 | |
| Full name | London New Zealand Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | Rugby Football Union |
| Emblem(s) | Silver fern |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Location | London |
| Ground(s) | Twyford Avenue Sports Ground |
London New Zealand Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club currently based in Acton, London. They were formed in 1926 as a club for New Zealand expatriates in the United Kingdom and are affiliated to the Middlesex Rugby Football Union. [1]
London New Zealand was initially founded in 1926 for visitors from New Zealand to be able to play rugby in England. [2] However the club became inactive during the Second World War and remained so until 1962. The club were initially based at Aorangi Park in Wimbledon, leased from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. [3] The lease was terminated by the All England club in 1981 in order for The Championships, Wimbledon to be held. [4] Since then the club has been nomadic, moving to Osterley and Greenford before settling in Acton and playing their matches at Wasps FC's Twyford Avenue Sports Ground. [4] By 2012, the club had downsized to running only one team. [4]
A number of players for the New Zealand national rugby union team have played for London New Zealand, including Doug Rollerson, Terry Morrison and Paul Sapsford. [4] In recognition of their history, the club have been granted privileges by both the Rugby Football Union and the New Zealand Rugby Union. They are the only rugby team aside from New Zealand national representative teams that wears the silver fern as their crest and the RFU exempted them from the overseas player quotas, [5] prior to their abolition. [4] The club have also taken part in a number of New Zealand government functions, including traditionally playing a rugby match against an invitational national side for commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele. [6] They also represent New Zealand culturally in England by performing the traditional haka. [7]
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promotes and runs the sport, organises international matches for the England national team, and educates and trains players and officials.
Twickenham Stadium in Twickenham, south-west London, England, is a rugby union stadium owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The England national rugby union team plays home matches at the stadium.
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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.
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Northolt Rugby Football Club are an English Rugby Union club, based at Cayton Park, Greenford in West London, that compete in Middlesex Merit Table 4. The club was founded in the 1950s and originally played at the Polish War Memorial in Ruislip near to RAF Northolt aerodrome. The club currently comprises a 1st XV.
London 2 South West is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-west London, Surrey, and Hampshire. The 12 teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division are also invited to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 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.
London 3 North West is a level 8 league within the RFU league structure and is made up of teams predominantly from north-west London and Hertfordshire. Promoted sides tend to move up to London 2 North West while relegated teams drop to Herts/Middlesex 1. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
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.
The Surrey County Rugby Football Union is the union responsible for rugby union in the county of Surrey, England, and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having been formed in 1879.
Middlesex Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in Middlesex, England; Middlesex is a historic county of England that covers areas in the ceremonial counties of Greater London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. The historic county is still in use when referring to sport, and some businesses in the area. Middlesex RFU was originally created as the Middlesex County Rugby Club but within six years was being referred to as the Middlesex County Rugby Football Union and is now known simply as Middlesex Rugby.
Herts/Middlesex 2 is a tier 10 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the second division competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex is a tier 7 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the top tier competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. It was previously known as London 2 North West. After the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022-23 season, the league was renamed to Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex.
Barnstaple Rugby Football Club was established in 1877 and is a rugby union club based in Barnstaple, Devon. The club's first team play in the 5th tier of the English rugby union system, Regional 1 South West, following their relegation from National League 2 West in 2022–23. The first team are called the Chiefs, and there are also 2nd and 3rd teams, a number of youth teams from under-7s to under-18s (colts), and a girls side. The club colours are red and white and their nickname is Barum.
London 2 North West is an English rugby union league which is at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and is made up of teams predominantly from north-west London and Hertfordshire. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 North West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 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.
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