Date of birth | 14 December 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sylvan Edwards (born 1979) is an English rugby union player who plays at either Centre or on the Wing. [1] He is currently in his second spell with Bristol side Dings Crusaders where he became one of the top try scorers in National League 2 South history, with 69 tries in his first nine seasons spent at the club. [2] [3] Sylvan has also been capped by the Gloucestershire county side.
After starting his career with Avonmouth Old Boys, Sylvan signed for fellow Bristol side, Dings Crusaders in 2002, and his debut season was a success as his club won South West Division 1 and gained promotion to the National Leagues. [4] The 2003–04 season in National Division 3 South saw Ding's just avoid relegation, five points clear of 13th placed Basingstoke, with Sylvan contributing a respectable 10 tries in a Ding's side that were the lowest points scorers in the division. The next season was far better for both Sylvan and Dings as he scored a (tier 4) career best 17 tries in the league and his club finished 8th. Over the next couple of seasons Dings saw stability as they became a mid-table side in the division.
The 2008–09 season with Ding's was a lean one for Sylvan as he only managed 3 tries in a Ding's side that finished 6th. However, his overall contribution was good enough to see him picked for the Gloucestershire county side, with whom he reached the 2009 Bill Beumont Cup final, making an appearance at Twickenham but ultimately ending on the wrong side of an 18–32 scoreline against winners Lancashire. [5] In 2011 Sylvan was part of the Ding's squad that won the Bristol Combination Cup but it would be his last silverware at the club before his move to Weston-super-Mare for the 2012–13 season. [6]
Sylvan had a decent debut season with new club Weston-super-Mare, scoring 7 tries from 21 appearances as his club finished 3rd in National League 3 South West, missing out on the promotion playoffs. Missing out on promotion was tempered somewhat as Weston-super-Mare won their 10th Somerset Cup, beating Old Redcliffians 33–32 in a very close match at the final held at Bath Road in Bridgwater. [7] The next couple of seasons would see Weston's performances in the league start to slip and from chasing promotion in 2013, they were relegated to South West 1 West by the end of 2015. [8]
After suffering relegation with Weston-super-Mare, Sylvan resigned with former club, Dings Crusaders for the 2015–16 season, continuing to play in National League 3 South West as Dings had just been relegated from National League 2 South.[ citation needed ] Now aged 37 years he is playing in an ambitious Dings side that is looking to get promoted back to the National Leagues.
Season | Club | Competition | Appearances | Tries | Drop Goals | Conversions | Penalties | Total Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002–03 | Dings Crusaders | South West Division 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
2003–04 | National Division 3 South | 26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | |
Powergen Cup | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
2004–05 | National Division 3 South | 24 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | |
Powergen Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2005–06 | National Division 3 South | 17 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | |
EDF Energy Trophy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2006–07 | National Division 3 South | 25 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | |
EDF Energy Trophy | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
2007–08 | National Division 3 South | 20 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | |
EDF Energy Trophy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2008–09 | National Division 3 South | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |
EDF Energy Trophy | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
2009–10 | National League 2 South | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | |
2010–11 | National League 2 South | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
2011–12 | National League 2 South | 21 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | |
2012–13 | Weston-super-Mare | National League 3 South West | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Somerset Cup | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
2013–14 | National League 3 South West | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
2014–15 | National League 3 South West | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
2015–16 | Dings Crusaders | National League 3 South West | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
2016–17 | National League 3 South West | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |
Dings Crusaders
Weston-super-Mare
Peter Spencer cup winner 2012 - 13
Gloucestershire
The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is an organisation for the promotion of junior rugby union in the city of Bristol, England.
Dings Crusaders RFC is an English rugby union team based in the Bristol suburb of Frenchay having previously been based in Lockleaze up until 2018. The club was relegated from National Division Two South, the fourth tier of the English rugby union system in 2015, to the South West Premier The club are currently playing in the third tier of the English rugby union system, National League 1, following their promotion as champions of the 2023–24 National League 2 West.
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 promoted to National League 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to either Regional 2 South West or Regional 2 Severn, depending on their location.
Counties 2 Somerset (formerly Somerset Premier is an English rugby union league which sits at the eighth level of league rugby union in England involving teams based in the county of Somerset as well as some teams based in Bristol. Originally a single division called Gloucestershire/Somerset, in 2000 the division split into two county leagues called Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier and subsequently adopted its new name following the RFU Adult Competition Review at the end of season 2021–22.
