Clifton Rugby

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Clifton RFC
Clifton rfc logo.png
Full nameClifton Rugby Football Club
Union Gloucestershire RFU
Nickname(s)Lavender And Blacks
Founded1872;151 years ago (1872)
Location Cribbs Causeway, Bristol,BS10 7TB England
Ground(s)Station Road (Capacity: 2,500 (400 seats) [1] )
PresidentJohn Raine
Coach(es) Matt Salter
Mike Barber
Bruce Reihana
League(s) National League 2 West
2022–23 3rd
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body blackhoops.png
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Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
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Team kit
Official website
www.cliftonrugby.co.uk

Clifton Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway. Clifton RFC play in the fourth tier of the English rugby union league system; National League 2 West.

Contents

History

The first ever photograph of a Clifton RFC team (1873) Clifton rfc team 1873.jpg
The first ever photograph of a Clifton RFC team (1873)

Clifton RFC is Bristol's oldest club, and one of the oldest in the world. [2] Clifton Rugby Club was formed on 27 September 1872 at the Kings Arms on Blackboy Hill in Clifton, Bristol. The pub still stands, although it was rebuilt in 1902, and refurbished in the late 1990s. Clifton is the 32nd oldest club in the United Kingdom, the 21st oldest in England, the 2nd oldest in the South West (Bath Rugby older by seven years) and the oldest in Bristol. [3] In 1909 a combined Bristol and Clifton RFC team, captained by Percy Down, lost to Australia 11–3.

Clifton's Cribbs Causeway ground also hosted the Bristol Packers American football team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. [4]

Honours

[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

League table

2023–24 National League 2 West Table
PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLosing bonusPoints
1 Luctonians 77002951261697035
2 Clifton 7511215159564127
3 Exeter University 7502275183925126
4 Camborne 7502234206286026
5 Chester 7502210177335025
6 Dings Crusaders 7403176134423322
7 Redruth 7313194228-344119
8 Hinckley 7304202237-355118
9 Old Redcliffians 730417217113217
10 Bournville 7205191217-265316
11 Loughborough Students 7205216264-486115
12 Hornets 7205226275-494214
13 Dudley Kingswinford 7106151251-100318
14 Newport (Salop) 7106102231-129217
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 14 October 2023

Source: National League 2 West RFU [11]

Notable former players

Internationals

The Clifton RFC team for the 1874-75 season Clifton rfc 1874-75.jpg
The Clifton RFC team for the 1874–75 season

British & Irish Lions

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References

  1. "Bristol's Clifton Rugby Club announces ambitious expansion plans". South West Business. 28 April 2014.
  2. "Clifton Rugby Club – Information at club website". cliftonrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. "Clifton Rugby Football Club History". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. "Bristol Packers". Britball Now. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  5. "Clifton RFC History 1970-1980". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  6. "Clifton RFC History 1980-1990". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. "Clifton RFC History 1990-2000". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  8. "Clifton RFC History 2000-2010". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  9. "Clifton beat Dings to lift Combination Cup | Bristol Post". bristolpost.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  10. "History - Combination Cup - Winners". bristolcombination.pitchero.com. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  11. "National League 2 West". England Rugby.