The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is an organisation for the promotion of junior

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

in the city of

Bristol, England Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...

. The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is one of two pillars on which the rugby union heritage of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

is based - the other being the city's senior rugby club the

Bristol Bears Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 18 ...

. The Bristol Combination, on the other hand, is the body which nurtures junior rugby in the city. From its ranks have come many great players, but also it has provided the framework within which rugby as recreation is developed for thousands of people. The Bristol Combination was founded in 1901 for "the promotion of rugby union and the mutual well being of clubs", tasks which remain at the core of its mission today. Its members are those 53 rugby clubs of Bristol and its surrounding area, which includes

North Somerset North Somerset is a unitary authorities of England, unitary district in Somerset, South West England. Whilst its area covers part of the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Somerset, it is administered independently of the non ...

and

South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. Towns in the area include Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, Filton, Patchway and Bradley Stoke, the latter three forming part ...

. No comparable body of a similar size exists in England. As well as its representative role, the Combination organises the Charles Saunders Combination Cup, merit tables and leagues for clubs and teams not participating in

RFU The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It pro ...

competitions, as well as an important role in youth and rugby development. It is also responsible for a ground where several clubs play at

Lockleaze Lockleaze is an area and council ward in the northern suburbs of the city of Bristol, England, north of the city centre, south of Filton, east of Horfield and west of Frenchay. Lockleaze is a residential area of social housing built on the west ...

, in the north of the city. The Combination regularly organises fixtures of the area's best players against Bristol Rugby Club's first team, or its second team, Bristol United.

Constituent Clubs

*Abbey Wood *Aretians *Ashley Down Old Boys *Avon *

Avonmouth Old Boys Avonmouth Old Boys Rugby Football Club is an England, English rugby union team based in Shirehampton in Bristol. The club run three men senior teams, a vets side, a ladies team, a colts side and a youth section featuring the full range of age-gro ...

*Barton Hill *Bishopston *Blagdon *

(honorary member) *Bristol Aeroplance Corporation *Bristol Barbarians *Bristol Harlequins *

Bristol Ladies Bristol Bears Women, formerly Clifton Ladies RFC, then Bristol Ladies, is a women's rugby union team based in Bristol, England. They are a standalone, independent rugby club, running in partnership with the Bristol Bears (formerly Bristol Rugby) s ...

*Bristol Saracens * Broad Plain *Bristol Telephone Area *Chew Valley *

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village ...

*Chipping Sodbury * Cleve *Clevedon *

Clifton Clifton may refer to: People *Clifton (surname) *Clifton (given name) Places Australia * Clifton, Queensland, a town **Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong *Clifton, Western Australia Canada *Clifton, Nova Scotia ...

* Cotham Park * Dings Crusaders * Frampton Cotterell *Gordano *

Hornets Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to their close relatives yellowjackets. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by th ...

*Imperial *Keynsham *Kingswood *HMP Leyhill *Midsomer Norton *Nailsea & Backwell *North Bristol *Old Ashtonians * Old Bristolians * Old Colstonians *Old Elizabethans *

Old Redcliffians Old Redcliffians Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Brislington, a suburb of Bristol. The club runs four senior sides and a sevens team as well as a ladies side and the full range of junior teams. The first XV currently ...

*Oldfield Old Boys *Pilning *St. Bernadette Old Boys *St. Brendans Old Boys *St Mary's Old Boys *Southmead *The Tor *Thornbury *United Bristol Hospitals *University of Bristol *University of the West of England *Walcot Old Boys *Wells *

Weston-Super-Mare Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmixon ...

*Whitehall *

Winscombe Winscombe is a large village in the North Somerset unitary district of Somerset, South West England, close to the settlements of Axbridge and Cheddar, on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, southeast of Weston-super-Mare and southwest of Bri ...

*Yatton *Yate RFC

Competitions

The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination currently runs the following cup competitions for clubs in

and the surrounding area: *

Bristol Combination Cup The Bristol Combination Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first int ...

(club sides at tiers 4-6 of the

English rugby union system Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system. Women's Rugby union in England cons ...

) *

Bristol Combination Vase The Bristol Combination Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first int ...

(tiers 7–8) *

Bristol Combination Cyril Parsons Bowl The Bristol Combination Cyril Parsons Bowl is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It ...

(tiers 9–11)

References

External links

Bristol Combination Official Website
Rugby union governing bodies in England Rugby union in Bristol Sports organizations established in 1901 Rugby union in Gloucestershire Rugby union in Somerset {{Rugbyunion-stub

Constituent Clubs

Competitions

See also

References

External links