London Welsh Amateur

Last updated
London Welsh
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Full nameLondon Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club
Union Middlesex RFU, Wales RU
Nickname(s)Exiles, Dragons, Druids
Founded1990s
Location Richmond, London, England
Ground(s) Old Deer Park (Capacity: 5,850 (1,000 seats))
ChairmanDanny Griffiths
Coach(es) Sonny Parker, Cai Griffiths, James Collins-Clarke
Captain(s)Courtney Maggs-Jones
League(s) Regional 1 South Central
2022–236th
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1st kit
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2nd kit
Official website
www.londonwelshrfc.com

London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club, previously known as London Welsh Druids [1] and as of 2017 London Welsh, [2] is an English amateur rugby union club based at Old Deer Park in Richmond, London. They were the amateur team of London Welsh until the professional team's liquidation in 2017. [3] The amateur team continued independently as they were considered a separate club by the Rugby Football Union. [4] For season 2021–22 they played in London 1 South - a league at tier 6 of the English rugby union system - following the club's promotion as champions of London 2 North West at the end of the 2019–20 season. Following completion of 'Project Reset' with 4 promotions in 4 seasons after the professional sides' liquidation, LWRFC play in the 5th Tier Regional 1 South Central league from the 2022-23 season

Contents

History

London Welsh Amateur were founded in the 1990s after London Welsh reached the top of National League 1 and decided to split the club to separate the professional wing from the community club. [5] In 2004, London Welsh Amateur were incorporated as a limited company. [6] In 2017, London Welsh were expelled from the RFU Championship and later liquidated due to debt. [3] When London Welsh were given extra time for a phoenix company to take over the club and fulfill RFU regulations, one of the conditions was that they had to show a clear separation between London Welsh and London Welsh Amateur but were unable to meet the requirements. [3] Despite this decision, it did not affect London Welsh Amateur as they were held as having a separate membership of the RFU and separate voting rights. [7]

As a result, London Welsh Amateur became the primary representatives of the London Welsh club. They also stated that they would remain amateur despite inheriting the liquidated professional club's infrastructure. [2] For their first season since London Welsh's liquidation, London Welsh Amateur appointed former Welsh international Sonny Parker as director of rugby. [8] Following the professional side's liquidation, London Welsh Amateur adopted the London Welsh name. [2]

At the end of the 2017–18 season they finished as champions of Herts/Middlesex 1 and gained promotion to London 3 North West. [9]

After the 2019-20 season was abandoned due to the coronavirus outbreak, London Welsh finished as Champions of London 2 North West and were promoted to London 1 South for 2020-21 season, which was not played due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Honours

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Neil Metcalfe. "Win over London Welsh helps UCSOB move forward in relegation battle". Hampstead & Highgate Express. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "London Welsh unveils plan to return to professional rugby following RFU expulsion". Swlondoner.co.uk. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  3. 1 2 3 "RFU refuses permission for London Welsh to stay in Championship". Ruck.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  4. ↑ "Debt-ridden London Welsh rugby club formally enters liquidation". Your Local Guardian. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  5. ↑ "Information". London Welsh Amateur. 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  6. ↑ "London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  7. ↑ Anthony Woolford (2017-01-24). "London Welsh cease to exist as a professional club as RFU boots them out of the English Championship". Wales Online. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  8. ↑ "London Welsh target comeback but will start at same level as Oxford". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  9. ↑ Anthony Woolford (2017-07-26). "Here's what's become of London Welsh as they prepare to play the Bank of England in ninth tier of English rugby". Wales Online. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
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