Simon Hunt is an English rugby union footballer and Director of Rugby for Old Bristolians having most recently played for Dings Crusaders. Simon has played club rugby in England, France and Wales and is known as a prolific try scorer who can also point kick. He also has international pedigree, having played at youth level for England as well as being centrally contracted to the England Sevens squad for the 2011–2012 IRB Sevens World Series. Outside of rugby Simon holds 87th fastest time for a 2000m indoor row. He is now working as a PE teacher.
Regional 2 South West, is an English, level six, rugby union league for clubs based in the south-west of England; i.e. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. It is one of twelve leagues at this level in England. When league rugby started in 1986 it was known as South West 2, but in 1996 the division was split into two leagues — South West 1 West and South West 1 East. South West 1 West was renamed Regional 2 South West prior to the 2022–23 season. The champions are promoted to Regional 1 South West and the bottom two sides are relegated, depending on location, to either Counties 1 Western West, Counties 1 Western North or Counties 1 Southern South.
Mark Woodrow is an English rugby union player-coach for Dings Crusaders currently playing in the English National League 3 South West. His position of choice is fly-half. Mark has played for eleven English national league clubs in addition to appearing for both Paternope (Naples) and later Viadana in the Italian leagues. He is a former England Counties XV international and has previously been involved with England Sevens. Renowned as a prolific and highly accurate points kicker, over his career he has made 300 appearances in English club rugby, scoring 2,613 points as of the end of the 2014-15 season.
Gloucester Premier is an English rugby union league which sits at the eighth level of league rugby union in England with teams largely being based in the county of Gloucestershire and Bristol. Originally a single division called Gloucestershire/Somerset, in 2000 the division split into two county leagues called Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.
Avonmouth Old Boys Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Shirehampton in Bristol. The club run three men senior teams, a vets side, a ladies team, a colts side and a youth section featuring the full range of age-groups including three girls' age groups. The first XV play in Western Counties North, a level-seven league in the English rugby union system.
The 2013–14 National League 2 South was the fifth season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. The league system was 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. After an absence of several years, the Cornwall Super Cup returned in a new format with the two league matches between the Cornish sides Launceston and Redruth also counting towards the cup.
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 2009–10 National League 2 South was the first season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Previously known as National Division 3 South, it had been renamed due to widespread changes to the league system by the RFU with National One becoming the Championship, National 2 becoming National 1 and so on. The league system was 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. A further change to the league system would see the division increase from 14 to 15 teams.
The 2003–04 National Division Three South was the fourth season of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Launceston who were relegated from the 2002–03 National Division Two while promoted clubs included Southend (champions) and Haywards Heath (playoffs) coming up from London Division 1 and Dings Crusaders as champions of South West Division 1. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the league champions going straight up into National Division Two and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.
The 2004–05 National Division Three South was the fifth season of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Lydney who were relegated from 2003–04 National Division Two as well as Havant (champions) and Hertford (playoffs) who were promoted from London Division 1 while Reading came up as champions of South West Division 1. The season would also see the introduction of a new points system with 4 points being awarded for a win, 2 points being awarded for a draw with the addition of a bonus point being given for scoring 4 or more tries as well as a bonus point given if you manage to lose a game within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National Division Two while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.
The 2006–07 National Division Three South was the seventh season of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division only included promoted teams from lower leagues including Canterbury who came up as champions of London Division 1, while Chinnor (champions) and Clifton (playoffs) came up from South West Division 1. The league system was 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 Division Two while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.
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 Bristol Combination Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1970–71 season, with the inaugural winners being Bristol Harlequins. A plate competition was introduced during the 1985–86 season for teams knocked out of the early rounds of the Bristol Combination Cup, with St Brendans Old Boys being the inaugural winners. The plate was discontinued at the end of the 2002–03 season and has since been replaced by the Bristol Combination Vase, which is for lower ranked clubs in the region.
The Somerset Senior Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Somerset Rugby Football Union. First contested between 1906-07 and 1913-14, it was reintroduced during the 1970–71 season, with the winners being Bath. It is the most important rugby union cup competition in Somerset, ahead of the Somerset Vase.
The 2018–19 National League 2 South is the tenth season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. At the end of the season, Rams became champions when they won away to Clifton on 6 April 2019, sealing promotion with two games to go. It was a fitting reward for the Berkshire club, who were by far the strongest side in the division. The runners up were Canterbury who claimed second spot after beating off stiff competition from the likes of Tonbridge Juddians and Henley Hawks. Despite finishing 21 points behind Rams, Canterbury's league results were still strong enough to enough to book a home promotion playoff against National League 2 North runners up, Chester. On 4 May 2019, Canterbury defeated Chester 19–10 to join Rams in the 2019–20 National League 1. For both clubs, National League 1 is the highest level they have ever reached since the leagues began back in 1987.
The 2019–20 National League 2 South was the eleventh season of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.