Full name | Southend Rugby Football Club | |
---|---|---|
Union | Essex RFU | |
Nickname(s) | Saxons | |
Founded | 1870 | |
Ground(s) | Warners Bridge Park | |
Chairman | David Short & Ken Baynes | |
President | David Ridler | |
Captain(s) | Matt Wagstaff & Ben Lloyd | |
League(s) | London 1 North | |
2019–20 | 6th | |
| ||
Official website | ||
www |
Southend Rugby Club (also known as Southend Saxons) is an English rugby union football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The club currently plays in the sixth tier of English club rugby, participating in London 1 North following their relegation from London & South East Premier at the end of the 2017-18 season. The club runs six senior sides, including a women's team (the Saints) and a full range of age grade teams. [1]
Southend RFC was formed in 1870 and was originally called Southend Foot Ball Club. [2] The club moved to its current location in 1978 and this heralded a golden period for the club, including three county cup victories in the decade before club rugby was introduced. The club was placed in Area 4 South but relegations saw the club relegated to London North East 3 by the turn of the millennium. However, a major turnaround saw the club back in the national leagues by 2003 and the club has remained at that level ever since, having returned to the level in which the club when the leagues were founded in 1987. [2] In 2014, the first team name was changed to Southend Saxons. [3]
Reading R.F.C. is an English rugby union club, which runs a total of 21 sides across men's, women's, girls' and junior rugby and is based in the village of Sonning, on the outskirts of Reading. The 1st XV play in Regional 2 South Central. They additionally play Walking Rugby which is a more accessible version of the game
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.
London 2 South West is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-west London, Surrey, and Hampshire. The 12 teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division are also invited to 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 used to be the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season was promoted whilst 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. The league was renamed as Regional 2 South East for the 2022-23 season and moved from a 14 team, to a 12 team competition. The champion would be promoted to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East depending on geographical location, whilst relegated sides would go to either Counties 1 Kent or Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex.
London 2 North East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 North East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. It is made up of teams predominantly from north east London, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. 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.
Hartpury University RFC is an English rugby union club. The men's first team play in the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the RFU Championship, having won promotion from National League 1 at the end of the 2016–17 season.
Barnstaple Rugby Football Club was established in 1877 and is a rugby union club based in Barnstaple, Devon. The club's first team play in the 5th tier of the English rugby union system, Regional 1 South West, following their relegation from National League 2 West in 2022–23. The first team are called the Chiefs, and there are also 2nd and 3rd teams, a number of youth teams from under-7s to under-18s (colts), and a girls side. The club colours are red and white and their nickname is Barum.
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.
London 3 South West is an English rugby union league at the eighth level of club rugby union in England involving sides based in Hampshire, Surrey and south-west London. Promoted clubs move into London 2 South West. Relegated clubs move into either Surrey 1 or Hampshire Premier depending on their location, with sides coming up from these divisions, although only 1st XV clubs are allowed in London 3 South West. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
Eastern Counties 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League - currently divided into 3 regional divisions. Promoted teams move up to Eastern Counties 1 with teams in this league tending to be from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. Currently a three divisions, Eastern Counties 2 has previously been divided into North and South divisions with teams from Essex taking part, and had relegation to Eastern Counties 3. In 2003-04 the Essex teams broke away, forming a new league - with Essex 2 being the equivalent division to Eastern Counties 2.
Essex 1 is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to London 3 Essex. Relegated clubs used to drop into Essex 2 but as that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation. The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Westcliff Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Eastwood, a suburb of Southend-on-Sea in Essex. The club was formed in 1922 as Old Westcliffians Rugby Football Club, for ex-pupils of Westcliff High School and took the current name of Westcliff Rugby Club in the 1990s. They run four senior teams and the full range of junior teams. The men's 1st XV currently play in Regional 2 Anglia, level 6 of the English rugby pyramid having experienced successive relegations from National League 2 East in 2022-23 and Regional 1 South East in 2023-24.
Dorking Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union football club, originally based in Dorking, Surrey and play in the nearby village of Brockham. The club currently play in the fourth tier of English club rugby.
Eton Manor Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in the London Borough of Redbridge. The first XV team currently plays in Regional 2 - Anglia. The club spent a single season in National League 3 London & SE - 2015-16 - but was immediately relegated back to London 1 North. The club has three other senior men's sides who play in the Essex merit leagues, as well as a thriving mini and youth section with rapidly growing Women’s and girls teams.
Mark Billings is an English rugby union player-coach who plays either on the Wing or as Full back. He has spent the bulk of his career at Southend, where he was club captain, and regular appearances for his club resulted in Billings becoming one of the top try scorers in National League 2 South history, with almost 90 tries in the competition. He is currently employed as a player-coach for Rochford Hundred. He has also made a number of appearances for Hawkwell vets 7 a side football team on a Wednesday night to reasonable success.
Bideford RFC is an English Rugby union team formed in 1926. The club is based in Bideford, Devon and operates four senior men's teams, as well as multiple youth, ladies and mini teams. The first team, the Chiefs play in Counties 1 Western West following their relegation from Tribute South West 1 West at the end of the 2017–18 season. The club has a longstanding rivalry with its neighbour, Barnstaple, and the traditional Boxing Day fixture between the two sides often attracts crowds in excess of a thousand supporters. Bideford plays home games at King George's Field.
London 3 Eastern Counties is an English rugby union league that is at the eighth level of the English rugby union system and is available to club sides based in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Promoted teams move up to London 2 North East with league champions going up automatically and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from London 3 Essex, while demoted teams usually drop down to Eastern Counties 1, with new teams also coming up from this league, although only 1st XV sides are allowed in London 3 Eastern Counties. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
London 3 Essex is an English rugby union league that is at the eighth level of the English rugby union system and is available to club sides based in Essex and north-east London. Promoted teams move up to London 2 North East with league champions going up automatically and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from London 3 Eastern Counties, while demoted teams usually drop down to Essex Canterbury Jack 1, with new teams also coming up from this league. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
Rochford Hundred Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in Hawkwell near Rochford in Essex. The first XV team currently play in Regional 1 South East, having been relegated from the National League 2 East. The club also operates other adult teams and a full academy set-up of junior teams for both boys and girls.