Loughborough Students RUFC
Encyclopedia
Loughborough Students Rugby Union Football Club is the rugby club that represents Loughborough University
in rugby union
competition. Of the British universities, Loughborough has unparalleled success, having won the BUCS championship (in its former guises as the BUSA and UAU championship) on twenty seven occasions. It fields sides in the BUCS league, (inter-university) and in the National League also. It has fielded over seventy internationals (male and female), many of whom won caps whilst at the institution represented by the club.
. The students of Loughborough College formed what is considered the original side in September 1919. Loughborough began competing in the Universities Athletic Union (UAU) in the 1930-31, and the Loughborough Colleges XV beat Nottingham University 8 - 0 in their first match. It was not until 1939 that the Loughborough Colleges reached the UAU final for the first time. The lost in a closely fought match to Swansea
, whose win was the sixth in seven seasons.
It was in the post-Second World War period that Loughborough's reputation began to be made. Two future captains of England, Eric Evans and Jeff Butterfield
played for the club in this period, as did Ray Williams
, the Welsh international who eventually became Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union
. It was no surprise when, in 1953, Loughborough Colleges finally won the UAU for the first time. The club became one of the Midlands leading clubs and in 1959 the won the Middlesex Sevens.
In the sixties an already impressive fixture list was enhanced by John Robins, the coach from 1962. It included Leicester
, Gloucester, Rosslyn Park F.C.
, Moseley
and London Irish
. John Robins went on to become the first British Lions
coach. During his tenure at Loughborough, the UAU was won from 1962 to 1968 with only 1965 eluding the club. John Robins had left Loughborough in 1967, and was replaced by the Scotland and Lions international Jim Greenwood. In 1970 Greenwood coached the Colleges to victory in the Middlesex Sevens, and in the first Twickenham
UAU final, the Colleges beat Nottingham University 22 - 3. The 1970 - 71 side included six future internationals, Lewis Dick
, David Cooke, Clive Rees
, Fran Cotton
, Steve Smith
, and Dick Cowman
. Whilst at Loughborough, Jim Greenwood's pivotal coaching books, "Total Rugby" and "Think Rugby", were penned.
.
Rex Hazeldine, later England's first fitness coach, replaced Greenwood and is credited with being an integral part of the revolution of attitudes to the game at international level. In 1984 the UAU was won once again, as was the Leicestershire Cup. A touring Australian Universities side was also defeated. In the 1985-86 season a team led by Andy Robinson
won through to the third round of the John Player Cup, going out to London Wasps
. The same team won the UAU Championships.
League, the team was offered a place in National 2. They turned this down and thus, in 1996, when the Students did apply to join they had to join at the bottom of the league system. It was soon apparent that the standard of rugby at the university had been left behind by the professional teams in the league and in 1998 a full time Director of Rugby, Ian 'Dosser' Smith, was appointed. Alan Buzza took over from Smith in 2001 and is credited with modernizing the club. League promotions in 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 engendered confidence and the club was further enhanced by the presence of a number of excellent players including Tom Evans Jones, Justin Abrahams, Andy Vilk
, Peter Janes, James Jones
and Sam Ulph. As far a British Universities championship win was concerned, however, the drought continued until, under the coach Paul Westgate, back to back wins were achieved in 2005 and 2006. Dave Morris took over as head coach from Westgate and immediately gained League promotion in 2007 to Midlands 1. The next season promotion was achieved to National League 2 North
making the team the first student side to take part in the National Leagues. They finished in sixth place and in the same season achieved a win over England U20s.
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competition. Of the British universities, Loughborough has unparalleled success, having won the BUCS championship (in its former guises as the BUSA and UAU championship) on twenty seven occasions. It fields sides in the BUCS league, (inter-university) and in the National League also. It has fielded over seventy internationals (male and female), many of whom won caps whilst at the institution represented by the club.
Loughborough Colleges
The history of the club predates the formation of Loughborough UniversityLoughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
. The students of Loughborough College formed what is considered the original side in September 1919. Loughborough began competing in the Universities Athletic Union (UAU) in the 1930-31, and the Loughborough Colleges XV beat Nottingham University 8 - 0 in their first match. It was not until 1939 that the Loughborough Colleges reached the UAU final for the first time. The lost in a closely fought match to Swansea
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, whose win was the sixth in seven seasons.
It was in the post-Second World War period that Loughborough's reputation began to be made. Two future captains of England, Eric Evans and Jeff Butterfield
Jeff Butterfield
Jeffrey Butterfield was an England, British and Irish Lions, Northampton and Barbarians Rugby player and businessman....
played for the club in this period, as did Ray Williams
Ray Williams
Ray Williams may refer to:* Ray Williams , basketball player* Ray Williams , founder of HIH Insurance* Ray Williams , English football player...
