Coventry Bears Reserves

The Midlands Hurricanes are a semi-professional rugby league club based in Birmingham, West Midlands, England. They were founded in 2021 and took over the professional franchise owned by Coventry Bears previously entering the third tier of the British rugby league system, currently known as League 1 in 2015.

History

1998–2014: Coventry Bears Formation and Amateur years

Coventry Bears was formed in 1998 by a group of university students led by Alan Robinson. They made an approach to Keith Fairbrother, the Coventry rugby union club's Chairman and one time rugby league player at Leigh, with a plan to form a team to play from Coundon Road Stadium.

The club played a season of friendly games in 1999 and were then admitted into the Rugby League Conference for the 2000 season and were unbeaten by any club within their division. They then won their quarter-final against Manchester Knights before being narrowly defeated by only one point by Rotherham Giants in the semi-finals at Super League club Warrington Wolves’ Wilderspool Stadium. Further success followed in 2001 with the Bears reaching the Grand Final at Webb Ellis Road, Rugby, only to lose out by 2pts 10–12 in a match against Teesside Steelers. The following season Coventry won the Rugby League Conference Grand Final in September 2002 when they beat Hemel Stags at Cheltenham 21–14. Following on from this success the club applied for, and won, elevation to the newly formed National League Three.

The Bears reached the National League Three Grand Final in 2004, winning comfortably versus Warrington Woolston Rovers 48–24. This score being the highest margin in a final in this Competition. The following season Coventry Bears RLFC experienced difficulties and chose to resign from the National League to take time to rebuild and regroup and set up a community junior section. 2006 saw the return of the Bears as a Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier side, and the club finished the season in second place. They went on to beat Leicester Phoenix in the qualifying semi-final to set up a Midlands Grand Final with Nottingham Outlaws, which ended in defeat

Coventry defeated Nottingham Outlaws in 2007 to win the Midlands Premier and also won the Kilkenny 9s, The Bears went on to finish as runners-up to St Albans Centurions losing 28–20 in the final of the Harry Jepson Trophy. In 2008, the Bears finished as runners up in the Midlands Premier to Nottingham. In 2010, Coventry linked up with Super League side Wigan Warriors.

2015–2021: League 1

The Bears were accepted into the semi-professional ranks of League 1 for the 2015 season, and entered their newly formed reserve side into the Conference League South in the same season. They finished their first semi-professional season in 12th place. Coventry finished their final season as the Bears in the 2021 League 1 season in 8th place.

2022: Midlands Hurricanes

On 3 November 2021 the club announced a major rebranding in an effort to attract a wider support base from the English midlands region. The club was to be known as the Midlands Hurricanes for the 2022 RFL League 1 season. As part of the re-branding the club relocated from Butts Park Arena to the Portway Stadium – home of rugby union team Birmingham & Solihull Bees for the 2022 season. Alan Robinson who founded the new Hurricanes club and business resigned from the Midlands Hurricanes during the 2022 season selling his stake in the professional franchise competing in League One and new business that was created and is no longer part of the new Midlands Hurricanes club in any capacity. Coventry Bears and Bears in the Community CIC Rugby League Foundation moved back to the City of Coventry and still continue to develop the club's history and legacy there. The new Midlands Hurricanes club has since moved to the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr for the 2023 season and is a new company under new ownership.

In May 2022 coach, Richard Squires, was banned from the sport for three months (with one month suspended) by the Rugby Football League (RFL) for breaching RFL rules on betting. In his absence, assistant coach, Dave Scott took charge of the team.

Former Super League player Eorl Crabtree became managing director of the Midlands Hurricanes in January 2025.

2024: Midlands Hurricanes Women

In 2024, the club introduced a women's team, coached by Jamie-Lee Jones and captained by Kelly Gell, who debuted on 27 April 2024 at the Rugby League Outsiders Midlands 9s tournament in Coventry. The freshly-formed team battled to the final of the tournament, enjoying wins against Loughborough University (26–4) and Leamington Royals (12–4). The final game ended in narrow defeat by the Royal Air Force (12–10), admitting the team to 2nd place in their first 9s tournament.

The team's second appearance saw them travel away to Cheltenham, where they claimed a 40–18 win over Cheltenham Phoenixes in their first 13s match of the season. Their next three 13s games ended in defeat with losses to Bristol Golden Ferns (40–0), West Warriors (24–18), and the Royal Navy (26–20).

The final two games of their inaugural season saw the Hurricanes Women victorious at home with wins against Leamington Royals (12–8) and Telford Raiders (10–4), leaving them in a strong position to head into the 2025 season.

In March 2025, the club began announcing player retentions from the previous season ahead of their 2025 season campaign involving fixtures in Women's Southern Tier 3.

2025 squad

Seasons

Honours

League
* National League Three:
::Winners (1): 2004
* RFL Midlands Division One:
::Winners (1): 2013
*RLC Midlands Premier:
::Winners (3): 2007, 2009, 2010
*RLC Midlands Division:
::Winners (2): 2001, 2002
* RLC Western Division:
::Winners (1): 2000

Cups
* Harry Jepson Trophy:
::Winners (1): 2002
::Grand Finalists (4): 2001, 2007, 2009, 2010

Nines
* Midlands 9s:
::Winners (1): 2007, 2009, 2013
* Kilkenny 9s
::Winners (1): 2007

Women
* RLC Women's Plate:
::Winners (1): 2010
* RLC Women's South Division:
::Winners (1): 2011

Notes

References

External links

Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Midlands Hurricanes
Rugby league teams in the West Midlands (county)
Sport in Coventry
Rugby clubs established in 1998
Rugby league teams in England