Kings Norton RFC
Encyclopedia
Kings Norton RFC is an English rugby union
team.
Established in 1923 in Kings Norton
, Birmingham
, the club soon moved its base into the Bromsgrove
Urban District Council's area of Worcestershire
, when it used a ground initially in Masshouse Lane, and later in Bells Lane on Bournville
Village Trust land, where it had two pitches laid out.
The team won the inaugural North Midlands RFU Seven-a-Side Tournament in 1930, and a unique double was achieved when its Colts side won a similar inaugural competition at The Reddings in its 1963/4 season.
The club has hosted numerous county matches, and its players have appeared in representative sides over the years. Nigel Horton
began his career at Kings Norton and went on to represent England. Nick Baxter
has represented The Barbarians, England Students, England Sevens, Worcester Warriors, Pertemps Bees, and Stourbridge
.
County boundary changes and housing development forced the club to move away from Bells Lane in 1973, and members worked hard to raise sufficient funds to purchase 12½ acres of agricultural land. A two-storey clubhouse and three rugby pitches were laid out.
Having weathered the initial difficulties, the new 2001/2 committee put together a three-year action plan designed to ensure survival and put the foundations for progress in place. Many of the goals it set for itself were achieved well ahead of schedule, and a revised plan had to be swiftly prepared. A ground-leveling scheme involving landfill was completed in 2003; this will eventually provide an extra small pitch ideal for youth rugby.
An under 11s to 13s junior section began and regularly meets for rugby coaching on Saturday mornings. The club has also recently linked with Crown Meadow School in Alvechurch
to provide it with Tag Rugby equipment, and sponsored a coaching course.
Club president Roger Adams said, "The club is keen to create more local links with the communities of Hopwood and the surrounding area to provide greater opportunities for young people to enjoy and take part in playing rugby football. The winning of the World Cup in Australia has excited youngsters and encouraged them to take up the game. We have a wonderful facility here and hope to attract more of the local community to come along and enjoy themselves."
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team.
Established in 1923 in Kings Norton
Kings Norton
Kings Norton is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a Birmingham City Council ward within the formal district of Northfield.-History:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, the club soon moved its base into the Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
Urban District Council's area of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, when it used a ground initially in Masshouse Lane, and later in Bells Lane on Bournville
Bournville
Bournville is a model village on the south side of Birmingham, England, best known for its connections with the Cadbury family and chocolate – including a dark chocolate bar branded "Bournville". It is also a ward within the council constituency of Selly Oak and home to the Bournville Centre...
Village Trust land, where it had two pitches laid out.
The team won the inaugural North Midlands RFU Seven-a-Side Tournament in 1930, and a unique double was achieved when its Colts side won a similar inaugural competition at The Reddings in its 1963/4 season.
The club has hosted numerous county matches, and its players have appeared in representative sides over the years. Nigel Horton
Nigel Horton
Nigel Edgar Horton is a former England international rugby union player. He toured New Zealand in 1977 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Moseley Rugby Football Club.-Notes:...
began his career at Kings Norton and went on to represent England. Nick Baxter
Nick Baxter
Nick Baxter is an English rugby union player who has represented England Students, England Sevens and the Barbarians. He is the leading try scorer in National League rugby, scoring his 150th try for Pertemps Bees versus Doncaster in April 2006. He was a member of the England Sevens team in the 1998...
has represented The Barbarians, England Students, England Sevens, Worcester Warriors, Pertemps Bees, and Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
.
County boundary changes and housing development forced the club to move away from Bells Lane in 1973, and members worked hard to raise sufficient funds to purchase 12½ acres of agricultural land. A two-storey clubhouse and three rugby pitches were laid out.
Having weathered the initial difficulties, the new 2001/2 committee put together a three-year action plan designed to ensure survival and put the foundations for progress in place. Many of the goals it set for itself were achieved well ahead of schedule, and a revised plan had to be swiftly prepared. A ground-leveling scheme involving landfill was completed in 2003; this will eventually provide an extra small pitch ideal for youth rugby.
An under 11s to 13s junior section began and regularly meets for rugby coaching on Saturday mornings. The club has also recently linked with Crown Meadow School in Alvechurch
Alvechurch
Alvechurch is a large village and civil parish of Bromsgrove district, in the northeast of the county of Worcestershire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Arrow, the nearest city is Birmingham, 17 km / 11 miles to the north, with the closest towns being Redditch, 8 km / 5 miles...
to provide it with Tag Rugby equipment, and sponsored a coaching course.
Club president Roger Adams said, "The club is keen to create more local links with the communities of Hopwood and the surrounding area to provide greater opportunities for young people to enjoy and take part in playing rugby football. The winning of the World Cup in Australia has excited youngsters and encouraged them to take up the game. We have a wonderful facility here and hope to attract more of the local community to come along and enjoy themselves."