![Rosslyn park 1892](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Rosslyn_park_1892.jpg)
Rosslyn Park 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 based in south west London.
History
Founded in 1879 by cricketing friends in north London, at the end of their first season, Charles Hoyer Millar proposed forming a football club to keep the players together during the winter. There was already a Hampstead Football Club (from which both
Wasps
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. T ...
and
Harlequins sprang), so the cricket club's name was adopted, reflecting the area of Hampstead where the cricketers first played their scratch games in the grounds of Rosslyn House. Their original rugby ground was at South End Green, Hampstead, then Gospel Oak and Acton before a lengthy tenure at Old Deer Park, Richmond until 1956, when Rosslyn Park moved to its current premises in Roehampton. After an initial blue shirt with white
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically.
It is a heraldic cross variant which developed f ...
, its current red-and-white hoops were adopted in 1881. It still remains a Football Club, without the need for the word Rugby, and so is correctly Rosslyn Park FC, not RFC.
Early fixtures were generally against second XVs of leading clubs, but in the 1890s Rosslyn Park joined the first rank with fixtures against Oxford University, London Scottish, Richmond and Harlequins. Park's acceptance into the elite was signalled when venerable Blackheath agreed to play home and away fixtures in 1909. The club became the first English side to play
rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
internationally when it beat
Stade Français
Stade Français Paris Rugby () is a French professional rugby union club based in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The club plays in the Top 14 domestic league in France and is one of the most successful French clubs of the modern era. The ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
on 18 April 1892.
In 1912, the club played exhibition matches in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
,
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
and
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
- the first rugby matches ever played in those cities - and in 1913 played two games in Hanover, Germany.
In 1939, Rosslyn Park inaugurated the annual
Rosslyn Park Schools Seven Tournament, which expanded from sixteen schools to 350 in 1996. With some 7,000 players annually, it is the world's largest rugby tournament.
After the Second World war, Park again led the way with a first international fixture in 1945 against traditional rivals
Stade Français
Stade Français Paris Rugby () is a French professional rugby union club based in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The club plays in the Top 14 domestic league in France and is one of the most successful French clubs of the modern era. The ...
. In 1951, Park was the first to bring the Ladies' Cup from the Melrose Sevens south of the border. In 1975 and 1976, the club played in the final of the
John Player Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup (), was a cross-border rugby union knock-out cup competition that featured the 12 Premiership Rugby clubs and the four Welsh regions. It was a created as a replacement for the RFU Knockout Cup, which featured only English club ...
, narrowly losing on both occasions
The club runs five senior men's sides (the 1st XV, "B's", "Hatters", "Fours", and "Nomads") and a ladies side (the "Slingbacks") who play on Sundays. Rosslyn Park also have one of the country's largest mini- and youth-rugby set-ups with sides at all age groups from under-6s up. When English league rugby began in 1987, Park were placed in Division two, which they won. The first team currently play in the third division of the
English league system,
National League One.
The club plays at Priory Lane, Roehampton in South-West London on a ground leased from the next-door
Roehampton Club
The Roehampton Club is a private members’ sports club in Roehampton in southwest London, England. It is set in of parkland, close to Richmond Park. Originally established in 1901 as an officers’ polo club, the Roehampton Club has sporting and ...
. There is one
4G (4th generation synthetic turf) pitch at the main site; additional games are played on grass pitches in nearby
Richmond Park
Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is the largest of Royal Parks of London, London's Royal Parks, and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It was created by Charles I of England, C ...
. Changing facilities for both sets of pitches are at the main site in Priory Lane. The clubhouse has two bars, which are named after two of the club's famous players –
Andy Ripley
Andrew George Ripley OBE (1 December 1947 – 17 June 2010) was an English rugby union international, who represented England from 1972 to 1976, and the Lions on their unbeaten 1974 tour of South Africa.
