Cambridge R.U.F.C.

Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club or CRUFC ('The Blood & Sand') is a rugby union club representing the city of Cambridge, England. Formed in 1923 the club currently competes in the third tier of the English rugby union system, National League 1, following promotion from National League 2 South in 2016. The club plays its home matches at the 1,250 capacity Grantchester Road ground, in the suburb of Newnham, approximately two kilometres south-west of the city centre.

Cambridge (CRUFC)
Full nameCambridge Rugby Union Football Club
UnionEastern Counties RFU
Founded1923 (1923)
LocationCambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Ground(s)Grantchester Road (Capacity: 1,250 (200 seats))
League(s)National League 1
2019–2010th
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.crufc.co.uk

The club runs three senior squads: the national league squad, a development squad, and a social squad. At junior level the club runs one of the oldest mini and youth rugby sections in the country, starting back in the early 1970s, with a colts team for under-18s.

History

Cambridge RUFC was formed in 1923 and was settled in its current ground by the 1950s. In 1993 the club was offered the opportunity to buy the lease on its existing three pitches and to buy adjoining land for a further three pitches from King's College. Floodlights were added to one of these pitches in 2003 so that evening games might be played and the light available for training was improved.

Cambridge RUFC joined the newly formed league structure in 1988 and by 1991 was playing in London 3 North East. After five years in this division, the club was promoted to London 2 North and after four years in this division, was promoted at the end of the 199899 season to London 1, which feeds into the National Leagues. In the Club's first season in London 1, they achieved 4th place, plus a run to the semi-final of the NPI Cup, falling just one match from Twickenham, after defeat away at Hull by 21–17. London 1 status was secured again for the 2001–02 Season, but the squad led to relegation at the end of that season. However, by the end of the 2003–04 season, a rebuilt side regained promotion to London 1. Cambridge also won the Eastern Counties Cup for the first time and regained the Cambridgeshire Cup from perennial rivals Shelford. This time, the stay in London 1 was to be even shorter; At the end of an exciting season the League championship lay between Worthing and Cambridge at the start of the final round of matches: Worthing at home to Canterbury and Cambridge at home to Basingstoke. The championship would go to the team achieving the greatest points difference. In the event, Cambridge won by 96–15 and Worthing were condemned to the play-offs. Cambridge went on to beat Norwich in the Eastern Counties Cup Final and Shelford in the Cambridgeshire Cup Final — the second successive treble, and promotion to National League rugby for the first time.

In the 2005–06 season Cambridge once again secured promotion after a two horse race. This time with Norfolk & East Anglian Giants North Walsham who had been present in this league for well over a decade. Cambridge squeezed past them with a last day win at Reading while North Walsham failed by 21–20 at Southend. This was all the more lucky as North Walsham had secured the bonus point for four tries but failed with all four conversions. In the 2006–07 season Cambridge managed to consolidate their position in National Division Two with a 9th-place finish. In the 2008–09 season Cambridge finished second in the league and would have been promoted had it not been for the re-organisation of the leagues in mid season.

Current season

2019–20 National League 1 Table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Richmond (C)25200574134739412597
2Rosslyn Park25181672847225612490
3Rams25190668052115916289[lower-alpha 1]
4Chinnor25162763150212913485
5Blackheath25161862151111012482
6Plymouth Albion25132106986178114575
7Darlington Mowden Park251311179651727914674
8Old Elthamians25131115745017310468
9Cambridge25122115715601111467
10Cinderford2313010526452747665
11Sale FC25120136216021910664
12Bishop's Stortford249213599595412961
13Birmingham Moseley258017505649−1444844
14Rotherham Titans (R)256118490727−2377740
15Canterbury (R)252023357824−4672616
16Hull Ionians (R)2411223301071-7413211
  • 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. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 14 March 2020
Source: "National League 1". NCA Rugby.

League history

Overall

Year League Position Notes
1987–88No League
1988–89Eastern Counties Division One
1989–90London Division Four North-East
1990–91London Division Three North-East
1991–92London Division Three North-East1st
1992–93London Division Three North-East
1993–94London Division Three North-East
1994–95London Division Three North-East
1995–96London Division Two North
1996–97London Division Two North4th
1997–98London Division Two North3rd
1998–99London Division Two North1stpromoted to London Division One
1999–00London Division One4thNPI Cup semi-final
2000–01London Division One8th
2001–02London Division One12threlegated
2002–03London Division Two North4th
2003–04London Division Two North2ndpromoted via play-off; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2004–05London Division One1stpromoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2005–06National Division Three South1stpromoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2006–07National Division Two9th5th round in Powergen National Trophy
2007–08National Division Two5th
2008–09National Division Two2ndwould have been promoted but for the RFU league structure changes
2009–10National League 14thleague renamed
2010–11National League 13rd
2011–12National League 112th
2012–13National League 116threlegated
2013–14National League 2 South7th
2014–15National League 2 South6th
2015–16National League 2 South1stpromoted to National League 1
2016–17National League 114th
2017–18National League 110th

Players

A number of players have gone on to gain International rugby honours, including Dickie Jeeps (England and British Lions), Andy Hancock (England), Bob Steven (Scotland), Trefor Evans (Wales), Simon Culhane New Zealand, including appearances in the 1995 World Cup Finals, and Alex Goode (England). Many more have earned age grade or England Counties caps. In 2014 Martin Wolfenden represented Zimbabwe in the qualifying competition for the Rugby World Cup.

The club's most capped player is the late Shaun Gadsby who made 505 appearances for the club, his last being in the 2003/04 season aged 40.

Honours

Senior team

Youth teams

  • Eastern Counties U-17s Cup (3): 1992, 2002, 2006
  • Eastern Counties U-19s Cup (3): 1994, 2003, 2004
  • National U-19 Plate (1): 2002

Notes

  1. Rams deducted 5 points due to an issue with their Payment of Players declaration during the 2018–19 National League 2 South season.[1]

References

  1. "RAMS DEDUCTED 5 POINTS". Rams RFC (Pitchero). 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
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