Winchester RFC is an English rugby union club affiliated with the Hampshire RFU.[1] Winchester currently run four senior men's teams – 1st XV – who play in Regional 2 South Central, 2nd XV – who play in Hampshire 2, a 3rd XV – who play in Hampshire 4 and the Knights – largely a veteran's side who play in Hampshire 5. There is a Women's team and mini and juniors and Colts sides covering all age groups from U5s upwards.
 | |
| Full name | Winchester Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | English RFU |
| Nickname(s) | Winch |
| Founded | 1929 |
| Location | Winchester, Hampshire, England |
| Region | Hampshire RFU |
| Ground(s) | North Walls Park |
| Chairman | Steve Barrow |
| Coach(es) | Matt Stagg (DoR), Gareth Martin & Chris Searle (1stXV), Sam Mann (2ndXV), Rob West (Knights) |
| Captain(s) | Matt Golding (1stXV), George Porter (2ndXV), Martin Raper (3rdXV), Matt Stagg (Knights) |
| League(s) | Regional 2 South Central |
| 2023–24 | 2nd |
| Official website | |
| www | |
History
editWinchester was founded in autumn 1929 when 17 rugby enthusiasts met at the Cart & Horses pub in Kings Worthy. Up until 1971 their home ground was a field rented from a farmer in Kings Worthy when they moved to their present 10 acre ground at North Walls Park off Hilliers Way.[2]
In 1994 local businessman Ashley Levett whose sons played in the mini and junior sections invested in the club and funded an extension the clubhouse which was originally built in 1973. Levett secured the services of Winchester's first paid coach Phil Davies who orchestrated Winchester being promoted from Hampshire 1 to London Division 1 in four years and winning two Hampshire Cup victories. Levett also purchased Richmond turning them into the first professional team in England but RFU rules prevented him having financial interests in two clubs and he departed Winchester.[3]
League record
edit| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 1987–88 | London 3 South West | 7 | 8 | 8 | relegated |
| 1988–89 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 6 | 10 | |
| 1989–90 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 13 | 3 | |
| 1990–91 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 18 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1991–92 | London 3 South West | 7 | 9 | 6 | |
| 1992–93 | London 3 South West | 7 | 10 | 8 | |
| 1993–94 | London 3 South West | 7 | 3 | 12 | relegated |
| 1994–95 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 16 | 3 | |
| 1995–96 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 24 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1996–97 | London 3 South West | 7 | 20 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1997–98 | London 2 South | 6 | 26 | 2 | runners-up |
| 1998–99 | London 2 South | 6 | 28 | 1/15 | champions, promoted |
| 1999–00 | London Division 1 | 5 | 20 | 7/17 | |
| 2000–01 | London Division 1 | 5 | 10 | 9/11 | |
| 2001–02 | London Division 1 | 5 | 14 | 10/12 | |
| 2002–03 | London Division 1 | 5 | 16 | 10/12 | relegated |
| 2003–04 | London 2 South | 6 | 16 | 10/12 | relegated |
| 2004–05 | London 3 South West | 7 | 21 | 4/12 | |
| 2005–06 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 5/12 | |
| 2006–07 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 6/12 | |
| 2007–08 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 6/12 | |
| 2008–09 | London 3 South West | 7 | 9 | 12/12 | [a 1] |
| 2009–10 | London 2 South West | 7 | 9 | 12/12 | relegated |
| 2010–11 | London 3 South West | 8 | 51 | 8/12 | |
| 2011–12 | London 3 South West | 8 | 68 | 5/12 | |
| 2012–13 | London 3 South West | 8 | 93 | 1/12 | champions, promoted |
| 2013–14 | London 2 South West | 7 | 47 | 7/12 | |
| 2014–15 | London 2 South West | 7 | 72 | 3/12 | |
| 2015–16 | London 2 South West | 7 | 71 | 4/12 | |
| 2016–17 | London 2 South West | 7 | 51 | 7/12 | |
| 2017–18 | London 2 South West | 7 | 36 | 11/12 | relegated |
| 2018–19 | London 3 South West | 8 | 99 | 1/12 | champions, promoted |
| 2019–20 | London 2 South West | 7 | 66 | 4/12 | league suspended [a 2] |
| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 2002–03 | Senior Merit | champions | |||
| 2008–09 | Senior Merit | 22 | 4/9 | ||
| 2009–10 | Senior Merit | 14 | 10/10 | relegated | |
| 2010–11 | Merit One | 78 | 1/12 | champions | |
| 2011–12 | Merit One | 70 | 2/12 | runners up | |
| 2012–13 | Merit One | 74 | 1/12 | champions, promoted | |
