Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club
Encyclopedia
Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby
club based at Copt Heath near Solihull in the English West Midlands
. They compete in Midlands 2 West (South). The club regularly fields a 1st and 2nd XVs and in the 'Mini and Junior' section teams range from Under 7s to Under 17s and Colts
, an historic Independent School
. The school's headmaster at the time, Mr A R Thompson, was the Club's first President and attended every meeting and fixture until his retirement in 1947. Upon the outbreak of World War II
13 members of the 1st XV were called up meaning that the Club was temporarily defunct but was reformed by Alan Bradbury, Mel Cooper and Claude 'CT' Coton in 1947 as the Old Silhillians (the name given to Old Boys of Solihull School
. Coton was selected, at the age of 18, for the Committee immediately after leaving School
. 'CTC' went on to captain the 1st XV, served as President twice and was a Committee member for more than 50 years.
In 1953 the Club moved to Dingle Lane in Solihull
and the first game on the site was a notable occasion. WC Ramsey, who was the President Elect of the Rugby Football Union
1954-55, sent a WC Ramsey XV to play against the 'Solihull Old Boys' and over 3,000 spectators were in attendance.
In 1959 the inaugural Birmingham and Warwickshire Old Boys Rugby Sevens
tournament was held for former pupils of notable schools from the region. Amongst others, Rugby School
, King Edward VI Aston
, Solihull School
, King Edward's School, Birmingham
, Bablake School
and Warwick School
sent former pupils to compete.
In 1967 the Old Silhillians moved to their current home at Copt Heath, about 1 mile from the Solihull School
campus. This season was a hugely successful one in the Club's history. They won the Birmingham and Warwickshire Old Boys' Rugby Sevens, beating Old Saltleians 13-5 in the final. Captained by Martin Green , they also won 8-3 against the Cambridge University
1st XV. They remained one of the best Old Boys' sides in the Midlands
for many years.
One of the most significant points in the history of the club was the decision to go 'open' in 1982, i.e. they accepted members and players who had not attended Solihull School
. Thus, they dropped the 'Old' from the name and became Silhillians RUFC.
More recently 'The Sils' have enjoyed further promotions; in 1994/96 captained by Nick Savage (still 1st XV squad member), 1998/99 when captained by Andrew Durrant and in 2000/01 under the captaincy of Andrew Clutterbuck.
Undoubtedly the clubs greatest achievement to date was their appearance in the 1999 Tetley's Bitter Vase Final at Twickenham
. They lost to Billericay Rugby Football Club
19-3 but Silhillians look back fondly on that season and the experience of playing at 'Rugby HQ'
.
The 2007/08 season saw the Silhillians RUFC celebrate their 75th Anniversary.
and the easy access has made Silhillians a popular fixture for touring teams or as a pre-season friendly. The rugby club share the Memorial Clubhouse with the Old Silhillians Association (OSA), the old boys' club of Solihull School
. The building houses a gymnasium, squash courts, changing facilities, a rifle range, a function room, a members' bar and administration offices for the rugby club and OSA.
The club is governed by The Committee, which is a functional body who are of importance to the club. Its members are stalwarts of the club as well as several current players and is accessible to all members of the club. Within the club it is considered an honour to serve or have served on The Committee.
The youth system at the club is thriving with 11 'mini and junior' teams regularly turning out on Sundays. The high standard of education in the local area, both state and private, means that many students carry on to university and thus Silhillians 1st XV is deprived of many young player during term time.
Although the club is now open to those who are not former pupils of Solihull School
the link between the school and rugby club is still strong and many Old Silhillians
represent Silhillians RUFC.
In May 1953 Old Silhillians Rugby Club (as then named) travelled to the Southend Rugby Festival. It has since been an annual tradition that all members of the senior squads are invited to tour with the club. Recent tours have been slightly more far-afield than Southend and have been to France
, Galway
, Krakow
and Prague
.
Annual Dinner
The Annual Dinner is a black tie event held at the Memorial Clubhouse and it is traditional that selected members of The Committee and the 1st XV captain make speeches and that awards are presented. The Most Improved Player Award, The Peter Styles Trophy and various top try-scorer awards are traditionally given out.
Members' Clock
Those who are later than the predetermined meeting time for a fixture, according to the clock in the Members' Lounge, are fined at the discretion of the senior players.
Captaincy
Captains of the Club will stand down at the end of their second season in the role.
Sils Saxons
The Silhillians 2nd/Development XV is known as the Sils Saxons, in the same way that the England Development XV are known as The Saxons.
The Wedgebury Cup
The Wedgebury Cup is annually contested between Silhillians RUFC and local rivals Solihull RFC. The match takes place on Boxing Day and is a popular day amongst spectators, Club officials and players alike.
