Winchester RFC

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Winchester RFC
Full nameWinchester Rugby Football Club
UnionEnglish RFU
NicknameWinch
Founded1929 (1929)
LocationWinchester, Hampshire, England
RegionHampshire RFU
GroundNorth Walls Park
ChairmanSteve 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)
LeagueRegional 2 South Central
2025–262nd
Official website
www.winchesterrugby.com

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 Counties 1 Hampshire, a 3rd XV – who play in Counties 4 Hampshire and the Knights – largely a veteran's side who play in Counties 5 Hampshire. There is a women's team and mini and juniors and colts sides covering all age groups from under-5s upwards.

History

Winchester was founded in autumn 1929 when seventeen 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

Winchester League Record[4]
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
1987–88London 3 South West788relegated
1988–89Hampshire 18610
1989–90Hampshire 18133
1990–91Hampshire 18181champions, promoted
1991–92London 3 South West796
1992–93London 3 South West7108
1993–94London 3 South West7312relegated
1994–95Hampshire 18163
1995–96Hampshire 18241champions, promoted
1996–97London 3 South West7201champions, promoted
1997–98London 2 South6262runners-up
1998–99London 2 South6281/15champions, promoted
1999–00London Division 15207/17
2000–01London Division 15109/11
2001–02London Division 151410/12
2002–03London Division 151610/12relegated
2003–04London 2 South61610/12relegated
2004–05London 3 South West7214/12
2005–06London 3 South West7225/12
2006–07London 3 South West7226/12
2007–08London 3 South West7226/12
2008–09London 3 South West7912/12[a 1]
2009–10London 2 South West7912/12relegated
2010–11London 3 South West8518/12
2011–12London 3 South West8685/12
2012–13London 3 South West8931/12champions, promoted
2013–14London 2 South West7477/12
2014–15London 2 South West7723/12
2015–16London 2 South West7714/12
2016–17London 2 South West7517/12
2017–18London 2 South West73611/12relegated
2018–19London 3 South West8991/12champions, promoted
2019–20London 2 South West7664/12league suspended [a 2]
  1. There was no relegation this year as the division would be renamed London Division 2 South West for the 2009-10 season and along with the whole national restructuring of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
  2. League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester II League Record
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
2002–03Senior Meritchampions
2008–09Senior Merit224/9
2009–10Senior Merit1410/10relegated
2010–11Merit One781/12champions
2011–12Merit One702/12runners up
2012–13Merit One741/12champions, promoted
2013–14Senior Merit216/9
2014–15Solent League503/10
2015–16Solent League274/8
2016–17Solent League146/8
2017–18Solent 1246/8
2018–19Hampshire 110012/12relegated [b 1]
2019–20Hampshire 211812/12league suspended [b 2]
  1. Was not able to fulfill all fixtures so relegated with 0 points
  2. League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester Knights/III League Record
SeasonDivisionTierPtsPositionOutcome
2008–09Merit One352/10runners up
2009–10Merit One401/9champions, relegated [c 1]
2010–11Merit Two654/12
2011–12Merit Two603/11
2012–13Merit Two751/11champions, promoted
2013–14Merit One356/11
2014–15Hampshire South West831/12champions
2015–16Solent League 2118/8
2016–17Solent League 21912/12
2017–18Waterfall Solent 2423/12
2018–19Hampshire 211616/12relegated [c 2]
2019–20Hampshire 312535/19league suspended [c 3]
  1. Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
  2. Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
  3. League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus

Honours

Men's 1st XV

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

Notes

  1. When London 2 South West was known as London 3 South West (not to be confused with the current London 3 South West).

References

  1. "HRFU Club Directory". Hampshire RFU. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  2. "Winchester RFC through the years". Hampshire Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  3. Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 90.
  4. Smith, John (2009). Come On Winch!. p. 130.
  5. "Hampshire Club Competition History" (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  6. "Colts Standings Div 1-3". Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  7. "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  8. "Ben Donnell". England Rugby. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  9. "Hotshots Harlequins Centre Joe Marchant". Rugby World. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  10. "Representative History of the European Championships" (PDF). internationaltouch.org. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  11. "Fields bids farewell to Winchester after seven years". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
  12. "Pountney and the forgotten F word". Independent. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  13. "Hampshire full of pride for LeRoy". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  14. "Hidden notebooks reveal remarkable sporting life". Worcester News. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  15. "Winchester's rugby club hits 80". bbc.co.uk. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 2019-01-28.