Clifton Rugby
| Full name | Clifton Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | Gloucestershire RFU | |
| Nickname | Lavender And Blacks | |
| Founded | 1872 | |
| Location | Cribbs Causeway, Bristol,BS10 7TB England | |
| Ground | Station Road (Capacity: 2,200 (200 seats)[1]) | |
| Chairman | Aftab Hamid | |
| President | John Raine | |
| Director of Rugby | Matt Salter | |
| Coach | Luke Cozens | |
| Captain | Mitchell Spencer | |
| League | National League 1 | |
| 2024–25 | Champions (promoted from National League 2 West) | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| cliftonrugby.co.uk | ||
Clifton Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway. Clifton RFC currently play in National League 1 in the third tier of the English rugby union system following their promotion from the 2024–25 National League 2 West.
History
Clifton RFC is Bristol's oldest club, and one of the oldest in the world.[2] Clifton Rugby Club was formed on 27 September 1872 at the Kings Arms on Blackboy Hill in Clifton, Bristol. The pub still stands, although it was rebuilt in 1902, and refurbished in the late 1990s. Clifton is the 32nd oldest club in the United Kingdom, the 21st oldest in England, the 2nd oldest in the South West (Bath Rugby older by seven years) and the oldest in Bristol.[3] In 1909 a combined Bristol and Clifton RFC team, captained by Percy Down, lost to Australia 11–3.
Clifton's Cribbs Causeway ground also hosted the Bristol Packers American football team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[4]
Honours
- Bass South West Merit Table champions: 1979–80
- South West Division 1 champions: 1988–89
- Area League South runner-up: 1989–90 (promoted)
- Courage League Division 4 champions: 1993–94
- London 1 v South West 1 promotion play-off winner: 2005–06
- South West Division 1 champions: 2008–09
- Bristol Combination Cup winners (5): 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- National League 2 West champions: 2024–25
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rotherham Titans | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 848 | 456 | +392 | 17 | 3 | 92 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Plymouth Albion | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 833 | 450 | +383 | 19 | 0 | 91 | Promotion play-off |
| 3 | Blackheath | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 715 | 436 | +279 | 16 | 3 | 87 | |
| 4 | Sale FC | 22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 705 | 459 | +246 | 16 | 5 | 81 | |
| 5 | Rosslyn Park | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 735 | 584 | +151 | 19 | 4 | 79 | |
| 6 | Rams | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 622 | 604 | +18 | 15 | 6 | 65 | |
| 7 | Bishop's Stortford | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 618 | 704 | −86 | 16 | 3 | 63 | |
| 8 | Tonbridge Juddians | 22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 617 | 605 | +12 | 15 | 6 | 59 | |
| 9 | Leeds Tykes | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 537 | 704 | −167 | 10 | 2 | 48 | |
| 10 | Birmingham Moseley | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 534 | 610 | −76 | 10 | 6 | 46 | |
| 11 | Dings Crusaders | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 552 | 807 | −255 | 12 | 4 | 44 | Relegation play-off |
| 12 | Sedgley Park | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 448 | 665 | −217 | 8 | 3 | 43 | Relegation place |
| 13 | Clifton | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 499 | 764 | −265 | 9 | 4 | 41 | |
| 14 | Leicester Lions (R) | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 519 | 934 | −415 | 12 | 2 | 22 |
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Number of matches drawn
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
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Notable former players
Internationals
- Billy Meakes (Australia)
- Ellis Genge (England)
- Callum Braley (Italy)
- Olly Kohn
- Henry Arthur Broomfield
- Rhys Oakley both (Wales)
References
- ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Clifton R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 135.
- ^ "Clifton Rugby Club – Information at club website". cliftonrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Clifton Rugby Football Club History". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Bristol Packers". Britball Now. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Clifton RFC History 1970-1980". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Clifton RFC History 1980-1990". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Clifton RFC History 1990-2000". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Clifton RFC History 2000-2010". cliftonrfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "Clifton beat Dings to lift Combination Cup | Bristol Post". bristolpost.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "History - Combination Cup - Winners". bristolcombination.pitchero.com. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "National League 1". NCA Rugby.