Kilmarnock RFC

Last updated
Kilmarnock RFC
Krfc.gif
Full nameKilmarnock Rugby Football Club
Founded1868;155 years ago (1868)
Location Kilmarnock, Scotland
Ground(s)Bellsland
PresidentJohn Brown
Coach(es)Stuart Pratt
League(s) West Division One
2019–20 West Division One, 3rd of 10
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redhorizontal.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/kilmarnock

Kilmarnock Rugby Football Club is a Scottish rugby union club which was founded in 1868, and is based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire in west central Scotland. They play in West Division One. Often simply referred to as "Killie", their ground is at Bellsland in Kilmarnock, and they were formerly based at Rugby Park (hence its name).

Contents

One of the oldest rugby clubs in Scotland, Kilmarnock Football Club owes its existence to KRFC as an internal dispute about which football rules to adopt resulted in a breakaway in early 1869 by those who preferred to play Association Football.

History

When the Scottish National Leagues were introduced in 1973, Killie were placed in the 3rd Division by the Scottish Rugby Union. The club won that season without loss. The following season saw Killie being runners up in Division 2, gaining promotion to the top league. They remained there until 1981 after which a period of promotion and relegation between the 1st and 2nd Divisions was the norm. In 1978, Killie achieved their highest league position by finishing 3rd in Division 1. In 1986, Killie were the only team to beat Hawick as they swept all aside to win the Championship.

Since the change in league structure to embrace professionalism, Killie have struggled to hold on to their better players and now languish in Division 1 of the West Regional League. It is also likely that Killie took part in the first floodlit rugby match at Rugby Park, now the home of Kilmarnock FC. There is also a school of thought that South African team Transvaal, now the Golden Lions Super Rugby team, adopted the famous Kilmarnock strip of white top with red hoop as a Kilmarnock member, Alex Frew, captained them when they beat The British Isles touring team in 1903. Frew was also a Scottish Internationalist while attending the University of Edinburgh.

Kilmarnock had a reputation in the 1960s and 1970s of producing top class seven-a-side teams who won many tournaments in west central Scotland. This form was sadly never taken into the Border's Sevens Circuit in the 1970s and 1980s when Killie were a regular feature in all the most prestigious events.

More recent Kilmarnock 1st XV won promotion to RBS NATIONAL 1 for the first time in 20 years after a tough season in 2010–11.

Kilmarnock 2nd XV also known as "the Penguins" have not lost a home game at Bellsland in five seasons. They won the league title 2011–12 having only lost one game away from home. This promotes them into National 2, the second highest level available for 2nd XV teams in Scotland.

Kilmarnock 3rd XV more commonly known as the Killie Polar Bears have won three consecutive league titles 2008–09, 2009–10 and 2010–11 while being managed by John Cairns and Ivor Frater. They have been promoted to the RBS RESERVE LEAGUE WEST POD B making them the only 3rd XV in the division.

Kilmarnock Sevens

The club run the Kilmarnock Sevens competition. The tournament began in 1933. [1]

Notable players

Kilmarnock players to have been capped for Scotland whilst at the club include hooker Andrew Ross and Bill Cuthbertson. Andrew toured with the British Lions in 1924 to South Africa while Bill was part of the 1984 Grand Slam winning team. Bill also played for Barbarian F.C. while at Killie. Other players of note to have played for Killie include;

David Gibson, John Stewart and his brother Andrew Stewart all played for Scottish Colleges and Universities. Andrew Stewart was also captain of the Scottish under 18 Team; Andrew, who is now resident in New Zealand, and a professor of Sports Science, has also been involved with the fitness regime of the All Blacks.

Honours

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West of Scotland F.C.</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Milngavie

West of Scotland Football Club is a rugby union club based in Milngavie, Scotland.

