The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is an organisation for the promotion of junior

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

in the city of

Bristol, England Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

. The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is one of two pillars on which the rugby union heritage of

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

is based - the other being the city's senior rugby club the

Bristol Bears Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 18 ...

. The Bristol Combination, on the other hand, is the body which nurtures junior rugby in the city. From its ranks have come many great players, but also it has provided the framework within which rugby as recreation is developed for thousands of people. The Bristol Combination was founded in 1901 for "the promotion of rugby union and the mutual well being of clubs", tasks which remain at the core of its mission today. Its members are those 53 rugby clubs of Bristol and its surrounding area, which includes

North Somerset North Somerset is a unitary authorities of England, unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The council is based in Weston-super-Mare, the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Clevedon, Nailsea ...

and

South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. Towns in the area include Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Kingswood, Thornbury, Filton, Patchway and Bradley Stoke. The southern p ...

. No comparable body of a similar size exists in England. As well as its representative role, the Combination organises the Charles Saunders Combination Cup, merit tables and leagues for clubs and teams not participating in

RFU The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It prom ...

competitions, as well as an important role in youth and rugby development. It is also responsible for a ground where several clubs play at

Lockleaze Lockleaze is an area and council ward in the northern suburbs of the city of Bristol, England, north of the city centre, south of Filton, east of Horfield and west of Frenchay. Lockleaze is a residential area of social housing built on the wes ...

, in the north of the city. The Combination regularly organises fixtures of the area's best players against Bristol Rugby Club's first team, or its second team, Bristol United.

Constituent Clubs

*Abbey Wood *Aretians *Ashley Down Old Boys *Avon * Avonmouth Old Boys *Barton Hill *Bishopston *Blagdon *

(honorary member) *Bristol Aeroplance Corporation *Bristol Barbarians *Bristol Harlequins * Bristol Ladies *Bristol Saracens * Broad Plain *Bristol Telephone Area *Chew Valley *

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town in north-west Wiltshire, England. It lies north-east of Bath, Somerset, Bath, west of London and is near the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town was established on a crossing of the River Avon, ...

*Chipping Sodbury * Cleve *Clevedon * Clifton * Cotham Park * Dings Crusaders * Frampton Cotterell *Gordano *

Hornets Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to yellowjackets, their close relatives. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by ...

*Imperial *Keynsham *Kingswood *HMP Leyhill *Midsomer Norton *Nailsea & Backwell *North Bristol *Old Ashtonians * Old Bristolians * Old Colstonians *Old Elizabethans *

Old Redcliffians Old Redcliffians Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Brislington, a suburb of Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West E ...

*Oldfield Old Boys *Pilning *St. Bernadette Old Boys *St. Brendans Old Boys *St Mary's Old Boys *Southmead *The Tor *Thornbury *United Bristol Hospitals *University of Bristol *University of the West of England *Walcot Old Boys *Wells *

Weston-Super-Mare Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...

*Whitehall *

Winscombe Winscombe is a large village in the North Somerset unitary district of Somerset, South West England, close to the settlements of Axbridge and Cheddar, on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, southeast of Weston-super-Mare and southwest of ...

*Yatton *Yate RFC

Competitions

The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination currently runs the following cup competitions for clubs in

and the surrounding area: *

Bristol Combination Cup The Bristol Combination Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first int ...

(club sides at tiers 4-6 of the

English rugby union system Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system. Women's Rugby union in England consi ...

) *

Bristol Combination Vase The Bristol Combination Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first in ...

(tiers 7–8) *

Bristol Combination Cyril Parsons Bowl The Bristol Combination Cyril Parsons Bowl is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. I ...

(tiers 9–11)

References

External links

Bristol Combination Official Website
Rugby union governing bodies in England Rugby union in Bristol Sports organizations established in 1901 Rugby union in Gloucestershire Rugby union in Somerset {{Rugbyunion-stub

Constituent Clubs

Competitions

See also

References

External links