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Full name | Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club |
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Union | Kent RFU |
Nickname(s) | Wells |
Founded | 1931 | (as Old Skinners)
Location | Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England |
Ground(s) | St Marks Recreation Ground (Capacity: 3,000 [1] ) |
Chairman | Mike Rigby |
President | Jim Hendley |
Captain(s) | TBC |
League(s) | Regional 1 South Central |
2023/24 | 4th |
Official website | |
www |
Tunbridge Wells RFC is an English Rugby union club that plays in Regional 1 South Central from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.
Tunbridge Wells RFC was officially formed as Old Skinners RFC in 1931 as a rugby union club for former pupils of The Skinners' School. In 1970, membership of the club became open to non-Skinners pupils with Old Skinners being renamed as Tunbridge Wells RFC in 1973. [2] Despite becoming an open club, Tunbridge Wells retain their links with The Skinners' School, specifically by not selecting Skinners pupils who represent Skinners while they are competing in the Daily Mail Cup to assist them. [3] In 1985, Tunbridge Wells had a new clubhouse constructed, which was opened by Princess Anne. [2]
Since the creation of league rugby in 1987, Tunbridge Wells played mainly in London 1 South where they also played league matches against future RFU Championship side, Jersey [4] and regularly attempted to enter National League 3 London & SE. [5] In 2011, Tunbridge Wells were relegated to London 2 South East. [6] The following season they were relegated again to London 3 South East. [7] The club managed to reverse the trend and win promotion back to the London 2 South East league after finishing in the runner up position in the London 3 South East league in the 2012–13 season. [8]
They also compete in Kent cup competitions. [9]
In addition to the 1st XV the club regularly fields other adult sides (including a social and Vets side) competing in various Kent RFU league competitions. In the 2012–13 season the 2nd XV won the Invicta 1 league. [10]
In 2012, Tunbridge Wells set up a scheme where players from their youth teams would act as ambassadors to local schools for the club to assist with coaching and participation in rugby. This innovative plan was praised by the Rugby Football Union as "a great idea" as a number of other rugby clubs also set up similar schemes following on from Tunbridge Wells'. [11] Tunbridge Wells are also affiliated to English Premiership team, Saracens. [12] [13]
The 1st XV went unbeaten in the 2015–16 season winning the London 2 South East league title [14] and the RFU Intermediate Cup. They were then promoted again in the 2016–17 season to the London and South East Premier League.
Old Patesians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The club currently play in Counties 3 Gloucestershire North following their voluntary relegation from Regional 2 Severn. As well as the first XV, the club operate two other male teams, a junior programme, with teams starting from under-9, through to under-19 (Colts) level. The club runs a rugby league side under the name, Cheltenham Old Patesians, which play in the West of England Rugby League.
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 is an English league of Rugby Union teams, representing the second level in the Rugby Football Union's London & South East Division, making it a Level 6 league in the RFU's league hierarchy. The clubs come mainly from Hampshire, Kent, South London, Surrey and Sussex.
Westcombe Park RFC is a rugby football club based in Orpington in south-east London. The name of the club comes from the Westcombe Park area of what is today part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, where the club was founded. The club played on fields in Lee, Shooter's Hill and Sidcup before the move to Orpington. Westcombe Park play in National League 2 East, a level four league in the English rugby union system following their promotion from Regional 1 South East at the end of the 2022–23 season.
Sussex 1 is an English level 9 Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Sussex. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions are automatically promoted up to London 3 South East, while the second placed team plays a promotion playoff against the second placed team from Kent 1. Relegated teams drop to Sussex 2 although in recent season there has been no relegation. Only 1st XV sides can be promoted into London 3 South East.
London 3 South East is an English level 8 Rugby Union League involving club sides from Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and the south-east London. It is made up of teams predominantly from London, Sussex and Kent. 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 Senior Vase - a level 8 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.
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.
Shelford Rugby Club is an English rugby union football club based in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire. The club currently play in Regional 1 South East – at the fifth tier of the English rugby union league system – following their promotion from London 1 North at the end of the 2021–22 season. Shelford run five men's sides, two women's sides and fifteen junior teams for boys and girls. They are members of the Eastern Counties Rugby Football Union.
Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Tonbridge in Kent. The club runs four senior teams, a ladies side and the full range of junior teams. The first XV play in National League 2 East for the 2022–23 season having been relegated from National League 1, the previous season.
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The Kent Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Kent in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Kent, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Kent county rugby representative teams.
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 RFU Intermediate Cup is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by teams at level 7 of the English rugby union system. While the competition is a national one, it is however split into regions until the semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. It was first contested in 1997. Presently, the RFU Intermediate Cup is the third most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup and RFU Championship Cup.
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