Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club is a

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 ...

club located in

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

. The first XV played in Regional 2 East Midlands in 2022-23, a sixth tier league in 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 ...

, which replaced the previous Midlands 1 East in September 2022 as part of the RFU's league restructuring. In its centenary season, the club won the league with three matches remaining - at that time, the playing record was Played 19, Won 18, Lost 1, Points for 691, Points against 284, Try bonuses 14, League points 86. Lutterworth and Market Harborough in second and third league placings could no longer secure enough points to take the title.

History

Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club was founded in 1922/23 by W.C.C. Cooke, who was the headmaster of

Northampton Grammar School Northampton School for Boys (NSB) is a secondary school in Northampton, England. It was founded as Northampton Town and County Grammar School in 1541 by Thomas Chipsey, Mayor of Northampton. Education in England#Stages of compulsory education, Yea ...

. The Old Northamptonians played a fixture on Boxing Day 1922 on Northampton Racecourse against a Northampton Alliance team; the fixture was advertised in the local newspaper, but the result is not recorded. The fixture will be replayed during the club's centenary season, on Boxing Day 2022, this time at the home ground at Billing Road. In the early years, ONRFC did not have their own home ground and played their fixtures at Northampton Racecourse. However in November 1936 the Old Northamptonians Association secured the lease of 17½ acres of previously agricultural land adjoining Billing Road and Park Avenue South, to provide two rugby pitches and one cricket pitch. At the time the club had rugby two teams, and with the establishment of a home ground, aspired to running four rugby teams. By the end of the 1949/50 season, the club was indeed running four teams, and the Town Planning Committee had approved plans for a clubhouse to be built. The club has played an important role in developing players who have gone on to play for Northampton Saints, including Tom Collins and

James Grayson James Grayson (born 26 June 1998) is an English professional rugby union player currently playing for the Premiership Rugby side Northampton Saints. He plays at fly-half. Background Grayson began playing rugby at age 4 with Old Northamptonia ...

. One of the club's most famous former players is Bob Taylor who gained 16 caps for

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and 2 caps for the British Lions, as well as becoming President of the RFU in 2007.

Club honours

* Regional 2 East Midlands champions: 2022-23 *

Midlands 3 East (South) Midlands 3 East (South) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and o ...

champions: 2008-09 *

East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 was a tier 11 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 and relegate ...

champions: 1992–93 *

East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 and relegate ...

champions: 1993–94 *

East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 (formerly East Midlands/Leicestershire) was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Mid ...

champions: 1994–95 * Midlands 1 (east v west) winners (2): 2009–10, 2014–15 Old Northamptonians have won the Northampton & District Alliance Cup 22 times, including a run of 14 consecutive titles from 2004-2017. The club regained the title in 2022, and also won the Lewis Shield and Oceanic Trophy competitions, the first time this "treble" has been achieved. In the centenary season 2022-23, in addition to winning the league, ONs retained the Oceanic Trophy and the Lewis Shield, and went on to win the inaugural Regional 2 Championship of the Papa John's Community Cup at Twickenham.

References

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External links

Official club site
Rugby union teams in England Rugby clubs established in 1922 Rugby union in Northamptonshire 1922 establishments in England