Dunstablians R.F.C.

Dunstablians
Full name Dunstablians Rugby Union Football Club
Union East Midlands RFU
Nickname(s) The Dees
Founded 1948 (1948)
Location Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, England
Ground(s) Bidwell Park
League(s) Midlands 3 East (South)
2017-18 9th
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/dunstablians/

Dunstablians Rugby Union Football Club are an amateur rugby union club based in Bedfordshire, who play their rugby in Midlands 3 East (South), an eight tier league in the English rugby union system. Their ground is located just outside nearby Houghton Regis and is commonly known as Bidwell Park.[1] The club run three Senior teams and a full Mini & Junior section (catering for 5-15 year old players) and Academy teams (catering for 16-18 year old players). Numerous local rivalries are shared, most notably with Stockwood Park and Luton Rugby Club.

History

In 1927, members of Dunstable Grammar School formed a rugby section, based at Fensomes Field in Leagrave, Luton. Unfortunately, the number of regular players dwindled, forcing the closure of the club after only three seasons.[2]

In 1948, another group of former pupils made a new start, securing a ground at French's Avenue in Dunstable and later moving to Skimpot Lane in Luton. In 1954 ground in Bullpond Lane, Dunstable was leased. The event was marked with a match against an East Midlands Invitation XV. It was eventually decided that a new ground was needed and the site at Bidwell Hill in Houghton Regis should be purchased, with the bulk of the financing raised through the sale of the Bullpond Lane site for housing development.

In September 1985, the club opened the current clubhouse by hosting an International XV that included six past England Captains.

The club has seen several promotions in the past. Highlights include the near perfect 1999/00 season which delivered victory in all RFU competitions entered, along with League, County and East Midlands Cup success. This culminated in Dunstablians becoming National Intermediate Cup Champions at Twickenham.

A successful period followed; Dunstablians retained the County Cup in 2000/01 and added the Colts Cup to the collection. They lifted the County Cup again in 2005.[3] During 2006/07 Dunstablians also secured the Bedfordshire County Cup, defeating Bedford Athletic in the process.[4] They then returned to Twickenham for their second Intermediate Cup Final[5] losing 36–46 to Cornish side Mounts Bay and finished 3rd in Midlands League 1 (RFU Level 5), their highest ever league placing.

After a five-year wait, Dunstablians won the Beds County Cup again by defeating Stockwood Park in 2012, but since then have finished runners up in no less than three successive County Cup Finals.[6]

Club Honours

  • RFU Intermediate Cup: 2000, 2007 (runners-up)
  • Midlands 3 East champions: 1999-00
  • Midlands 2 East champions: 2000-01
  • East Midlands Cup: 2000
  • Bedfordshire County Cup winners (5): 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2012
  • Bedfordshire Colts County Cup winners: 2001
  • Rugby World Team of the Year: 2001

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
James Noel Prop England England
Will Hewitt Prop England England
Chris Chandler Prop England England
Nathan Aris Hooker England England
Rhys Thomas Flanker Wales Wales
Sam Coogan Flanker England England
Matthew Knight Lock England England
Richard Cope Lock England England
Harry "Breadsticks" Smith Lock England England
Ray Carry Lock England England
Ashley Jenkinson Flanker England England
Nathan Dominique Flanker England England
Rob Thorne Flanker England England
Kevin Arnold Flanker England England
Harry Barter Lock England England
Scottovich Oliveroski Number 8 Russia Russia
Player Position Union
Josh Klymysyn Scrum-half England England
Lukas Chamberlain Fly-half England England


Scott Warren Centre England England
Mattie Anderson Wing England England
Kevin Boland Wing England England
Gavin Stout Hooker England England
Toby Mead Template:Rugby squad player/role/LOST England England
Neil Davies Fullback England England
Sam Wilkins Fullback England England
Campbell Haig Centre England England

International honours

Nationality Player Honours
Denmark Marcus Vass Denmark
Denmark Neil Davis England U21 Tiddlywinks record holder
England Max Thorne England Deaf & England Deaf Sevens
Scotland Campbell Haig Scottish under 21 midget tossing champion
South Africa Morne Loxton South Africa U21s
South Africa Harry Roberts South Africa
New Zealand Anthony Niven New Zealand U19s
England Reece Marshall England U18s[7]
England Josh Skelcey England U18s[8]

References

  1. ↑ "RFU Handbook – Dunstablians". RFU. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  2. ↑ "Dunstablians – Club History". DRUFC. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Dunstablians Win County Cup". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  4. ↑ "Cup Win". Bedford Today. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Community Details – Cup Win". RFU. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "County Cup Final". Pitchero. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Justin Bridou European Championship". FIRA-AER. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Young Gun: Josh Skelcey". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
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