, the Welsh international who eventually became Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
. It was no surprise when, in 1953, Loughborough Colleges finally won the UAU for the first time. The club became one of the Midlands leading clubs and in 1959 the won the Middlesex Sevens.
In the sixties an already impressive fixture list was enhanced by John Robins, the coach from 1962. It included Leicester
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
, Gloucester, Rosslyn Park F.C.
Rosslyn Park F.C.
Rosslyn Park Football Club is a rugby union team. Founded in 1879, the club became the first club based in England to play rugby internationally when it faced Stade Francais in Paris on 18 April 1892. In 1912, the club played in Prague, Budapest and Vienna in the first rugby matches ever played in...
, Moseley
Moseley Rugby Football Club
Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
and London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
. John Robins went on to become the first British Lions
British Lions
British Lions may refer to:*Lions , the lion is a traditional symbol of Great Britain, although it also used as a symbol in various other cultures* British Lions , a 1978 album by former members of Mott the Hoople and Medicine Head...
coach. During his tenure at Loughborough, the UAU was won from 1962 to 1968 with only 1965 eluding the club. John Robins had left Loughborough in 1967, and was replaced by the Scotland and Lions international Jim Greenwood. In 1970 Greenwood coached the Colleges to victory in the Middlesex Sevens, and in the first Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
UAU final, the Colleges beat Nottingham University 22 - 3. The 1970 - 71 side included six future internationals, Lewis Dick
Lewis Dick
Lewis Dick is a former a rugby union international who represented Scotland from 1972 to 1977.-Rugby union career:Dick made his international debut on 5 February 1972 at Cardiff Arms Park in the Wales vs Scotland match....
, David Cooke, Clive Rees
Clive Rees
Clive Frederick William Rees is a former Welsh rugby union player. He won thirteen caps as left wing for Wales between 1973 and 1983....
, Fran Cotton
Fran Cotton
Francis Edward Cotton is a former English rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clothing company...
, Steve Smith
Steve Smith (English rugby player)
For other rugby players of the same name see Steve Smith and Steve Smith Stephen James Smith is a former international rugby union player...
, and Dick Cowman
Dick Cowman
Dick Cowman is a former a rugby union international who represented England from 1971 to 1973.-Rugby union career:Cowman made his international debut on 20 Mar 1971 at Twickenham in the England vs Scotland match....
. Whilst at Loughborough, Jim Greenwood's pivotal coaching books, "Total Rugby" and "Think Rugby", were penned.
Loughborough University is formed
In 1976, the Student's Unions of the University of Technology and the Loughborough Colleges merged and thus the Loughborough Students Rugby Club was formed. The team won the UAU in 1977/78/79, with the 1978/79 side captained by the young centre Clive WoodwardClive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
.
Rex Hazeldine, later England's first fitness coach, replaced Greenwood and is credited with being an integral part of the revolution of attitudes to the game at international level. In 1984 the UAU was won once again, as was the Leicestershire Cup. A touring Australian Universities side was also defeated. In the 1985-86 season a team led by Andy Robinson
Andy Robinson
Richard Andrew 'Andy' Robinson OBE is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He is currently the head coach of Scotland.Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
won through to the third round of the John Player Cup, going out to London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
. The same team won the UAU Championships.
Joining the RFU League
At the inception of the RFURugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
League, the team was offered a place in National 2. They turned this down and thus, in 1996, when the Students did apply to join they had to join at the bottom of the league system. It was soon apparent that the standard of rugby at the university had been left behind by the professional teams in the league and in 1998 a full time Director of Rugby, Ian 'Dosser' Smith, was appointed. Alan Buzza took over from Smith in 2001 and is credited with modernizing the club. League promotions in 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 engendered confidence and the club was further enhanced by the presence of a number of excellent players including Tom Evans Jones, Justin Abrahams, Andy Vilk
Andy Vilk
Andrew Vilk is a rugby union footballer who plays at centre for Rugby Lions. He is a strong and powerful runner....
, Peter Janes, James Jones
James Jones
-Arts and entertainment:*James Jones , novelist*James Earl Jones , actor-Sports:*James Jones , professional baseball player...
and Sam Ulph. As far a British Universities championship win was concerned, however, the drought continued until, under the coach Paul Westgate, back to back wins were achieved in 2005 and 2006. Dave Morris took over as head coach from Westgate and immediately gained League promotion in 2007 to Midlands 1. The next season promotion was achieved to National League 2 North
National League 2 North
National League 2 North, is the 4th tier of the English rugby union system and provides mostly amateur competition for teams in the Northern half of England....
making the team the first student side to take part in the National Leagues. They finished in sixth place and in the same season achieved a win over England U20s.