Wimbledon RFC

Wimbledon RFC
Full name Wimbledon Rugby Football Club
Union Surrey RFU
Nickname(s) The Dons
Founded 1865 (1865)
Location Raynes Park, Merton, London, England
Ground(s) Beverley Meads
Chairman Stefano D'Anna
President Mike Keane
Coach(es) Neil Hallett, Matt Alnutt, Shawn Renwick, Rob Lowe, Marc Bertrand, James Ogilvie-Bull
Captain(s) Josh Bayford
League(s) London & South East Premier
2017–18 Relegated from National League 2 South (15th)
Official website
www.wimbledonrfc.co.uk

Wimbledon Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from Wimbledon, London. The club was a founding member of the Rugby Football Union and were at that time known as the Wimbledon Hornets. The first team currently play in London & South East Premier following their relegation from National League 2 South at the end of the 2017-18 season.

History

Wimbledon’s first recorded match was against Richmond F.C. in November 1865, making the club one of the oldest in the country, and one of just twelve surviving clubs that founded the Rugby Football Union in 1871. The club’s captain at this time was L J Maton who drafted the first laws of the game and went on to become the third president of the RFU in 1875. In the same year, two club members, J D and H J Graham, gained one and four caps respectively for England.

In 1874 the club changed its name to Wimbledon RFC. It has been suggested that the change in name was due to the club's L J Maton becoming president of the Rugby Football Union, and in order to reflect their new-found gravitas they dispensed with the Hornets for a less whimsical name.[1]

The club played on Wimbledon Common until World War I, using the Rose & Crown in Wimbledon Village as changing rooms and clubhouse. The club then went into suspended animation when the First World War started, and was only re-formed in 1927.[1] It was at this time that the club changed colours from broad blue and white hooped jerseys, to maroon and Cambridge blue hooped jerseys.[2] The club's celebration of its centenary with a dinner held in February 1966, was demonstrative that it perceived itself a continuation of the original Wimbledon Hornets.[1]

The club moved to its current clubhouse on Barham Road, Wimbledon in the 1987–88 season, coinciding with the setting up of amateur league rugby in Britain.

Honours

1st team:

2nd team:

Current standings

2017–18 National League 2 South table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Cinderford (C)3029011070493577270143
2Chinnor (P)3026131010679331250131
3Redingensians Rams302118927611316215112
4Taunton Titans3020010988745243183101
5Redruth301601484670813818789
6Tonbridge Juddians301711274964910011586
7Worthing Raiders3014016824970-14619681
8Bury St Edmunds30140168037861714777
9Henley Hawks3012216755882-12714773
10Canterbury3013116722733-1112672
11Clifton3011118666858-19212563
12Old Redcliffians309219708915-20712658
13London Irish Wild Geese309021777948-17115657
14Barnstaple (R)3010119608848-2407655
15Wimbledon (R)309021660943-28310450
16Broadstreet (R)305025572917-3458735
  • 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. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 28 April 2018
Source: "National League 2 South". NCA Rugby.

Club colours

Wimbledon 1st team play in maroon shirts with blue sleeves and a blue stripe on the side. They wear navy shorts and navy socks.

All other teams play in maroon and blue hooped shirts with navy shorts and navy socks.

Teams

Wimbledon has four men's teams, a ladies team and a thriving youth & mini section.

The men's teams Wimbledon currently has four men's teams.

The 1st team play in National 2 South, as a result of promotion (via the play-off) from National League 3 London & SE in the 2016–17 season. The 2nd team play in the Zoo Sports Shield Division 2 having won promotion from Division 3 in the 2015–16 season. The 3rds or Mavericks as they are fondly known and the 4ths Strollers (the Vets team) compete in the Surrey Leagues

The ladies team The ladies team was founded in the 1990–91 season by Tina and John Ambler, club stewards from 1989 to 1993. Their team mascot is Alderney, one of The Wombles.

The first ladies match was against a selection of players from the men's teams. Due to a lack of playing experience the men emerged the victors. Since then, the Ladies section has grown from strength to strength with several of the players reaching national and international level.

The team currently plays in the Championship South West 2 League and has a regular squad of over thirty ladies as well as strong mini and youth section offering rugby for all ability levels from 5 to 18.

Notable former players

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dick Tyson, London's Oldest Rugby Clubs, p159 (JJG Publishing), 2008
  2. ↑ Dick Tyson, London's Oldest Rugby Clubs, p158 (JJG Publishing), 2008
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