Oxford Cavaliers
Encyclopedia
The Oxford Cavaliers are a rugby league
team based in Oxford
. They play in the RLC West of England
.
In their brief history Oxford Cavaliers have managed to supply players to professional clubs, such as Mike Castle and Corey Simms to the London Skolars
, Darrell Griffin
to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
, Barry Randall and Brad Smith to London Broncos via Rochdale Hornets
as well as Steve Robinson to Henley Hawks rugby union club. They continue to be the only open rugby league club in the city, although there is also an Oxford University rugby league team as well as Brookes Bulls rugby league team at Oxford Brookes University.
The first game was against Bath RLFC which Oxford won 36-16. The first competitive fixture was played in 1996 in the inaugural Summer Conference, the forerunner to the Rugby League Conference
which started in 1997.
In 1998, five Oxford Cavaliers players were called up for the Rugby League Conference squad. ex-London Broncos alliance players Graham Crane (second row) and Simon Hill (skipper and scrum-half), also included were centre Paul Daly and forwards John Williams and Darrell Griffin were named in a 22-man squad for the games against the North East League at Chester on Sunday, and against the Combined Services.
In 1999 they reached the regional final of the Rugby League Conference, were awarded the title of Rugby League Conference Club of the Year and John Williams, Graham Crane, Steve Lacey, Simon Hill and Jon Flatman all received representative honours. In 2001, Lionel Hurst left the Oxford Cavaliers in order to become Chief Executive Officer of the London Broncos, the top flight rugby league club.
In 2000, Oxford's second player development rugby league camp was held by coaches from Super League outfit Halifax
rugby league club. Twenty nominated under-13 boys from Oxford undertook a three-day residential course at the Hill End campus to receive training in all the skills and were put through their paces by several qualified coaches. They also received expert advice on nutrition, fitness and sports psychology.
Also in 2000, Oxford Cavaliers coach Dave Doran was appointed head coach of the Rugby League Conference
representative side. The Cavaliers themselves finished a credible tenth place in the RLC composite table of twenty four teams.
The club finished second only in the League table in the 2008 season; beating Telford Raiders, Coventry Bears, Swindon St George and Redditch Ravens in the process.
In 2011, the club joined the newly formed RLC West of England
division.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team based in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. They play in the RLC West of England
Rugby League Conference South West Division
The Rugby League Conference South West Division is a division in the Rugby League Conference, an amateur rugby league competition with sides from across Britain...
.
In their brief history Oxford Cavaliers have managed to supply players to professional clubs, such as Mike Castle and Corey Simms to the London Skolars
London Skolars
London Skolars are a rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in North London. They were founded in 1995 and have been semi-professional since 2003, operating in Championship One...
, Darrell Griffin
Darrell Griffin
Darrell Griffin is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of Super League. An England international representative prop forward, his former clubs include Oxford Cavaliers, London Broncos, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Huddersfield Giants.He is notable as being a top...
to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, Barry Randall and Brad Smith to London Broncos via Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets RLFC is an English professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. They currently play in Championship One...
as well as Steve Robinson to Henley Hawks rugby union club. They continue to be the only open rugby league club in the city, although there is also an Oxford University rugby league team as well as Brookes Bulls rugby league team at Oxford Brookes University.
History
The Oxford Cavaliers were founded by Lionel Hurst in 1995. The club's name and colours refer to Oxford's English civil war heritage. The club crest is the red and blue royal standard that was flown when King Charles I held his court in Christchurch College. The first Oxford rugby league club, Oxford Sharks RLFC, had folded in 1993.The first game was against Bath RLFC which Oxford won 36-16. The first competitive fixture was played in 1996 in the inaugural Summer Conference, the forerunner to the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
which started in 1997.
In 1998, five Oxford Cavaliers players were called up for the Rugby League Conference squad. ex-London Broncos alliance players Graham Crane (second row) and Simon Hill (skipper and scrum-half), also included were centre Paul Daly and forwards John Williams and Darrell Griffin were named in a 22-man squad for the games against the North East League at Chester on Sunday, and against the Combined Services.
In 1999 they reached the regional final of the Rugby League Conference, were awarded the title of Rugby League Conference Club of the Year and John Williams, Graham Crane, Steve Lacey, Simon Hill and Jon Flatman all received representative honours. In 2001, Lionel Hurst left the Oxford Cavaliers in order to become Chief Executive Officer of the London Broncos, the top flight rugby league club.
In 2000, Oxford's second player development rugby league camp was held by coaches from Super League outfit Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
rugby league club. Twenty nominated under-13 boys from Oxford undertook a three-day residential course at the Hill End campus to receive training in all the skills and were put through their paces by several qualified coaches. They also received expert advice on nutrition, fitness and sports psychology.
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
representative side. The Cavaliers themselves finished a credible tenth place in the RLC composite table of twenty four teams.
The club finished second only in the League table in the 2008 season; beating Telford Raiders, Coventry Bears, Swindon St George and Redditch Ravens in the process.
In 2011, the club joined the newly formed RLC West of England
Rugby League Conference South West Division
The Rugby League Conference South West Division is a division in the Rugby League Conference, an amateur rugby league competition with sides from across Britain...
division.
Club honours
- Advanced Garden Services Oxfordshire Cup: 2006
- Stan Hardy Memorial Trophy: 2007