Dunstablians RUFC

Dunstablians Rugby Union Football Club are an amateur rugby union club based in Bedfordshire, who play their rugby in Midlands 3 East (South), an eight tier league in the English rugby union system. Their ground is located just outside nearby Houghton Regis and is commonly known as Bidwell Park.[1] The club run three Senior teams and a full Mini & Junior section (catering for 5-15 year old players) and Academy teams (catering for 16-18 year old players). Numerous local rivalries are shared, most notably with Stockwood Park and Luton Rugby Club.

Dunstablians
Full nameDunstablians Rugby Union Football Club
UnionEast Midlands RFU
Nickname(s)The Dees
Founded1948 (1948)
LocationHoughton Regis, Bedfordshire, England
Ground(s)Bidwell Park
League(s)Midlands 3 East (South)
2019–205th
Official website
dunstablians.rfu.club

History

In 1927, members of Dunstable Grammar School formed a rugby section, based at Fensomes Field in Leagrave, Luton. Unfortunately, the number of regular players dwindled, forcing the closure of the club after only three seasons.[2]

In 1948, another group of former pupils made a new start, securing a ground at French's Avenue in Dunstable and later moving to Skimpot Lane in Luton. In 1954 ground in Bullpond Lane, Dunstable was leased. The event was marked with a match against an East Midlands Invitation XV. It was eventually decided that a new ground was needed and the site at Bidwell Hill in Houghton Regis should be purchased, with the bulk of the financing raised through the sale of the Bullpond Lane site for housing development.

In September 1985, the club opened the current clubhouse by hosting an International XV that included six past England Captains.

The club has seen several promotions in the past. Highlights include the near perfect 1999/2000 season which delivered victory in all RFU competitions entered, along with League, County and East Midlands Cup success. This culminated in Dunstablians becoming National Intermediate Cup Champions at Twickenham.

A successful period followed; Dunstablians retained the County Cup in 2000/01 and added the Colts Cup to the collection. They lifted the County Cup again in 2005.[3] During 2006/07 Dunstablians also secured the Bedfordshire County Cup, defeating Bedford Athletic in the process.[4] They then returned to Twickenham for their second Intermediate Cup Final[5] losing 36–46 to Cornish side Mounts Bay and finished 3rd in Midlands League 1 (RFU Level 5), their highest ever league placing.

After a five-year wait, Dunstablians won the Beds County Cup again by defeating Stockwood Park in 2012, but since then have finished runners up in no less than three successive County Cup Finals.[6]

Club Honours

1st XV:

  • Midlands East 2 champions: 1997–98
  • Midlands East 1[lower-alpha 1] champions: 1999–00
  • Bedfordshire County Cup winners (5): 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2012
  • East Midlands Cup winners: 2000
  • Midlands 2 East champions: 2000–01
  • Rugby World Magazine - Team of the Year: 2001
  • Bedfordshire Shield winners: 2019

Youth

  • Bedfordshire Colts County Cup winners: 2001

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
James Noel Prop England
Will Hewitt Prop England
Chris Chandler Prop England
Nathan Aris Hooker England
Rhys Thomas Flanker Wales
Sam Coogan Flanker England
Matthew Knight Lock England
Richard Cope Lock England
Harry "Breadsticks" Smith Lock England
Ray Carry Lock England
Ashley Jenkinson Flanker England
Nathan Dominique Flanker England
Rob Thorne Flanker England
Kevin Arnold Flanker England
Harry Barter Lock England
Scottovich Oliveroski Number 8 Russia
Player Position Union
Josh Klymysyn Scrum-half England
Lukas Chamberlain Fly-half England
Scott Warren Centre England
Mattie Anderson Wing England
Kevin Boland Wing England
Gavin Stout Hooker England
Toby Mead Wing England
Neil Davies Fullback England
Sam Wilkins Fullback England
Campbell Haig Centre England

International honours
Nationality Player Honours
Marcus Vass Denmark
Neil Davis England U9 Tiddlywinks Record Holder
Max Thorne England Deaf & England Deaf Sevens
Morne Loxton South Africa U21s
Harry Roberts South Africa
Anthony Niven New Zealand U19s
Reece Marshall England U18s[7]
Josh Skelcey England U18s[8]

Notes
  1. Not to be confused with Midlands 1 East.

References
  1. "RFU Handbook – Dunstablians". RFU. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  2. "Dunstablians – Club History". DRUFC. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  3. "Dunstablians Win County Cup". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  4. "Cup Win". Bedford Today. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  5. "Community Details – Cup Win". RFU. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  6. "County Cup Final". Pitchero. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  7. "Justin Bridou European Championship". FIRA-AER. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  8. "Young Gun: Josh Skelcey". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
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