Winchester RFC

Last updated
Winchester RFC
WinchesterRFC.jpg
Full nameWinchester Rugby Football Club
Union English RFU
Nickname(s)Winch
Founded1929;94 years ago (1929)
Location Winchester, Hampshire, England
Region Hampshire RFU
Ground(s)North Walls Park
ChairmanSteve Barrow
Coach(es)Matt Stagg (DoR), Gareth Martin & Chris Searle (1stXV), Sam Mann (2ndXV), Rob West (Knights)
Captain(s)Matt Golding (1stXV), George Porter (2ndXV), Martin Raper (3rdXV), Matt Stagg (Knights)
League(s) Regional 2 South Central
2022–232nd
Official website
www.winchesterrugby.com

Winchester RFC is an English rugby union club that is affiliated with the Hampshire RFU. [1] Winchester currently run four senior men's teams - 1st XV - who play in Regional 2 South Central 2nd XV - who play in Hampshire 2, a 3rd XV - who play in Hampshire 4 and the Knights - largely a veteran's side who play in Hampshire 5. There is a Women's team and mini and juniors and Colts sides covering all age groups from U5s upwards. The men's 1st XV currently play in Regional 2 South Central - a tier 6 league in the English rugby union system - having won promotion from Hampshire 1 at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Contents

History

Winchester was founded in autumn 1929 when 17 rugby enthusiasts met at the Cart & Horses pub in Kings Worthy. Up until 1971 their home ground was a field rented from a farmer in Kings Worthy when they moved to their present 10 acre ground at North Walls Park off Hilliers Way. [2]

In 1994 local businessman Ashley Levett whose sons played in the mini and junior sections invested in the club and funded an extension the clubhouse which was originally built in 1973. Levett secured the services of Winchester's first paid coach Phil Davies who orchestrated Winchester being promoted from Hampshire 1 to London Division 1 in four years and winning two Hampshire Cup victories. Levett also purchased Richmond turning them into the first professional team in England but RFU rules prevented him having financial interests in two clubs and he departed Winchester. [3]

League record

Winchester League Record [4]
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
1987–88 London 3 South West 788relegated
1988–89 Hampshire 1 8610
1989–90 Hampshire 1 8133
1990–91 Hampshire 1 8181champions, promoted
1991–92 London 3 South West 796
1992–93 London 3 South West 7108
1993–94 London 3 South West 7312relegated
1994–95 Hampshire 1 8163
1995–96 Hampshire 1 8241champions, promoted
1996–97 London 3 South West 7201champions, promoted
1997–98 London 2 South 6262runners-up
1998–99 London 2 South 6281/15champions, promoted
1999–00 London Division 1 5207/17
2000–01 London Division 1 5109/11
2001–02 London Division 1 51410/12
2002–03 London Division 1 51610/12relegated
2003–04 London 2 South 61610/12relegated
2004–05 London 3 South West 7214/12
2005–06 London 3 South West 7225/12
2006–07 London 3 South West 7226/12
2007–08 London 3 South West 7226/12
2008–09 London 3 South West 7912/12 [a 1]
2009–10 London 2 South West 7912/12relegated
2010–11 London 3 South West 8518/12
2011–12 London 3 South West 8685/12
2012–13 London 3 South West 8931/12champions, promoted
2013–14 London 2 South West 7477/12
2014–15 London 2 South West 7723/12
2015–16 London 2 South West 7714/12
2016–17 London 2 South West 7517/12
2017–18 London 2 South West 73611/12relegated
2018–19 London 3 South West 8991/12champions, promoted
2019–20 London 2 South West 7664/12league suspended [a 2]
  1. ↑ There was no relegation this year as the division would be renamed London Division 2 South West for the 2009-10 season and along with the whole national restructuring of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
  2. ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester II League Record
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
2002–03 Senior Merit champions
2008–09 Senior Merit 224/9
2009–10 Senior Merit 1410/10relegated
2010–11 Merit One 781/12champions
2011–12 Merit One 702/12runners up
2012–13 Merit One 741/12champions, promoted
2013–14 Senior Merit 216/9
2014–15 Solent League 503/10
2015–16 Solent League 274/8
2016–17 Solent League 146/8
2017–18 Solent 1 246/8
2018–19 Hampshire 1 10012/12relegated [b 1]
2019–20 Hampshire 2 11812/12league suspended [b 2]
  1. ↑ Was not able to fulfill all fixtures so relegated with 0 points
  2. ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester Knights/III League Record
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
2008–09 Merit One 352/10runners up
2009–10 Merit One 401/9champions, relegated [c 1]
2010–11 Merit Two 654/12
2011–12 Merit Two 603/11
2012–13 Merit Two 751/11champions, promoted
2013–14 Merit One 356/11
2014–15 Hampshire South West 831/12champions
2015–16 Solent League 2 118/8
2016–17 Solent League 2 1912/12
2017–18 Waterfall Solent 2 423/12
2018–19 Hampshire 2 11616/12relegated [c 2]
2019–20 Hampshire 3 12535/19league suspended [c 3]
  1. ↑ Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
  2. ↑ Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
  3. ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus

Honours

Men's 1st XV

Youth/Colts

Notable club members

Notes

  1. ↑ When London 2 South West was known as London 3 South West (not to be confused with the current London 3 South West).

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References

  1. ↑ "HRFU Club Directory". Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  2. ↑ "Winchester RFC through the years". Hampshire Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  3. ↑ Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 90.
  4. ↑ Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 130.
  5. ↑ "Hampshire Club Competition History" (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  6. ↑ "Colts Standings Div 1-3". Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  7. ↑ "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  8. ↑ "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  9. ↑ "Hotshots Harlequins Centre Joe Marchant". Rugby World. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  10. ↑ "Representative History of the European Championships" (PDF). internationaltouch.org. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  11. ↑ "Fields bids farewell to Winchester after seven years". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
  12. ↑ "Pountney and the forgotten F word". Independent . Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  13. ↑ "Hampshire full of pride for LeRoy". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  14. ↑ "Hidden notebooks reveal remarkable sporting life". Worcester News. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  15. ↑ "Winchester's rugby club hits 80". bbc.co.uk. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
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