Exmouth Rugby Football Club is a

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 ...

team based at the Imperial Recreation Ground in

Exmouth Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort situated on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe, southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of settl ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

. The club runs four senior teams and a ladies side as well as the full range of junior boys teams and girls teams at three age levels. The first XV plays in the Regional 1 South West, the fifth tier of the English rugby union league system. Exmouth_RFC_Imperial_Recreation_Ground_stand

Exmouth_RFC_Imperial_Recreation_Ground_stand

History

Exmouth RFC was formed in 1873 and, along with clubs such as

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. The town lies at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool from ...

and

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

, were instrumental in promoting the game of

. Early games were played at Exmouth Cricket Ground and then Littleham Lane, until the club moved to more permanent lodgings at Archery Field (Cranford), where they would remain for the next 70 years. The club had some difficult times in its infancy, almost fading from existence in the early 20th century and having to merge with another local club (the Exmouth Echoes) in 1905. By the 1920s things had improved considerably and Exmouth became one of the top sides in the county, with the first team winning the Devon Senior Cup in 1925 and reserves winning the Devon Junior Cup three times between 1920 and 1926. Although the success of the 1920s was not reflected in the decades before and after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, there were some moments of note including a home victory over a

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

side. In the 1960s Exmouth decided to leave Cranford to a more suitable location in town so that they were more accessible to supporters. In 1964 the club moved to its current home at the Imperial Recreation Ground. When the leagues were introduced in 1987–88 Exmouth were placed in Cornwall/Devon at level 8 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 ...

. Although they were relegated to the Devon regional leagues at the end of 1988–89 they bounced back quickly and spent the remainder of the 1990s in Cornwall/Devon. At the end of the millennium Exmouth finally escaped from level 8 by winning promotion to Western Counties West. The club also won the Devon Junior Cup twice during this period, including a league and cup double in 2000. During the early 21st century Exmouth started to rise up the league structure and become one of the counties premier sides. They achieved promotion from Western Counties West at the end of 2002 and also won the clubs' first Devon Senior Cup title since 1925. A second promotion at the end of 2008, this time from South West 2 West, saw Exmouth reach the lofty heights of level 5 rugby. On reaching level 5 Exmouth embarked on their most successful spell in the club's history, winning promotion to

National League 2 South National League 2 South (known before September 2009 as National Division Three South) was a level four league in the English rugby union system until the end of season 2021–22. It was one of two leagues at this level, with its counterpart, N ...

twice (at tier 4, the highest level the club has reached), and becoming dominant in county rugby with five senior cup victories, including four in row between 2010 and 2014. The only downside during this period was that the club was unable to remain in National League 2 South for longer than a season on each occasion they were promoted to that league.

Ground

Exmouth RFC play at the Imperial Recreation Ground on the banks of the

River Exe The River Exe ( ) is a river in England that source (river), rises at Exe Head, near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, from the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lie ...

, just off the Royal Avenue in the heart of

. As it is next to

Exmouth railway station Exmouth railway station serves the town of Exmouth in Devon, England and is south of , the terminus of the Avocet Line (which branches off from the West of England Main Line after ). The station is managed by Great Western Railway, who operate ...

it is easily accessible to supporters and there is plenty of parking, both inside and outside the ground. The ground consists of two enclosed pitches. The main pitch is surrounded by an athletics track and is next to the club-house and there is a covered grand stand. Capacity is around 1,250, which includes 250 in the stand, and a further 1,000 standing pitch side. The second pitch is for 2nd XV and junior games.

Season summary

Honours

* Devon Junior Cup winners (6): 1920, 1922, 1926, 1938, 1998, 2000 * Devon Senior Cup winners (8): 1925, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 *

Havill Plate The Havill Plate was an annual rugby union knock-out competition organised by the Devon Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1971–72 season for clubs that were knocked out of the first round of the Devon Senior Cup with I ...

winners (3): 1977, 1981, 1983 *

Devon League 1 Counties 2 Devon (formerly Devon League 1) is an English level eight rugby union league for clubs primarily based in Devon (and occasionally includes one Cornish club — St Columba & Torpoint). The champions are promoted to Counties 1 Wester ...

champions: 1989–90 * Cornwall & Devon champions: 1999–00 * Western Counties West champions: 2001–02 * Tribute South West Division 2 West champions: 2007–08 * National League 3 (south-east v south-west) promotion play-off winner: 2012–13 * National League 3 South West champions: 2015–16

Notes

References

External links

Official website

Official Twitter Account
{{Rugby union in England Rugby clubs established in 1873 Rugby union teams in Devon Exmouth