Plymouth Albion R.F.C.

Formed 1876, the club played at South Devon Place. In 1912, the Northern Union attempted to form a Western League of clubs in Devon and Cornwall. Huddersfield beat Oldham 31–26 in an exhibition game at South Devon Place in front of 8,000 spectators and as a result a meeting was held and the Plymouth Northern Union club was formed. In July, the Northern Union club took over South Devon Place and as a result Plymouth RFC disbanded, later to re-emerge as part of a merger with Devonport Albion to become Plymouth Albion.

Albion was formed in 1876 from apprentices at Devonport Dockyard and originally played at Devonport Park. After moving to Bladderly in 1887 they then moved to Home Park in 1893. The club stayed at Home Park for one season only, returning to Bladderley Lane in 1894, then, in 1896, Albion took a 14-year lease of Rectory grounds,[4] (the current home of Devonport Services R.F.C.).

At match between Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates at The Brickfields in 2007

Devonport Albion continued at the Rectory until it merged with Plymouth RFC to become Plymouth Albion and moved in 1920 to Beacon Park. In 2003, they moved from the run-down Beacon Park ground to a newly built ground, The Brickfields, in Devonport. The Brickfields also has an adjacent athletics stadium.

Albion were a major force in English rugby union in the 1920s having five internationals on their books at one time. Around this time they attracted a crowd of 18,000 to a midweek game against Oxford University which established a record crowd for a club match in England which was not exceeded until the 1980s.

They were promoted to National Division One in 2002, and finished third in the 2003–04 season. Observers say it was Plymouth Albion's best position nationally since the 1920s. On their way to promotion, the team went on a two-season unbeaten streak of over 50 games, starting when the club was in Division Three South and ending after their promotion to National Division One.

The major local rivals are Exeter Chiefs who also have an impressive new stadium at Sandy Park perched above the services junction of the M5. Devon local derbies have become major popular events. Together these clubs have reinvigorated the passion for rugby in the county.

Albion currently play in the National League 1, the third tier of English club rugby. The club have financial problems and only avoided entering administration early in 2015 following a cash injection of £250,000 by local businesses.[5] Albion entered administration on 8 April 2016 and were deducted 30 pts by the RFU.[6] Following administration they were taken over by former players, Bruce Priday and David Venables who put forward a business case to the RFU. Since then, Priday has moved to pastures new, whilst Max Venables is the Club's Managing Director.

The club also has a successful women's team and a new Under 18s Academy. They played their first game against a Cornwall XV in February 2019, finishing 50 - 7 victors.

• Devon Senior Cup winners (23): 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1895, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1921, 1974, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988[13]
• Devon RFU Junior Cup winners: 1893 (reserve side)
• Courage League Division 3 champions: 1988–89
• National Division 3 South champions: 2000–01

2019-20 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 Max Norey Hooker England Jamie Salter Hooker England Koree Britton Prop England Luke Chapman Prop England Ashlee Crouch Prop England Dan Pullinger Prop England Will Norton Prop England Dan Collier Lock England John Kelly Lock England Scott Makepeace Lock England Lewis Pearson Lock England Rusi Tuima Number 8 England George Mills Flanker England Sam Daly Flanker England Setareki Raumakita Wing Fiji Davy McGregor Hooker Ireland Herbie Stupple Number 8 England Joe Snow Scrum-half England Cameron Setter Scrum-half England Dan Mugford Fly-half England

Player Position Union Javiah Pohe Centre New Zealand Dean Squire Centre Wales Jon Dawe Wing England Josh Skelcey Wing England Alex Smith Prop England Alex Ducker Wing England Dan Powell Fullback England Connor Eastgate Fullback Scotland Alex Smith Prop England Dan Swain Lock England Devon Jewsbury Wing England Filip Perica Centre Croatia Pete Ingoldsby Flanker England Robbie Weeks Centre England Olly Mulberry Scrum-half England Pierre Thompson Scrum-half England Sam Morley Fly-half England Seb Tooke Prop England Tom Putt Fullback England

• Martin Schusterman – Argentinean International flanker
• Aaron Carpenter – Canadian International flanker
• Justin Mensah-Coker – Canadian International wing
• Graham Dawe – Former England International hooker
• Dan Ward-Smith – England number 8
• Rupeni Nasiga – Fiji International lock
• Nat Saumi – Fiji international full back
• Jané du Toit – Namibian International prop
• David Palu – Tongan International scrum half
• William Davies – Wales International centre
• Rory Watts-Jones – Wales 7s International player
• Tom Bowen – Current England 7s International player
• Sean-Michael Stephen - Canadian International backrow forward and leader of men
• Sam Matavesi - Northampton Saints and Fiji International hooker
• Brett Beukeboom - Canada and Cornish Pirates enforcer and second row

• 2018–19 National League 1
• Devon RFU

• Plymouth Albion official site