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
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| Full name | London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Middlesex RFU, Wales RU | ||
| Nickname(s) | Exiles, Dragons, Druids | ||
| Founded | 1990s | ||
| Location | Richmond, London, England | ||
| Ground(s) | Old Deer Park (Capacity: 5,850 (1,000 seats)) | ||
| Chairman | Danny Griffiths | ||
| Coach(es) | Sonny Parker, Cai Griffiths, James Collins-Clarke | ||
| Captain(s) | Courtney Maggs-Jones | ||
| League(s) | Regional 1 South Central | ||
| 2022–23 | 6th | ||
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| Official website | |||
| www | |||
History edit
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 edit
- Herts/Middlesex 1 champions: 2017–18
- London 3 North West champions: 2018–19
- London 2 North West champions: 2019–20
- London 1 South runners-up (promoted): 2021-22
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Neil Metcalfe. "Win over London Welsh helps UCSOB move forward in relegation battle". Hampstead & Highgate Express. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ a b c "London Welsh unveils plan to return to professional rugby following RFU expulsion". Swlondoner.co.uk. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ a b c "RFU refuses permission for London Welsh to stay in Championship". Ruck.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ "Debt-ridden London Welsh rugby club formally enters liquidation". Your Local Guardian. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ "Information". London Welsh Amateur. 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ "London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "London Welsh target comeback but will start at same level as Oxford". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
- ^ 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.