Tunbridge Wells RFC

English rugby union club, based in Tunbridge Wells

Rugby team

Tunbridge Wells RFC

Full name| Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club
Union| Kent RFU
Nickname(s)| Wells
Founded| 1931; 94 years ago (1931) (as Old Skinners)
Location| Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
Ground(s)| St Marks Recreation Ground (Capacity: 3,000 [1])
Chairman| Mike Rigby
President| Jim Hendley
Captain(s)| TBC
League(s)| Regional 1 South Central
2023/24| 4th
Official website
www.twrfc.com

Tunbridge Wells RFC is an English Rugby union club that plays in Regional 1 South Central from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

## History

[edit]

Tunbridge Wells RFC was officially formed as Old Skinners RFC in 1931 as a rugby union club for former pupils of The Skinners' School. In 1970, membership of the club became open to non-Skinners pupils with Old Skinners being renamed as Tunbridge Wells RFC in 1973.[2] Despite becoming an open club, Tunbridge Wells retain their links with The Skinners' School, specifically by not selecting Skinners pupils who represent Skinners while they are competing in the Daily Mail Cup to assist them.[3] In 1985, Tunbridge Wells had a new clubhouse constructed, which was opened by Princess Anne.[2]

Since the creation of league rugby in 1987, Tunbridge Wells played mainly in London 1 South where they also played league matches against future RFU Championship side, Jersey[4] and regularly attempted to enter National League 3 London & SE.[5] In 2011, Tunbridge Wells were relegated to London 2 South East.[6] The following season they were relegated again to London 3 South East.[7] The club managed to reverse the trend and win promotion back to the London 2 South East league after finishing in the runner up position in the London 3 South East league in the 2012–13 season.[8]

They also compete in Kent cup competitions.[9]

In addition to the 1st XV the club regularly fields other adult sides (including a social and Vets side) competing in various Kent RFU league competitions. In the 2012–13 season the 2nd XV won the Invicta 1 league.[10]

In 2012, Tunbridge Wells set up a scheme where players from their youth teams would act as ambassadors to local schools for the club to assist with coaching and participation in rugby. This innovative plan was praised by the Rugby Football Union as "a great idea" as a number of other rugby clubs also set up similar schemes following on from Tunbridge Wells'.[11] Tunbridge Wells are also affiliated to English Premiership team, Saracens.[12][13]

The 1st XV went unbeaten in the 2015–16 season winning the London 2 South East league title [14] and the RFU Intermediate Cup. They were then promoted again in the 2016–17 season to the London and South East Premier League.

## Honours

[edit]

* London 2 South East champions (4): 1987–88, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2015–16
* Kent 1 champions: 1995–96
* Kent Plate winners (3): 1999, 2000, 2008
* RFU Intermediate Cup winners: 2015–16[15]
* London 1 (north v south) promotion play-off winners: 2016–17

## Notable players

[edit]

* Colin Smart – England
* Bill Hayward – USA Eagles[16]
* Martin Corry[17] – England Captain, Lions Captain, Leicester Tigers Captain, Barbarians Captain
* Matthew Cook – Spain
* Will Edwards – England 7s, Harlequins
* Robert Greig – Norway
* Mark Davey – Malta
* Ryan le Roux - Spain national rugby union, 7s and 15s

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Courage clubs championship Official Rugby Union club directory 1990-91. Bungay: Burlington Publishing. 1990. p. 584\. ISBN 1-873057-01-6.
2. ^ a b "Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club". SO Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
3. ^ "Skinners' cup run proves benefits of senior links". Your Tunbridge Wells. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
4. ^ "Tunbridge [sic] no match for Jersey". BBC. 10 November 2007. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
5. ^ "Thor starts thunder to hammer TJ rivals". This is Kent. 16 November 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
6. ^ "Wells are ready to flourish". This is Kent. 9 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
7. ^ "Lewes pull out all the stops in season finale to beat Tunbridge Wells 48–27 in London 2 South East". Lewes: Sussex Express. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2013. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
8. ^ "Home". rfulondon.com.
9. ^ "Wanderers out to end trophy drought in Plate final". Eastern Daily Press. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
10. ^ "The Official Kent County RFU Website". Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
11. ^ "Tunbridge Wells spread rugby word with school ambassadors". RFU. 9 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
12. ^ "Rugby: Tunbridge Wells' youth players make big impression". Archived from the original on 13 June 2018.
13. ^ "Quins support Tunbridge Wells RFC Primary School Tag Rugby Festival". Harlequins. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
14. ^ "RFU".
15. ^ "Finals day at Twickenham". The RUGBYPaper. No. 399\. Rugby Paper Ltd. 8 May 2016. p. 35.
16. ^ "Bill Hayward PhD" (PDF) (Press release). Albuquerque Aardvarks. 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013. [permanent dead link]
17. ^ "My Sport: Martin Corry". The Telegraph. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2013.

* v
* t
* e

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Locations within
Tunbridge Wells|

* Hawkenbury
* High Brooms
* Langton Green
* Rusthall
* The Pantiles

Buildings|

* High Brooms station
* High Rocks halt
* Holy Trinity Church
* Hungershall Forge
* Kent and Sussex Hospital
* King Charles the Martyr Church
* Royal Victoria Place
* St Mark's Church
* St Paul's Church
* Standings Mill
* The Opera House
* Tunbridge Wells station
* Tunbridge Wells West station

Businesses|

* BBC South East
* Freight Transport Association
* Kent and Sussex Courier
* Subbuteo

People|

* List of people from Royal Tunbridge Wells
* Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells

Religion|

* List of places of worship

Political|

* Tunbridge Wells constituency (since 1974)
* Tunbridge Wells borough (since 1974)
* Local elections

Schools and colleges|

* Beechwood
* Bennett Memorial
* The Skinners'
* St Gregory's
* Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar
* Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
* K College
* The Skinners' Academy

Sport, leisure and the arts|

* Assembly Hall Theatre
* BBC Radio Kent
* Dunorlan Park
* High Rocks
* The Forum
* Ice Melters Curling Club
* KMFM West Kent
* Linden Park Cricket Club
* Nevill Ground
* South East Today
* Spa Valley Railway
* Trinity Theatre
* Tunbridge ware
* Tunbridge Wells Cricket Week
* Tunbridge Wells Cricket Club
* Tunbridge Wells Football Club
* Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon
* Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club

Twin towns|

* Wiesbaden

Italics denote places in East Sussex included as they are generally considered part of Tunbridge Wells.
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