Westoe RFC
Encyclopedia
Westoe RFC is a Rugby Union
Football Club which currently plays in National 2 North
at Wood Terrace, South Shields
.
RFC is South Shields' longest established rugby club. Originally formed in 1875, the club has been on the same ground at Wood Terrace since its formation, after it agreed to level the former ridge and furrow farmland for sub rent with the local cricket club. It has shared the Wood Terrace ground with South Shields Cricket club to this day.
The club was formed when Charlie Green and his friends, all aged 16 to 19, crossed the River Tyne
on the Tyne ferry
after winning a match against Tynemouth, a prominent local rugby club at the time.
In 2005, Westoe RFC, to the interest of South Shields
, had a notable Intermediate Cup run. In the semi-final, being the underdogs, they beat much fancied Staines for a passage to Twickenham
the national stadium, taking many travelling fans. Unfortunately the in the final the first team were beaten by giants Morley R.F.C. from Yorkshire
.. In the same 2004/05 season the defensive side finished champions in the Division North two, an achievement for the club.
The first XV gained national league status in the 2008/2009 season after a thrilling finale to the season in which they had to beat Beverley away to ensure promotion. This was done in emphatic style and they will now play in national 2 north for the first time in its history.
The club runs four senior teams and has flourishing minis and Colts sections running on two fields a mile away on the outskirts of the town.
and plays in the National League Two North
after being crowned champions of the Northern League One in the 2008/09 season, http://www.rfu.com/fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=11395841 http://www.rfu.com/fixtures/ViewClubDetail.aspx?TeamID=5746284&CompetitionID=5730101&LeagueID=11395841&sType=League the first time the club has been in this division.
Division North Two (East) Champions 2004/05
Intermediate Cup Runners up 2005
Northern League North One
Champions 2008/09
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...
Football Club which currently plays in National 2 North
National League 2 North
National League 2 North, is the 4th tier of the English rugby union system and provides mostly amateur competition for teams in the Northern half of England....
at Wood Terrace, South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
.
History
A family club where sons follow fathers and a traditional club, with a historical seafaring influence through the marine faculty at the college nearby WestoeWestoe
Westoe is a suburb of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, United Kingdom.- History :Westoe was originally a village a mile south of South Shields, and was gradually absorbed into the urban sprawl extending from the centre of Shields at the end of the niineteenth century.In contemporary usage the term...
RFC is South Shields' longest established rugby club. Originally formed in 1875, the club has been on the same ground at Wood Terrace since its formation, after it agreed to level the former ridge and furrow farmland for sub rent with the local cricket club. It has shared the Wood Terrace ground with South Shields Cricket club to this day.
The club was formed when Charlie Green and his friends, all aged 16 to 19, crossed the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
on the Tyne ferry
Shields Ferry
The Shields Ferry operates across the River Tyne, England, between North Shields and South Shields. The service is operated by Nexus and is part of the Tyne and Wear Metro System...
after winning a match against Tynemouth, a prominent local rugby club at the time.
In 2005, Westoe RFC, to the interest of South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, had a notable Intermediate Cup run. In the semi-final, being the underdogs, they beat much fancied Staines for a passage to 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...
the national stadium, taking many travelling fans. Unfortunately the in the final the first team were beaten by giants Morley R.F.C. from Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.. In the same 2004/05 season the defensive side finished champions in the Division North two, an achievement for the club.
The first XV gained national league status in the 2008/2009 season after a thrilling finale to the season in which they had to beat Beverley away to ensure promotion. This was done in emphatic style and they will now play in national 2 north for the first time in its history.
The club runs four senior teams and has flourishing minis and Colts sections running on two fields a mile away on the outskirts of the town.
First team
In 2009/10, the club’s first team competes in the English rugby union leagueEnglish rugby union system
England has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.The format and competitiveness of the leagues have changed greatly since their beginnings in 1987...
and plays in the National League Two North
National League 2 North
National League 2 North, is the 4th tier of the English rugby union system and provides mostly amateur competition for teams in the Northern half of England....
after being crowned champions of the Northern League One in the 2008/09 season, http://www.rfu.com/fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=11395841 http://www.rfu.com/fixtures/ViewClubDetail.aspx?TeamID=5746284&CompetitionID=5730101&LeagueID=11395841&sType=League the first time the club has been in this division.
First team squad 2009/2010
- Gareth Nesbit
- Raymie Elliot
- Peter Tennet
- Nigel Douglas
- Paul Cookson
- Paul Bird
- Matthew Muchall
- Ian Robinson
- Aaron Myers
- Ryan Foster
- Robert Lamb
- Tom Burnham
- Michael Ellery
- Graeme Smith
- Peter Phelan
- Chris Judson
- Charlie Rayner
- Dan Rayson
- James Clark
- Chris Clark
- Craig Olugbode
- Mark Olugbode
- David Haswell
- Graeme Haswell
Year 2000 onwards
Durham and Northumberland League Division One Champions 2000/01Division North Two (East) Champions 2004/05
Intermediate Cup Runners up 2005
Northern League North One
North 1
National 3 North is one of the level 5 leagues of English rugby. Before 2009 the league was known as North 1....
Champions 2008/09
Notable current and former players
- Richard "Arnie" Arnold, a New Zealander and a former Newcastle FalconsNewcastle FalconsThe Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
player
- Freddie Chapman
- Joe ShawJoe Shaw (rugby player)Joe Shaw born 20 February 1980 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England is a rugby union player for Newcastle Falcons in the Guinness Premiership.Shaw joined the Falcons from Northampton Saints in the summer of 2002....
, a Newcastle Falcons player