Early life
Ripley was born in Liverp ...
and
Alexander Obolensky
Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky KStJ (russian: Александр Серге́евич Оболенский; 17 February 1916 – 29 March 1940) was a Rurikid prince of Russian origin who became a naturalised Briton, having spent most of h ...
. The first floodlights for the main pitch were famously provided by the hell-raising actor
Oliver Reed
Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...
who was also a member of the club and occasional player. Those lights have now been replaced after storm damage.
Some 350 Park members served in the Great War, of which 109 died, believed to be the highest number from any club. The story was told in a 2012 book The Final Whistle: the Great War in Fifteen players. The original memorial was lost but was replaced with a new board in 2014 when a Centenary memorial match was played under the Laws prevailing in 1914 and the memorial was unveiled by
Bill Beaumont
Sir William Blackledge Beaumont, (born 9 March 1952 in Chorley, Lancashire, England) is a former rugby union player, and was captain of the England rugby union team, earning 34 caps. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand ...
, Chairman of the RFU.
Current standings
Honours
*
Middlesex Sevens The Middlesex Sevens was a Rugby Sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England until 2011. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London-based Scot.Bath, ''Scotland Rugby Miscellany'', p82 Th ...
winners: 1947, 1950, 1954, 1981
*
Melrose Sevens
Melrose Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Melrose Rugby Club, at The Greenyards in Melrose, Scotland. It is the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world, dating back to 1883 when the tournament was suggested by former Melrose ...
winners: 1951
*
John Player Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup (), was a cross-border rugby union knock-out cup competition that featured the 12 Premiership Rugby clubs and the four Welsh regions. It was a created as a replacement for the RFU Knockout Cup, which featured only English club ...
finalists: 1974–75, 1975–76
*
Middlesex Senior Cup
The Middlesex Senior Cup is the most prestigious football cup competition in the historic county of Middlesex, England. The competition is run mainly for non-League clubs in the region, although league clubs have been known to enter the compe ...
winners: 1985
*
Courage League National Division Two champions:
1987–88
*
National Division Three South champions:
2002–03
*
Surrey Cup
The Surrey Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Surrey Rugby Football Union. The original cup competition was first played for back in 1890, the inaugural winners being Lennox, but was discontinued in 1909, ...
winners: 2005
*
National League 2 (north v south) promotion play-off winner:
2009–10
Notable former players
*
Paul Ackford
Paul Ackford (born 26 February 1958) is a former English rugby union international who played lock forward. He was formerly an inspector in the Metropolitan Police, and is now a columnist for The Telegraph.
Early life
Ackford was born in Hano ...
– former English international lock
*
Wilf Auty
Frederic Wilfrid "Wilf" Hoyle Auty (28 February 1881 – 15 February 1951), also known by the nickname of "The Emperor", was an English rugby union, and amateur rugby league footballer who played as a er or in the 1890s and 1900s, and rugby uni ...
– Yorkshire rugby league footballer
*
Danny Cipriani
Danny Cipriani (; born 2 November 1987) is an English professional rugby union player currently unattached. He most recently played for Premiership Rugby side Bath and previously played for Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Wasps in the Premiership ...
– English international fly half
*
Nick Easter
Nicholas James Easter (born 15 August 1978) is an English rugby union coach and former player. He played as a Number 8 for Orrell, Harlequins and the England national team.
He began his career in 2001, playing for Orrell, before moving t ...
– English international number 8
*
Neil Edwards - former Scotland international lock
*
Nev Edwards
Nev Edwards (born ) is an English rugby union player who plays on the wing. He has played for Sale Sharks in Premiership Rugby as well as Union Bordeaux Bègles in the French Top 14.
He attended Whitgift School on a sports scholarship, being a ...
-
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks is a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
Originally founded in 1861 as Sale Football Club, now a distinct amateur club, they adopted the n ...
wing
*
Hugo Ellis
Hugo Ellis (born 4 February 1988, in Isleworth, London, England) is a rugby union player who plays as a back-row forward for Rosslyn Park. He is a former pupil of St Benedict's School, Ealing.