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club based at Copt Heath near Solihull in the English West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
. They compete in Midlands 2 West (South). The club regularly fields a 1st and 2nd XVs and in the 'Mini and Junior' section teams range from Under 7s to Under 17s and Colts
Origins and Early Days
The club was originally founded in 1932 as Solihull Old Boys and was exclusively for former pupils of Solihull SchoolSolihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
, an historic Independent School
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
. The school's headmaster at the time, Mr A R Thompson, was the Club's first President and attended every meeting and fixture until his retirement in 1947. Upon the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
13 members of the 1st XV were called up meaning that the Club was temporarily defunct but was reformed by Alan Bradbury, Mel Cooper and Claude 'CT' Coton in 1947 as the Old Silhillians (the name given to Old Boys of Solihull School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
. Coton was selected, at the age of 18, for the Committee immediately after leaving School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
. 'CTC' went on to captain the 1st XV, served as President twice and was a Committee member for more than 50 years.
In 1953 the Club moved to Dingle Lane in Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
and the first game on the site was a notable occasion. WC Ramsey, who was the President Elect of the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
1954-55, sent a WC Ramsey XV to play against the 'Solihull Old Boys' and over 3,000 spectators were in attendance.
In 1959 the inaugural Birmingham and Warwickshire Old Boys Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
tournament was held for former pupils of notable schools from the region. Amongst others, Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, King Edward VI Aston
King Edward VI Aston
King Edward VI Aston School is a selective, all-boys' grammar school and specialist Sports College. The school, designed by Birmingham architect J.A. Chatwin, opened in 1883 and is still located on its original site, in the Aston area of Birmingham, England....
, Solihull School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
, King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
, Bablake School
Bablake School
Bablake School is a co-educational Independent school located in Coventry, England and founded in 1344 by Queen Isabella, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom...
and Warwick School
Warwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...
sent former pupils to compete.
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
campus. This season was a hugely successful one in the Club's history. They won the Birmingham and Warwickshire Old Boys' Rugby Sevens, beating Old Saltleians 13-5 in the final. Captained by Martin Green , they also won 8-3 against the Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
1st XV. They remained one of the best Old Boys' sides in the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
for many years.
One of the most significant points in the history of the club was the decision to go 'open' in 1982, i.e. they accepted members and players who had not attended Solihull School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
. Thus, they dropped the 'Old' from the name and became Silhillians RUFC.
Recent years
The Sils were promoted to Warwickshire Division One of the 'Courage League' in 1991 under the captaincy of Alan Elliot.More recently 'The Sils' have enjoyed further promotions; in 1994/96 captained by Nick Savage (still 1st XV squad member), 1998/99 when captained by Andrew Durrant and in 2000/01 under the captaincy of Andrew Clutterbuck.
Undoubtedly the clubs greatest achievement to date was their appearance in the 1999 Tetley's Bitter Vase Final at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. They lost to Billericay Rugby Football Club
Billericay Rugby Football Club
Billericay Rugby Football Club is a rugby football club based in Billericay. It was formed in 1959, and is affiliated to the RFU and Essex County Rugby Football Union. The club colours are black with gold trim....
19-3 but Silhillians look back fondly on that season and the experience of playing at 'Rugby HQ'
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
The 2007/08 season saw the Silhillians RUFC celebrate their 75th Anniversary.
Present day
Silhillians RUFC are located at the Memorial Ground in Copt Heath near Solihull. Although the site is skirted to the south and east by rural land it is only 150 yards from the M42 motorwayM42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
and the easy access has made Silhillians a popular fixture for touring teams or as a pre-season friendly. The rugby club share the Memorial Clubhouse with the Old Silhillians Association (OSA), the old boys' club of Solihull School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
. The building houses a gymnasium, squash courts, changing facilities, a rifle range, a function room, a members' bar and administration offices for the rugby club and OSA.
The club is governed by The Committee, which is a functional body who are of importance to the club. Its members are stalwarts of the club as well as several current players and is accessible to all members of the club. Within the club it is considered an honour to serve or have served on The Committee.
The youth system at the club is thriving with 11 'mini and junior' teams regularly turning out on Sundays. The high standard of education in the local area, both state and private, means that many students carry on to university and thus Silhillians 1st XV is deprived of many young player during term time.
Although the club is now open to those who are not former pupils of Solihull School
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
the link between the school and rugby club is still strong and many Old Silhillians
Solihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
represent Silhillians RUFC.
Club Traditions
Easter TourIn May 1953 Old Silhillians Rugby Club (as then named) travelled to the Southend Rugby Festival. It has since been an annual tradition that all members of the senior squads are invited to tour with the club. Recent tours have been slightly more far-afield than Southend and have been to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Annual Dinner
The Annual Dinner is a black tie event held at the Memorial Clubhouse and it is traditional that selected members of The Committee and the 1st XV captain make speeches and that awards are presented. The Most Improved Player Award, The Peter Styles Trophy and various top try-scorer awards are traditionally given out.
Members' Clock
Those who are later than the predetermined meeting time for a fixture, according to the clock in the Members' Lounge, are fined at the discretion of the senior players.
Captaincy
Captains of the Club will stand down at the end of their second season in the role.
Sils Saxons
The Silhillians 2nd/Development XV is known as the Sils Saxons, in the same way that the England Development XV are known as The Saxons.
The Wedgebury Cup
The Wedgebury Cup is annually contested between Silhillians RUFC and local rivals Solihull RFC. The match takes place on Boxing Day and is a popular day amongst spectators, Club officials and players alike.