Surrey Rugby Football Union

Last updated

Surrey RFU
Surrey rugby logo.png
Full nameSurrey Rugby Football Union
Union RFU
Founded1879;145 years ago (1879)
Region Surrey, parts of London
PresidentGary Ashburn
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body thinwhitesides.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.surreyrugby.co.uk

The Surrey County Rugby Football Union is the union responsible for rugby union in the county of Surrey, England, and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having been formed in 1879.

Contents

History

Early years of County representative team

The earliest recorded game played by a team purporting to represent Surrey under rugby union auspices was played before the Surrey County Club has been formed. This was played on 21 February 1878 against Middlesex and won by Surrey with a try scored by AS Trevor. [1]

Formation of the County Club

On 22 December 1879, a meeting was held at the York Hotel, on Waterloo Road, South London (then in Surrey), at which the County Club was formed. Two fixtures were played that season. The first was against Middlesex which turned out to be an easy win for Surrey. However, their confidence was put into check when they were soundly beaten by Yorkshire. [1] Another match with Middlesex was played at Old Deer Park on 6 December 1880 with the result of each fifteen scoring one goal, in what was described as a ″splendidly-contested game″. [2]

County side

Honours

County Championship finals (2 wins);

YearWinnersHome teamScoreAway teamVenueNotes
1896 Yorkshire Surrey4 – 16 Yorkshire Richmond
1938 Lancashire Lancashire 24 – 12SurreyBlundellsands
1960 Warwickshire Warwickshire 9 – 6SurreyCoundon Road, Coventry
1967 (replay)Surrey14 – 14 Durham County Twickenham
Durham County 0 – 0SurreyHartlepooltitle shared after a drawn replay
1971 Surrey Gloucestershire 3 – 14SurreyKingsholm

County Championship Shield finals (4 wins);

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upNotes
2005Surrey29 - 18 Somerset [3]
2011 Dorset & Wilts 43 – 22Surrey [4] [5]
2012Surrey43 – 12 Leicestershire [6]
2013Surrey21 – 16 Cumbria [7]
2014 Surrey39 – 12 Leicestershire [8]

County Championship Plate finals (1 win);

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upNotes
2015 Surrey17 – 3 Eastern Counties [9]

Notable players for the County side

Many notable players have represented Surrey. The most appearances in County Championship games for the Surrey side have been by: [1]

Other famous players include:

Presidents

Affiliated clubs

There are currently 70 full member mens adult clubs affiliated with the Surrey RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level and are based in Surrey and parts of London. Many of the London-based sides are also members of the Middlesex RFU.

Defunct clubs

[12]

County club competitions

The Surrey RFU currently runs the following club competitions for club sides based in Surrey and parts of London:

Leagues

Post the 2022 Adult Competition Review

Prior to the 2022 Adult Competition Review

Cups

[13]

Discontinued Competitions

See also

Notes

  1. Barnes are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  2. Ironsides are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  3. Bec Old Boys are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  4. Croydon are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  5. Effingham & Leatherhead are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  6. London Exiles are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  7. London Irish Wild Geese are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  8. Merton are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  9. Old Emanuel are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  10. Old Haileyburians are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  11. Old Pauline are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  12. Old Tiffinians are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  13. Old Whitgiftian are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  14. Old Wimbledonians are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  15. In June 2019 Reigate RFC senior section 'absorbed' Horley RFC seniors and stated an intention to compete as Reigate & Horley in season 2019-20. [10]
  16. Rosslyn Park are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  17. Streatham-Croydon are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  18. Teddington are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  19. Ealing Trailfinders are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  20. Trinity were until the 2018-19 season known as Old Mid-Whitgiftian.
  21. Warlingham are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  22. Wimbledon are joint members of both the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.
  23. In June 2019 Reigate RFC senior section 'absorbed' Horley RFC seniors and stated an intention to compete as Reigate & Horley in season 2019-20. [11]
  24. Despite being currently based in Berkshire, London Irish are joint members of the Middlesex RFU and Surrey RFU.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Surrey (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1918 onwards

East Surrey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Claire Coutinho, a Conservative who formerly served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The seat covers an affluent area in the English county of Surrey.

