Ampthill Rugby Club is an English rugby union team based in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. The club runs six senior teams and the full range of junior sides.[2] The first XV play in the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union system. Ampthill women's team The Lionesses currently compete in the NC3 competition.
 | ||
| Full name | Ampthill Rugby Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | East Midlands RFU | |
| Founded | 1881[1] | |
| Ground(s) | Dillingham Park (Capacity: 3,000) | |
| Director of Rugby | Mark Lavery | |
| Coach(es) | Paul Turner | |
| Captain(s) | Josh Barton | |
| League(s) | RFU Championship | |
| 2023–24 | 7th | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
History
editIn 2013–14, the team finished second but lost the promotion play-off to Darlington Mowden Park of the National League 2 North.[3] In 2014–15, they again finished second having been transferred to National League 2 North. They beat Bishop's Stortford, the National League 2 South runner-up in the promotion play-off at Dillingham Park, 19–10.[4]
For the 2015–16 season Ampthill have agreed a player development programme with Saracens, allowing young players contracted to Saracens to play for Ampthill.[5]
Honours
edit- East Midlands 1 champions: 1989–90
- Midlands 3 East (South) champions: 2006–07
- Midlands Division 2 East champions: 2008–09
- National League 3 Midlands champions: 2012–13[6]
- East Midlands Wells Bombardier Cup winners (6): 1996, 1997, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2013[7]
- National League 2 (north v south) promotion play-off winners: 2014–15
- National League 1 champions: 2018–19
Ampthill were initially National League 3 Midlands champions in 2009–10 but were stripped of the title due to breaches of league rules.[8]
Current standings
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ealing Trailfinders | 19 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 980 | 362 | +618 | 17 | 3 | 84 | Promotion place (if eligible) |
| 2 | Bedford Blues | 19 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 649 | 473 | +176 | 14 | 1 | 71 | |
| 3 | Hartpury University | 19 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 550 | 452 | +98 | 12 | 2 | 64 | |
| 4 | Cornish Pirates | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 519 | 506 | +13 | 11 | 3 | 62 | |
| 5 | Doncaster Knights | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 557 | 410 | +147 | 10 | 3 | 61 | |
| 6 | Coventry | 19 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 549 | 502 | +47 | 11 | 4 | 59 | |
| 7 | Nottingham | 19 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 536 | 577 | −41 | 11 | 5 | 48 | |
| 8 | Ampthill | 19 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 460 | 636 | −176 | 10 | 4 | 46 | |
| 9 | London Scottish | 19 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 499 | 601 | −102 | 10 | 3 | 41 | |
| 10 | Chinnor | 19 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 424 | 491 | −67 | 6 | 4 | 36 | |
| 11 | Caldy | 19 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 391 | 580 | −189 | 7 | 5 | 28 | |
| 12 | Cambridge | 19 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 393 | 917 | −524 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Number of matches drawn
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Current squad
editThe Ampthill squad for the 2024–25 season is:[10]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
References
edit- ^ "...reformed after WWII in 1950 the current club...""A brief History of Ampthill & District Community RUFC". Ampthill & District RUFC. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ Club website home page - headlines section Archived 11 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "National League 2 South". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ "National 2 Promotion Playoff". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.
- ^ "Ampthill & Saracens Player Development Programme". Ampthill RUFC. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015.
- ^ "RFU".
- ^ http://www.emru.co.uk/clubimages/10/documents/Previous%20winners%20of%20the%20WB%20EM%20Snr%20Cup.doc [permanent dead link]
- ^ "National League Rugby Discussion Forum".
- ^ "RFU Championship". England Rugby.
- ^ "1st XV Squad". Ampthill RUFC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
