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
Full nameAmpthill Rugby Club
UnionEast Midlands RFU
Founded1881; 143 years ago (1881)[1]
Ground(s)Dillingham Park (Capacity: 3,000)
Director of RugbyMark Lavery
Coach(es)Paul Turner
Captain(s)Charlie Beckett
League(s)RFU Championship
2022–238th
Team kit
Official website
www.ampthillrufc.com

History

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In 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

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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

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2023–24 RFU Championship table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1 Ealing Trailfinders (C) 20 16 0 4 823 417 +406 16 2 82
2 Cornish Pirates 20 15 1 4 589 408 +181 12 1 75
3 Coventry 20 14 0 6 698 428 +270 15 2 73
4 Bedford Blues 20 12 0 8 590 563 +27 13 4 65
5 Hartpury University 20 11 0 9 627 551 +76 11 4 59
6 Doncaster Knights 20 11 1 8 509 529 −20 9 2 57
7 Ampthill 20 10 0 10 573 607 −34 14 2 56
8 Nottingham 20 8 0 12 487 615 −128 13 2 47
9 London Scottish 20 4 1 15 510 614 −104 10 7 35
10 Caldy 20 5 1 14 415 675 −260 8 1 31
11 Cambridge 20 2 0 18 382 796 −414 7 5 20
Updated to match(es) played on 25 May 2024. Source: "The Championship". England Rugby.
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
There is no relegation this season
(C) Champions (ineligible for Promotion play-off)

Current squad

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The Ampthill squad for the 2023–24 season is:[9][a][b]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Syd Blackmore Hooker   Wales
Ben Chapman Hooker   England
Ben Pogson Hooker   England
James Flynn Prop   England
Luke Green Prop   England
Dom Hardman Prop   England
James Johnston Prop   Samoa
Jasper McGuire [b] Prop   England
Zac Nearchou Prop   England
Jevaughn Warren [a] Prop   England
Beck Cutting Lock   England
Josh Dunne Lock   Ireland
Griff Evans Lock   Wales
Kaden Pearce-Paul [a] Lock   England
Joe Peard Lock   Wales
Alex Wardell [a] Lock   England
Sam Asotasi [b] Back row   Samoa
Joe Bercis Back row   England
Cai Devine Back row   Wales
Nathan Michelow Back row   England
Izzy Moore-Aiono Back row   England
Iestyn Rees Back row   Wales
Josh Smart Back row   England
Morgan Strong Back row   Wales
Player Position Union
Charlie Bracken [a] Scrum-half   England
Charlie Gowling Scrum-half   England
Joe Green Scrum-half   England
Pete White Scrum-half   England
Harri Williams Scrum-half   Wales
Josh Barton Fly-half   England
Gwyn Parks Fly-half   Wales
Ewan Greenlaw Centre   England
Oli Morris Centre   Ireland
Lui Natui [a] Centre   England
Fraser Stratchan Centre   England
Ollie Dawkins Wing   England
Alex Harmes Wing   England
Wilson Ijeh Wing   England
Francis Moore [a] Wing   England
Josh Skelcey Wing   England
Tomas Bacon Fullback   England
Finlay Parker Fullback   England
Jack Spittle Fullback   England
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Designated players are dual-registered from Saracens for the 2023-24 season.[10]
  2. ^ a b c Sam Asotasi and Jasper McGuire are both on season-long loans from Saracens for the 2023-24 season.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "...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.
  2. ^ Club website home page - headlines section Archived 11 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "National League 2 South". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  4. ^ "National 2 Promotion Playoff". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Ampthill & Saracens Player Development Programme". Ampthill RUFC. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015.
  6. ^ "RFU".
  7. ^ http://www.emru.co.uk/clubimages/10/documents/Previous%20winners%20of%20the%20WB%20EM%20Snr%20Cup.doc [permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "National League Rugby Discussion Forum".
  9. ^ "1st XV Squad". Ampthill RUFC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Ampthill & Saracens Partnership". www.ampthillrufc.com. Ampthill Rugby. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Sam Asotasi joins Saracens Academy". www.saracens.com. Saracens. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
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