The Sussex Rugby Football Union is the society responsible for rugby union in the county of Sussex, England and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union.

History

The first rugby club in Sussex was Brighton Football Club (RFU), Brighton, formed in 1868. Following the formation of several other clubs in the 1880s, the Sussex Rugby Football Union was formed in 1883, several years prior to the national organisation of which it is now a constituent part, with the most recent members admitted in 2008.

Sussex senior men's county team

Sussex currently play in Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2, Division 2 of the County Championship (rugby union), County Championship) having been promoted from Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 3, Division 3 at the end of the 2018 competition. Prior to this they reached the final of the 2017 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 (the first time in the county's history), losing on try count to Oxfordshire Rugby Football Union, Oxfordshire (4 tries to 5) at Twickenham Stadium, after an exciting game that finished 29-29.

Sussex Senior Women's County Team

Sussex currently play in Division 1 of the Gill Burns County Championship having been promoted from Division 2 at the end of the 2017-2018 season after winning the South East Region competition. In 2019 they reached the final of Division 1 Gill Burns County Championship at Twickenham Stadium (the first in the county's history), losing to Yorkshire 11-27.

Affiliated clubs

There are currently 34 full member adult clubs affiliated with the Sussex RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level and are based in East Sussex or West Sussex. * Barns Green Rugby Football Club, Barns Green * Bognor Rugby Football Club, Bognor * Brighton Football Club (RFU), Brighton * Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents * Brighton and Sussex Medical School * Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club, Burgess Hill * Chichester Rugby Football Club, Chichester * Cinque Ports Rugby Football Club, Cinque Ports * Crawley Rugby Football Club, Crawley * Crowborough Rugby Football Club, Crowborough * Ditchling Rugby Football Club, Ditchling * Eastbourne Rugby Football Club, Eastbourne * East Grinstead Rugby Football Club, East Grinstead * Hastings and Bexhill Rugby Football Club, Hastings & Bexhill * Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club, Haywards Heath * Heathfield and Waldron Rugby Football Club, Heathfield & Waldron * Hellingly Rugby Football Club, Hellingly * Holbrook Rugby Football Club, Holbrook * Horsham Rugby Union Football Club, Horsham * Hove Rugby Football Club, Hove * Lewes Rugby Football Club, Lewes * Littlehampton Rugby Football Club, Littlehampton * Midhurst Rugby Football Club, Midhurst * Newick Rugby Football Club, Newick * Plumpton Rugby Football Club, Plumpton * Pulborough Rugby Football Club, Pulborough * Rye Rugby Football Club, Rye * St Francis Rugby Football Club, St Francis * Seaford Rugby Football Club, Seaford * Shoreham Rugby Football Club, Shoreham * Steyning Rugby Football Club, Steyning * Sussex Police Rugby Football Club, Sussex Police * Uckfield Rugby Football Club, Uckfield * Worthing Rugby Football Club, Worthing Raiders

County club competitions

The Sussex RFU currently runs the following club competitions for club sides based in East Sussex and West Sussex:

Leagues

There are also 6 Sussex specific leagues at levels 9-12 sponsored by brewer Harveys Brewery, and named for their range of beers. These leagues contain a mixture of 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams. *Sussex Spitfire 1, Sussex Division 1 - league ranked at tier 9 of the English rugby union system) *Sussex Canterbury Jack Intermediate, Sussex Division 2 - tier 10 league *Sussex Division 2 Reserve - tier 10 league for Reserve teams *Sussex Oranjeboom 2 West, Sussex Division 3 - tier 11 league *Sussex Asahi 2 East, Sussex Division 4 East - tier 12 league (East Sussex) *Sussex Late Red 3, Sussex Division 4 West - tier 12 league (West Sussex)

Cups

*Sussex Bob Rogers Cup *Sussex Bowl *Sussex Plate *Sussex Salver *Sussex Vase

References

{{Sussex Rugby union governing bodies in England 1883 establishments in England Sports organizations established in 1883 Rugby union in Sussex