Otley R.U.F.C.

Otley Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club representing Otley in the City of Leeds, district of West Yorkshire. The club runs two senior teams – the first XV, the Saracens (2nd XV), as well as a full range of junior teams. The first XV play in National League 2 North.

Otley

Full name	Otley Rugby Union Football Club
Union	Yorkshire RFU
Nickname(s)	Zebras
Founded	1865; 160 years ago (1865)
Location	Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Ground(s)	Cross Green (Capacity: 5,000)
League(s)	National League 2 North
2023–24	9th
Team kit
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/otley/

History

Cross Green Stadium at the homonymous area is Otley's home ground

Otley RUFC was founded in 1865^[1] but broke away from rugby union in 1900 to become a rugby league club. They disbanded in 1906 and reformed as a rugby union club in 1907, the ground being at Wharfeside.^[2] In 1909–10 they won the Yorkshire Challenge Cup.^[2] Play was suspended during the First World War, but started again in 1919, and on 28 September 1921 they moved to a new and better ground at Cross Green, Otley.^[2]

In the 2007–08 season they won the National Division Two title securing an immediate return to National Division One having been relegated the previous season, however they were immediately relegated again in the 2008–09 season along with fellow promoted side Manchester and three other teams due to the new professionalised format of National Division One (now the RFU Championship). Two seasons later the club was relegated again, this time to National League 2 North. The all-time leading try scorer is James Twomey, with 74 in 107 appearances between 2009 and 2013.^{[citation needed]}

In 1979 the stadium was the site of a famous victory by the North of England against the New Zealand ″All Blacks″.^[3] The Wallabies suffered the same fate in October, 1988. Cross Green hosted one group game of the 1991 Rugby World Cup, between the United States and Italy which was won by Italy 30–9.

Notable former players

• Alfred "Alf" Bateson (England 1930)
• Danny Care
• Albert Fert, (winner of 2007 Nobel Prize for Physics) ^[4]
• Arthur Gray (Fullback for England while at Otley RUFC in 1947 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland)
• Frank Malir (England 1930)
• Leslie Manfield (Wales 1938)
• Nigel Melville
• Jimmy Keinhorst
• Neil Spence

Honours

• Yorkshire Challenge Cup winners (9 times): 1889, 1910, 1911, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1993
• North Division 1 champions: 1989–90
• Courage League - Division 4 North champions: 1990–91
• National League 1 champions (3): 1992–93, 1999–00, 2007–08

Current standings

2024–25 National League 2 North table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Leeds Tykes (C)	26	24	0	2	880	498	+382	22	1	119	Promotion place
2	Sheffield	26	22	0	4	933	523	+410	21	2	111
3	Lymm	26	19	0	7	915	737	+178	22	0	98
4	Fylde	26	15	0	11	777	661	+116	17	6	83
5	Tynedale	26	12	3	11	741	787	−46	17	5	76
6	Wharfedale	26	13	0	13	680	712	−32	16	2	70
7	Hull Ionians	26	10	0	16	762	811	−49	14	9	63
8	Sheffield Tigers	26	9	1	16	651	677	−26	14	11	63
9	Chester	26	11	0	15	758	835	−77	13	5	62
10	Otley	26	10	1	15	696	791	−95	11	6	59
11	Hull	26	10	0	16	663	849	−186	12	3	55
12	Preston Grasshoppers	26	8	1	17	689	856	−167	14	6	54
13	Billingham	26	9	1	16	615	808	−193	12	2	52
14	Harrogate (R)	26	6	1	19	652	867	−215	16	10	52	Relegation place

Updated to match(es) played on 26 April 2025. Source: National League Rugby ^[5]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

1. Number of matches won
2. Number of matches drawn
3. Difference between points for and against
4. Total number of points for
5. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
6. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Notes