Richmond Women, formally Finchley RFC, is a women's

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 ...

team based in

Richmond, London Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commiss ...

, England. They were founded in 1986 and played in the

Women's Premiership The Women's Premiership, also called the RFUW Premiership was the top level of women's rugby union in England until 2017. It was formed in 1990 and was run by the Rugby Football Union for Women. It was superseded in the 2017/18 season by Premier ...

. They are also the women's team of

Richmond F.C. Richmond Football Club is a rugby union club from Richmond, London. It is a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, and is one of the oldest football clubs (of any code). It fields teams in both men's and women's rugby; the men's first t ...

History

Richmond Women were initially formed in 1986 as part of Finchley RFC. They were one of the first women's rugby union teams established in England. They later became a part of Richmond F.C., because of the financial support that Richmond were able to give and they took on the name of Richmond Women as a result. The club used the name "Women" instead of "Ladies" because of a belief that Ladies would imply that it was not a serious team. The team is one of the oldest and most successful in English women's rugby union with 25 league and cup victories, six National Sevens wins and four European Championship titles. In 2000, they won the Rugby World National Cup after beating

Wasps Ladies Wasps Women are a women's rugby union based in Acton, London, England. They were founded in 1984 and play in the Premier 15s. They are the women's team of Wasps FC, who are affiliated to Premiership Rugby team Wasps. They play their home matches ...

in the final at

Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium () in Twickenham, south-west London, England, is a rugby union stadium owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The England national rugby union team play ...

in the first women's rugby union match to be played there. between 2010 and 2012, they won three consecutive league titles. They run three teams, with Richmond II playing in Championship 1 South and Richmond Women III playing in Championship 2 South East. In 1995, they had an honour's board erected in the clubhouse at the Athletic Ground however it was later removed by members of London Scottish, who share the Athletic Ground, claiming that Richmond didn't have permission to put one up.

Notable players

Richmond women have had 118 international players play for them, including 18 in 2001. * Karen Findlay – coached Richmond and

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. *

Amber Reed Amber Reed (born 3 April 1991) is an English rugby union player. She won the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup as a member of 's squad and was selected for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup squad. She currently also plays for Bristol Bears. Internatio ...

– played for Richmond and

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 ...

. *

Emma Croker Emma Croker (''née'' Layland; born 29 September 1982) is an English female rugby union player, weight lifter and teacher. She represented at the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup and she was chosen for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup squad. She pr ...

– played for Richmond and

. * Rebecca Essex – played for Richmond and

World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees

Mary Forsyth Mary Forsyth is a pioneer of women's rugby union, in England and internationally. Biography Forsyth was born in Pittsburgh, US. She was a high school athletics prospect when she enrolled at Pennsylvania State University, Penn State University ...

– inducted into the

World Rugby Hall of Fame The World Rugby Hall of Fame (formerly the IRB Hall of Fame) recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The World Rugby Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other ...

. *

Deborah Griffin Deborah Griffin is a pioneer of the growth of women's rugby, both in England and globally. Biography Griffin took up the sport of rugby at university in the 1970s, and also played rugby with the Richmond Women, Richmond Women's Rugby Club. She ...

– inducted into the

. *

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

– inducted into the

. *

Sue Dorrington Sue Dorrington (born 10 June 1958) is a former English rugby union player and pioneer of the women's game, in England and internationally. Biography Dorrington was born and raised in Minnesota, USA. She started playing rugby in the early eightie ...

– inducted into the

References

{{Premier 15s Women's rugby union teams in England Rugby clubs established in 1986 Women's sports teams in London