The Somerset County Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Somerset in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Somerset. The SCRFU administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the Somerset including the county rugby representative teams.
 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Somerset, England |
| Founded | 1875 |
| Affiliation | RFU |
| Headquarters | Somerset |
| President | Mark Hawkes |
| Chairman | Steve Mead |
| Official website | |
| www | |
 | |
History
editThe first Somerset rugby team played against Devon at Taunton in the 1875–76 season and the Somerset County Rugby Football Union was founded at a meeting in Bridgwater in September 1882. The county men's senior team has reached the County Championship final on five occasions, winning in their first final in 1923 but losing the remaining four.[1] They currently play in Division 2.
Honors
- County Championship winners: 1923
Affiliated clubs
editThere are currently 57 clubs affiliated with the Somerset RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level, and are based in Somerset as well as parts of Bristol.[2]
- Avon
- Avondale
- Bath
- Bath Old Edwardians
- Bath Saracens
- Bath Spa University College
- Blake Bears
- Bridgwater & Albion
- Bristol Barbarians
- Bristol Harlequins
- Burnham-on-Sea
- Butleigh Amateurs
- Castle Cary
- Chard
- Cheddar Valley
- Chew Valley
- Clevedon
- Combe Down
- Crewkerne
- Evercreech Barbarians
- Frome
- Gordano
- Hornets
- Imperial
- Keynsham
- Martock
- Midsomer Norton
- Milborne Port
- Millfield Old Boys
- Minehead Barbarians
- Morganians
- Nailsea and Backwell
- North Petherton
- North Wootton
- Old Alruedians
- Old Bristolians[a 1]
- Old Culverhaysians
- Old Redcliffians
- Old Sulians
- Oldfield Old Boys
- Somerton
- St. Bernadette's Old Boys
- St. Brendan's Old Boys
- Stothert & Pitt
- Taunton Titans
- Tor
- University of Bath
- Walcot
- Wellington
- Wells
- Weston-super-Mare
- Wincanton
- Winscombe
- Wiveliscombe
- Wyvern
- Yatton
- Yeovil [a 2]
County club competitions
edit
The Somerset RFU currently runs the following club competitions for club sides in Somerset and parts of Bristol:
Leagues
edit- Somerset Premier - league ranked at tier 8 of the English rugby union system)
- Somerset 1 - tier 9 league
- Somerset 2 North - tier 10 league
- Somerset 2 South - tier 10 league
- Somerset 3 North - tier 11 league
- Somerset 3 South - tier 11 league
Cups
edit- Somerset Senior Cup - for club sides that typically play between tiers 4-7 of the English rugby union league system.
- Somerset Senior Vase - open to club sides that typically play between tiers 7-9.
Notes
edit- ^ Old Bristolians are joint members of both the Gloucestershire RFU and Somerset RFU.
- ^ Although members of the Somerset RFU, Yeovil actually play in the Dorset & Wilts regional leagues.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "About Somerset County Rugby Football Union". Somerset County Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Somerset Rugby Football Union Handbook 2016-17" (PDF). Somerset RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2017.