| 2013–14 | Senior Merit | 21 | 6/9 | ||
| 2014–15 | Solent League | 50 | 3/10 | ||
| 2015–16 | Solent League | 27 | 4/8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Solent League | 14 | 6/8 | ||
| 2017–18 | Solent 1 | 24 | 6/8 | ||
| 2018–19 | Hampshire 1 | 10 | 0 | 12/12 | relegated [b 1] |
| 2019–20 | Hampshire 2 | 11 | 81 | 2/12 | league suspended [b 2] |
| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 2008–09 | Merit One | 35 | 2/10 | runners up | |
| 2009–10 | Merit One | 40 | 1/9 | champions, relegated [c 1] | |
| 2010–11 | Merit Two | 65 | 4/12 | ||
| 2011–12 | Merit Two | 60 | 3/11 | ||
| 2012–13 | Merit Two | 75 | 1/11 | champions, promoted | |
| 2013–14 | Merit One | 35 | 6/11 | ||
| 2014–15 | Hampshire South West | 83 | 1/12 | champions | |
| 2015–16 | Solent League 2 | 11 | 8/8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Solent League 2 | 19 | 12/12 | ||
| 2017–18 | Waterfall Solent 2 | 42 | 3/12 | ||
| 2018–19 | Hampshire 2 | 11 | 61 | 6/12 | relegated [c 2] |
| 2019–20 | Hampshire 3 | 12 | 53 | 5/19 | league suspended [c 3] |
Honours
editMen's 1st XV
- Hampshire Cup winners: 1976, 1998, 1999[5]
- Hampshire 1 champions (2): 1990–91, 1995–96
- London 2 South West champions: 1996–97[a]
- London 2 South champions: 1998–99
- London 3 South West champions (2): 2012–13, 2018–19
Youth/Colts
- Hampshire Colts Division 1 champions: 2018–19[6]
- Hampshire Colts Division 1 champions: 2022–23
- Hampshire Colts Division 3 SW champions: 2018–19
Notable club members
edit- Ben Donnell, lock/back-row who plays for London Irish and has represented
England at U18 and U20 level.[7][8] - Joe Marchant, centre who played for Winchester as a school boy from 2002–12, Hampshire, Harlequins, Auckland Blues and England.[9]
- Matt Durrant, flanker who played for Winchester and represented the
Netherlands in Touch rugby.[10] - Chris Ashwin, fly-half who played for Winchester, Hampshire and Bristol.
- Andy Fields, hooker who played for Hong Kong and Valley, represented England at U20 and U18 level and was Head Coach of Winchester for seven years.[11]
- Rolf Stratford, started playing with Winchester with stints at New Brighton and Rosslyn Park and represented British Polytechnics, English Students and Hampshire, returning to Winchester as a player, coach for many teams and was the club's President.
- Budge Pountney, flanker who won 31 caps and captained
Scotland and was a player and then Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints.[12] - LeRoy Angel BEM, winger, played over 500 times for Winchester, most capped wing three-quarter for Hampshire, President of the RFU in 2005[13]
- Ernest Beddard Jackson, prop who played over 200 times for Winchester and also for Worcester and had four England call ups between 1952-53.[14]
- Charles Sylvester Wooldridge, played for Blackheath and England seven times between 1882 and 1885, was the club's first President.[15]
Notes
edit- ^ When London 2 South West was known as London 3 South West (not to be confused with the current London 3 South West).
References
edit- ^ "HRFU Club Directory". Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- ^ "Winchester RFC through the years". Hampshire Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- ^ Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 90.
- ^ Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 130.
- ^ "Hampshire Club Competition History" (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
- ^ "Colts Standings Div 1-3". Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
- ^ "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
- ^ "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ "Hotshots Harlequins Centre Joe Marchant". Rugby World. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ "Representative History of the European Championships" (PDF). internationaltouch.org. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Fields bids farewell to Winchester after seven years". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
- ^ "Pountney and the forgotten F word". Independent. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ "Hampshire full of pride for LeRoy". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
- ^ "Hidden notebooks reveal remarkable sporting life". Worcester News. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
- ^ "Winchester's rugby club hits 80". bbc.co.uk. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 2019-01-28.