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Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in Northampton, Northamptonshire. The first XV was promoted in 2022–23 and currently play in Regional 1 South East, a fifth tier league in the English rugby union system.[1]
| Full name | Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | East Midlands Rugby Football Union |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Location | Northampton, Northamptonshire, England |
| Ground(s) | Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion |
| Chairman | Dave Howland |
| President | Bob Taylor |
| Director of Rugby | Richard Blank |
| Coach(es) | Phil Powell |
| Captain(s) | Joe Heslop |
| League(s) | Regional 1 South East |
| 2023–24 | 9th |
| Official website | |
| www | |
Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club was founded in 1922–23 by W.C.C. Cooke, who was the headmaster of Northampton Grammar School. 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,[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]
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. One of the club's most famous former players is Bob Taylor who gained 16 caps for England and 2 caps for the British Lions, as well as becoming President of the RFU in 2007.[5][6][7]
- Regional 2 East Midlands champions: 2022–23
- Midlands 3 East (South) champions: 2008-09
- East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 champions: 1992–93
- East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 champions: 1993–94
- East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 champions: 1994–95
- Midlands 1 (east v west) play-off winners (2): 2009–10, 2014–15[8][9]
Old Northamptonians have won the Northampton & District Alliance Cup 22 times, including a run of 14 consecutive titles from 2004 to 2017. The club regained the title in 2022,[10] and also won the Lewis Shield and Oceanic Trophy competitions, the first time this "treble" has been achieved.[11]
In the centenary season 2022–23, in addition to winning the league, ONs retained the Oceanic Trophy and the Lewis Shield.[12] Having lost the centenary Alliance Cup Final against rivals Northampton Old Scouts 12-67, ONs went on to win the inaugural Regional 2 Championship of the Papa John's Community Cup at Twickenham.[13]
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