# Winchester RFC

Winchester RFC is an English rugby union club affiliated with the Hampshire RFU. Winchester currently run four senior men's teams – 1st XV – who play in Regional 2 South Central, 2nd XV – who play in Hampshire 2, a 3rd XV – who play in Hampshire 4 and the Knights – largely a veteran's side who play in Hampshire 5. There is a Women's team and mini and juniors and Colts sides covering all age groups from U5s upwards.

## History

Winchester was founded in autumn 1929 when 17 rugby enthusiasts met at the Cart & Horses pub in Kings Worthy. Up until 1971 their home ground was a field rented from a farmer in Kings Worthy when they moved to their present 10 acre ground at North Walls Park off Hilliers Way.
In 1994 local businessman Ashley Levett whose sons played in the mini and junior sections invested in the club and funded an extension the clubhouse which was originally built in 1973. Levett secured the services of Winchester's first paid coach Phil Davies who orchestrated Winchester being promoted from Hampshire 1 to London Division 1 in four years and winning two Hampshire Cup victories. Levett also purchased Richmond turning them into the first professional team in England but RFU rules prevented him having financial interests in two clubs and he departed Winchester.

## League record

Winchester League Record :
| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 1987–88 | London 3 South West | 7 | 8 | 8 | relegated |
| 1988–89 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 6 | 10 | |
| 1989–90 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 13 | 3 | |
| 1990–91 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 18 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1991–92 | London 3 South West | 7 | 9 | 6 | |
| 1992–93 | London 3 South West | 7 | 10 | 8 | |
| 1993–94 | London 3 South West | 7 | 3 | 12 | relegated |
| 1994–95 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 16 | 3 | |
| 1995–96 | Hampshire 1 | 8 | 24 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1996–97 | London 3 South West | 7 | 20 | 1 | champions, promoted |
| 1997–98 | London 2 South | 6 | 26 | 2 | runners-up |
| 1998–99 | London 2 South | 6 | 28 | 1/15 | champions, promoted |
| 1999–00 | London Division 1 | 5 | 20 | 7/17 | |
| 2000–01 | London Division 1 | 5 | 10 | 9/11 | |
| 2001–02 | London Division 1 | 5 | 14 | 10/12 | |
| 2002–03 | London Division 1 | 5 | 16 | 10/12 | relegated |
| 2003–04 | London 2 South | 6 | 16 | 10/12 | relegated |
| 2004–05 | London 3 South West | 7 | 21 | 4/12 | |
| 2005–06 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 5/12 | |
| 2006–07 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 6/12 | |
| 2007–08 | London 3 South West | 7 | 22 | 6/12 | |
| 2008–09 | London 3 South West | 7 | 9 | 12/12 | |
| 2009–10 | London 2 South West | 7 | 9 | 12/12 | relegated |
| 2010–11 | London 3 South West | 8 | 51 | 8/12 | |
| 2011–12 | London 3 South West | 8 | 68 | 5/12 | |
| 2012–13 | London 3 South West | 8 | 93 | 1/12 | champions, promoted |
| 2013–14 | London 2 South West | 7 | 47 | 7/12 | |
| 2014–15 | London 2 South West | 7 | 72 | 3/12 | |
| 2015–16 | London 2 South West | 7 | 71 | 4/12 | |
| 2016–17 | London 2 South West | 7 | 51 | 7/12 | |
| 2017–18 | London 2 South West | 7 | 36 | 11/12 | relegated |
| 2018–19 | London 3 South West | 8 | 99 | 1/12 | champions, promoted |
| 2019–20 | London 2 South West | 7 | 66 | 4/12 | league suspended |
* ↑ There was no relegation this year as the division would be renamed London Division 2 South West for the 2009-10 season and along with the whole national restructuring of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
* ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester II League Record :
| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 2002–03 | Senior Merit | | | | champions |
| 2008–09 | Senior Merit | | 22 | 4/9 | |
| 2009–10 | Senior Merit | | 14 | 10/10 | relegated |
| 2010–11 | Merit One | | 78 | 1/12 | champions |
| 2011–12 | Merit One | | 70 | 2/12 | runners up |
| 2012–13 | Merit One | | 74 | 1/12 | champions, promoted |
| 2013–14 | Senior Merit | | 21 | 6/9 | |
| 2014–15 | Solent League | | 50 | 3/10 | |
| 2015–16 | Solent League | | 27 | 4/8 | |
| 2016–17 | Solent League | | 14 | 6/8 | |
| 2017–18 | Solent 1 | | 24 | 6/8 | |
| 2018–19 | Hampshire 1 | 10 | 0 | 12/12 | relegated |
| 2019–20 | Hampshire 2 | 11 | 81 | 2/12 | league suspended |
* ↑ Was not able to fulfill all fixtures so relegated with 0 points
* ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus
Winchester Knights/III League Record :
| Season | Division | Tier | Pts | Position | Outcome |
| 2008–09 | Merit One | | 35 | 2/10 | runners up |
| 2009–10 | Merit One | | 40 | 1/9 | champions, relegated |
| 2010–11 | Merit Two | | 65 | 4/12 | |
| 2011–12 | Merit Two | | 60 | 3/11 | |
| 2012–13 | Merit Two | | 75 | 1/11 | champions, promoted |
| 2013–14 | Merit One | | 35 | 6/11 | |
| 2014–15 | Hampshire South West | | 83 | 1/12 | champions |
| 2015–16 | Solent League 2 | | 11 | 8/8 | |
| 2016–17 | Solent League 2 | | 19 | 12/12 | |
| 2017–18 | Waterfall Solent 2 | | 42 | 3/12 | |
| 2018–19 | Hampshire 2 | 11 | 61 | 6/12 | relegated |
| 2019–20 | Hampshire 3 | 12 | 53 | 5/19 | league suspended |
* ↑ Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
* ↑ Relegated due to Winchester II relegated from division above
* ↑ League suspended on 16 March 2020 due to Coronavirus

## Honours

Men's 1st XV
* Hampshire Cup winners: 1976, 1998, 1999
* Hampshire 1 champions (2): 1990–91, 1995–96
* London 2 South West champions: 1996–97
* London 2 South champions: 1998–99
* London 3 South West champions (2): 2012–13, 2018–19
Youth/Colts
* Hampshire Colts Division 1 champions: 2018–19
* Hampshire Colts Division 1 champions: 2022–23
* Hampshire Colts Division 3 SW champions: 2018–19

## Notable club members

* Ben Donnell, lock/back-row who plays for London Irish and has represented England at U18 and U20 level.
* Joe Marchant, centre who played for Winchester as a school boy from 2002–12, Hampshire, Harlequins, Auckland Blues and England.
* Matt Durrant, flanker who played for Winchester and represented the Netherlands in Touch rugby.
* Chris Ashwin, fly-half who played for Winchester, Hampshire and Bristol.
* Andy Fields, hooker who played for Hong Kong and Valley, represented England at U20 and U18 level and was Head Coach of Winchester for seven years.
* Rolf Stratford, started playing with Winchester with stints at New Brighton and Rosslyn Park and represented British Polytechnics, English Students and Hampshire, returning to Winchester as a player, coach for many teams and was the club's President.
* Budge Pountney, flanker who won 31 caps and captained Scotland and was a player and then Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints.
* LeRoy Angel BEM, winger, played over 500 times for Winchester, most capped wing three-quarter for Hampshire, President of the RFU in 2005
* Ernest Beddard Jackson, prop who played over 200 times for Winchester and also for Worcester and had four England call ups between 1952-53.
* Charles Sylvester Wooldridge, played for Blackheath and England seven times between 1882 and 1885, was the club's first President.