Ayr Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club. Its professional men's side currently plays as Ayrshire Bulls in the Super 6 competition; and its women's side play in the Scottish Womens National One. The club also runs a "Club XV" which competes in the Tennent's National League 1, a 2nd XV "Ayr-Millbrae", which plays in the SRU West Reserve League Division 1, and various age group teams, from age 4, up to age 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dundee HSFP</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Dundee

Dundee HSFP is a former rugby union team that played their home games at the Mayfield Playing Fields, Dundee, Scotland. The club disbanded in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillhead Jordanhill RFC</span> Rugby team

Hillhead Jordanhill Rugby Football Club (HJRFC) is a Scottish rugby union club based in Glasgow, Scotland. HJRFC has roots going as far back as 1904 with the formation of the Hillhead Sports Club, however, the rugby club as we know it today was founded in 1988 with a Women's section added in 1995, they have played at their current home ground, Hughenden in the West End of Glasgow since then. Despite their name, the club is not located in either Hillhead or Jordanhill, although the pre-merger clubs did have historical links with these areas. Hughenden is located in Hyndland beside Great Western Road.

Scottish Premiership Division Two is one of Scotland's national rugby union league divisions, and therefore part of the Scottish League Championship – being the middle division in the Scottish Premiership. Until the 2009–10 season, the best teams were promoted to the Scottish Premiership Division One whereas the bottom teams were relegated to the Third Division. Since the 2010–11 season, the division merges with the Scottish Premiership Division One. After 11 matches, the top eight teams in Division One play each other in Premier A. The bottom four teams join the top four teams of Division Two to form Premier B and the bottom eight teams of Division Two form Premier C.

The Scottish League Championship is the third tier of Scotland's national rugby union league system, and therefore part of the Scottish League Championship.

Annan Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The men's side play in West Division One, the women's side play in Scottish Womens National One.

The Scottish National League Division Two is the third tier of the Scottish League Championship for amateur rugby union clubs in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasgow Academicals RFC</span> Scottish rugby union club, based in Glasgow

The Glasgow Academical Football Club is the third oldest rugby football club in Scotland. The club was also a founder member of the Scottish Football Union in 1873.

Hawick Linden RFC are a rugby union team based in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders. They compete in the East Regional Leagues in the East Division 1. In the 2008–09 season, in which they were undefeated, they won all 12 games, they made it to the semi-final of the Scottish Plate. They play their home games at Volunteer Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasgow High Kelvinside</span> Scottish rugby union club

Glasgow High Kelvinside , often abbreviated to GHK, is an amateur rugby union club in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently play in Scottish National League Division One.

Hillhead Rugby Football Club is a former rugby union football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1904 as a club for former pupils of Hillhead High School, it lasted until 1988 when it merged with Jordanhill RFC to form Hillhead Jordanhill RFC.

Jordanhill Rugby Football Club is a former rugby union football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded as a club for the students and former students of Jordanhill College, it lasted until 1988 when it merged with Hillhead RFC to form Hillhead Jordanhill RFC.

Glasgow HSFP are a former rugby union team that played their home games at Glasgow, Scotland.

Kelvinside Academicals is a former rugby union team that played their home games at Balgray Playing Fields, Glasgow, Scotland.

The 1974–75 Scottish Inter-District Championship was a rugby union competition for Scotland's district teams.

Hawick Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Hawick RFC, in Hawick, Scotland. The Hawick Sevens tournament started in 1886 and is the third extant oldest Sevens tournament in the world; behind Melrose Sevens (1883) and Gala Sevens (1884).

Wigtownshire RFC is a rugby union side based in Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. They run a Men's XV and a Woman's XV.

The Scottish Unofficial Championship was the top league of Scotland's best amateur rugby union clubs. The Championship was 'unofficial' as the Scottish Rugby Union held that the sport should remain amateur and at the time did not sanction competitive games between the clubs.

Aberdeenshire RFC is a rugby union club based in Woodside, Aberdeen, Scotland. The Mens team currently plays in Caledonia North Two. The Womens team currently plays in Caledonia North Regional League Division 1.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kilmarnock Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Ardrossan Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 11, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Irvine Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 11, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Arran Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 10, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Hillhead HSFP Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 9, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Glasgow University Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Clarkston Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Cumnock Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Hillhead Jordanhill Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Wigtownshire Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Glasgow Academicals Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Allan Glen's Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Ayr Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Stirling Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Greenock Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. June 7, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Dumfries Sevens". Scottishsevens.sport.blog. 10 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "Rugby: Conquering Kilmarnock in sevens heaven". Daily Record . 3 May 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.