The Old Alleynian Football Club is an open rugby union club founded as a team for the old boys of Dulwich College, themselves known as Old Alleynians. Founded in 1898, it is one of the oldest clubs in London and was the last of London's old boys clubs to become a fully open club. It is notable not only for its longevity, but also for the prominence it once attained on the club circuit and for the number of eminent players that have been members of the club, some of whom gained their international caps whilst at the club.

The Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, is a rugby union club, founded in 1871, based at Frant Road, Thornton Heath, in the London Borough of Croydon, south London. Streatham-Croydon currently play in Counties Surrey 4. The club's teams play in cardinal shirts, white shorts and cardinal and white hooped socks.

The Surrey Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Surrey Rugby Football Union. The original cup competition was first played for back in 1890, the inaugural winners being Lennox, but was discontinued in 1909, having been held intermittently over 20 seasons, due to cup competitions being considerable 'undesirable'. The cup was reintroduced around 50 years later for the 1970–71 season, with the first winners of the modern competition being Guildford & Godalming. It is the most important rugby union cup competition in Surrey, ahead of the Surrey Trophy, Surrey Shield and Surrey Bowl.

Counties 4 Surrey is a rugby union competition covering the English county of Surrey and parts of south-west London. It sits at the 10th tier of the English rugby union system. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to Surrey 3 and relegated teams move down to Counties 5 Surrey. At the end of the 1999–2000 season, Surrey 4 was cancelled with teams automatically going up to Surrey 3 or dropping out of the league. After a hiatus of four seasons the division was reinstated.

Counties 3 Surrey is a rugby union competition covering the English county of Surrey and parts of south-west London. It sits at the ninth tier of the English rugby union system. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to Surrey 2 and relegated teams move down to Counties 4 Surrey.

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 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.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middlesex Rugby Football Union</span> Rugby team

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.

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex is a tier 7 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the top-tier competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. It was previously known as London 2 North West. After the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, the league was renamed to Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex.

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.

Counties 2 Surrey is a level 8 English Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Surrey and south-west London. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex while relegated teams drop down to Counties 3 Surrey. It was previously known as Surrey 2 and a 10 team team league prior to the RFU Adult Competition Review.

Surrey 1 is a level 9 English Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Surrey and south-west London. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to London 3 South West with the league winners going straight up and the runners up playing against the runners up from Hampshire Premier. Relegated teams drop to Surrey 2.

The Surrey Shield is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Surrey Rugby Football Union. It was introduced in 1998 and the inaugural winners were Cobham. It is the third most important rugby union cup competition in Surrey, behind the Surrey Cup and Surrey Trophy but ahead of the Surrey Bowl.

The Surrey Bowl is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Surrey Rugby Football Union. It was introduced in 2006 and the inaugural winners were Merton. It is the fourth most important rugby union cup competition in Surrey, behind the Surrey Cup, Surrey Trophy and Surrey Shield.

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 2017–18 RFU Senior Vase is the 12th version of the RFU Senior Vase national cup competition for clubs at level 8 of the English rugby union system. The competition consists of 94 clubs divided into four regions. The winners of each region then advance to the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London at the end of the season, along with the RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Junior Vase finals.

Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Surrey, Greater London, East Sussex and West Sussex. Administration of the leagues is divided between Surrey Rugby., Sussex Rugby and the London & SE RFU.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rugby in Surrey at Old Cranleighan Rugby Club Official site
  2. "Football". The Cornishman. No. 126. 9 December 1880. p. 7.
  3. "County Championship Plate Final 2005". englandrugby.com. 29 May 2005.
  4. "Rugby: Dorset & Wilts enjoy Twickenham triumph".
  5. "Dorset & Wilts claim Shield win". BBC News. 29 May 2011.
  6. "Leicester Aim for Shield Success". RFU. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. "Surrey retain County Championship Shield". RFU. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. "Surrey finish strongly to seal hat-trick". rfu.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  9. "Super Surrey call Twickenham their home once again". Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser. 31 May 2015.
  10. "Reigate Rugby Club senior rugby development" (PDF). Reigate RFC. 1 June 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  11. "Reigate Rugby Club senior rugby development" (PDF). Reigate RFC. 1 June 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  12. "Senior Clubs Near You". Surrey RFU. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  13. "Incentive FM KO Competitions". Surrey RFU. Retrieved 15 June 2017.