In June 2010 Ellis joined Newport Gwent Drago ...
- England Under-20s
*
Mike Friday
Michael John "Mike" Friday (born April 25, 1972) has been the head coach of the United States national rugby sevens team since summer 2014. Friday was appointed head coach after the U.S. coach for the 2013–14 season, Matt Hawkins, was asked to ...
– former
England Sevens
The England national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games. England's best finish in the Sevens Series is second place, which they have achieved four times, most recently i ...
footballer
*
Todd Gleave
Todd Gleave (born 3 June 1995) is an England, English rugby union player who plays for Dallas Jackals in the Major League Rugby.
Gleave played his early rugby at East Grinstead Rugby Football Club, East Grinstead.
He was previously part Bath ...
- hooker
*
Phil Keith-Roach – former English international and England Scrum coach 2003 World Cup
*
Alex King – former English international fly half
*
Joe Launchbury
Joseph Oliver Launchbury (born 12 April 1991) is an English rugby union lock.
He represents England at international level and previously played for the under-18s and under-20s before making his Test debut in 2012.
Launchbury plays mainly ...
– English international lock
*
Bob Mordell
Bob Mordell (born 2 July 1953) is an English former professional rugby union and rugby league footballer, and also a manager. He played rugby league as a professional for Oldham ( Heritage № 837), Kent Invicta and Fulham RLFC ( Heritage № ...
– English international flanker, and rugby league footballer
*
Alexander Obolensky
Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky KStJ (russian: Александр Серге́евич Оболенский; 17 February 1916 – 29 March 1940) was a Rurikid prince of Russian origin who became a naturalised Briton, having spent most of h ...
– former English international wing
*
Mark Odejobi –
London Wasps
Wasps Rugby Football Club is a professional rugby union team. They last played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby until being suspended on 12 October 2022. On 17 October 2022 the club entered administration, resulting in r ...
wing
*
Martin Offiah
Martin Nwokocha Offiah MBE ( (''original pronunciation''), (''commonly used'')); born 29 December 1965) is an English former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Offiah was inducted i ...
– former England and Great Britain international rugby league footballer
*
John Ranson – former English international wing
*
Andy Ripley
Andrew George Ripley OBE (1 December 1947 – 17 June 2010) was an English rugby union international, who represented England from 1972 to 1976, and the Lions on their unbeaten 1974 tour of South Africa.
Early life
Ripley was born in Liverp ...
– former English international number 8
*
Shane Roiser
Shane Roiser is a former rugby union player with Wasps RFC, London Wasps whom he joined in 1994 from Rosslyn Park F.C., Rosslyn Park. Whilst at Wasps he helped them win the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2000.
He was educated at Cumnor House School, Croydon ...
– former
London Wasps
Wasps Rugby Football Club is a professional rugby union team. They last played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby until being suspended on 12 October 2022. On 17 October 2022 the club entered administration, resulting in r ...
wing
*
John Rudd – former
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 ...
Saxons wing
*
Adam Thompstone –
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...
wing
*
Jim Unwin – former English and
British & Irish Lions
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...
wing
*
Nick Walshe – former
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 ...
scrumhalf
*
Lionel Edward Weston – former
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 ...
scrumhalf
*
Chris Winn – former English international winger
*
Bruce Battishall
Bruce Robert Battishall (born 3 September 1946) was a rugby union player who represented Australia.
Battishall, a flanker, was born in Canterbury, New South Wales
Canterbury is a suburb extending across south-western Sydney and the Inner ...
– former Australian international flanker
List of seasons (since the beginning of professional era)
Number of seasons at each level
References
External links
Official website
{{Rugby union in England
Rugby union teams in England
Premiership Rugby teams
Richmond Park
Rugby clubs established in 1879
Rugby union clubs in London
Sport in the London Borough of Wandsworth