 2 North is the tenth season of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
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