# Middlesex Rugby Football Union

Middlesex Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in the former county of Middlesex, England. Middlesex is a historic county of England that covered areas that are now part of London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. The historic county is still in use when referring to sport. Middlesex RFU was originally created as the Middlesex County Rugby Club but within six years was being referred to as the Middlesex County Rugby Football Union and is now known simply as Middlesex Rugby.

## History

FR Adams Esq of Richmond F.C. called a meeting at the Bedford Hotel at which a resolution was passed bringing the club into being. He served as the Club and Union's first president until 1883 being succeeded by E. Temple Gurdon (also of Richmond F.C.).

## Middlesex Sevens

The world-famous Middlesex Sevens were organised by Dr. Russell-Cargill and the Middlesex Hon. Secretary CS Bongard, the first tournament taking place according to one source in 1925 and others in 1926. This was the first seven-a-side rugby festival in England. The first tournament took place at Twickenham in aid of Middlesex hospital was won by Harlequins.

## Union officials
### Past Presidents

* 1879–1883 FR Adam (Richmond F.C.)
* 1883–1929 Edward Temple Gurdon (Richmond F.C.) *
* 1929–1933 Ernest Prescott (Old Merchant Taylors RFC) *
* 1933–1934 JL Bongard (Saracens RFC)
* 1934–1935 W Williams (Harlequin F.C.)
* 1935–1937 Dr Russell Cargill (London Scottish RFC)
* 1937–1946 HB Hayes (Old Merchant Taylors RFC)
* 1946–1950 Sir Wavell Wakefield MP (Harlequin F.C.) *
* 1950–1955 RH O'Brien (Richmond F.C.)
* 1955–1957 William Ramsey (Old Millhillians RFC) *
* 1957–1960 Cyril Gadney MBE (Pinner RFC) * **
* 1960–1963 Charles Hopwood MA (Richmond F.C.)
* 1963–1966 Ronnie Sawyer (Wasps FC)
* 1966–1969 George Barry MBE (London Irish RFC)
* 1969–1970 KH Chapman (Harlequin F.C.) *
* 1970–1973 Barry Boyden OBE (Westminster Bank RFC)
* 1973–1976 Dick Storry Deans (Rosslyn Park F.C.)
* 1976–1979 Aubrey Partner (Staines R.F.C.)
* 1979–1982 Albert Agar (Harlequin F.C.) *
* 1982–1985 Cyril Brandon (Centaurs RFC)
* 1985–1988 Sir Peter Yarranton (Wasps FC) *
* 1988–1991 Mike Christie (Old Merchant Taylors RFC)
* 1991–1994 Charles Madge (Old Paulines RFC)
* 1994–1997 Richard Gray (Mill Hill RFC)
* 1997–2000 David Ransom (Harrow RFC)
* 2000–2001 Derek Mann (Barclays Bank RFC)
* 2001–2003 Keith King (Chiswick RFC)
* 2003–2005 Brian Martin (Chiswick RFC)
* 2005–2008 Andy Mortimer (Old Millhillians RFC)
* 2008–2010 John Gunner (Rosslyn Park F.C.)
* 2010–2012 Paul Astbury (Centaurs)
* 2010 – Present Michael Barnes (Pinner & Grammarians)
Asterisk denotes President of the R.F.U. Two asterisks denotes member of the International Rugby Board

### Honorary Secretaries

* 1879–1880 HP Gardner
* 1881–1881 HL Ashmore
* 1881–1882 A Ward
* 1882–1886 FW Collins
* 1886–1889 JH Roberts
* 1889–1892 HL Ashmore
* 1892–1913 RC Hodgson
* 1913–1920 JC Jenkins
* 1920–1923 RH Haxell
* 1923–1946 CS Bongard
* 1946–1950 Sir W Ramsey
* 1950–1957 Cyril Gadney
* 1957–1959 JRC Matthews
* 1959–1970 Barry Boyden
* 1970–1972 CH Brandon
* 1972–1979 Mike Christie
* 1979–1986 Derek Mann
* 1986–1996 Graeme Cattermole
* 1996–2004 David Hiles
* 2004–2010 Brian East

### Honorary Treasurers

* 1879–1880 HP Gardner
* 1880–1881 HL Ashmore
* 1881–1882 A Ward
* 1882–1886 FW Collins
* 1886–1889 JH Roberts
* 1889–1902 HL Ashmore
* 1902–1904 RJ Hodgson
* 1904–1919 JN Hill
* 1919–1928 JL Bongard
* 1928–1946 JL Bongard & H.J Brewer
* 1946–1948 HJ Brewer & A.G Watson
* 1948–1955 AG Watson
* 1955–1959 Albert Agar
* 1959–1961 JM Grammer
* 1961–1976 WMD Lewis
* 1976–1991 AT White
* 1991–2001 Keith King
* 2001–2004 Michael Barnes

### Members who were Presidents of the RFU

* 1890–1892 ET Gurton
* 1896–1898 RW Whalley
* 1920–1922 E Prescott
* 1950–1951 Sir Wavell Wakefield
* 1954–1955 WC Ramsay
* 1962–1963 CH Gadney
* 1974–1975 KH Chapman
* 1984–1985 AE Agar
* 1991–1992 Sir Peter Yarranton

## County side

Middlesex County Rugby Union was originally created as a rugby club and as such fulfilled fixtures for six years before becoming the Union for clubs within the county. After becoming a union the club continued to operate selecting players from its constituent clubs to play representative matches for the county and to go on tours.
Very early in its history, Middlesex played Surrey under floodlights at the Old Deer Park. This is possibly the first rugby match played under floodlights as electric light had only just been invented. A floodlit game was the ideal opportunity to try out the new technology although the game was not a great success by all accounts.
On 24 October 1905, Middlesex played the touring South African side at Richmond for their ninth match. The Springboks won 9 – 0, their narrowest score so far in the tour; a penalty by Douglas Morkel and try by Brink made the half time score 6 – 0 whilst in the second half the only points came from a try by Loubser. Middlesex fielded a cosmopolitan team including Jim Louwrens the South African College scrum half of 1901, three Welshmen who were also later to play for Wales (Harding, Jenkins & Williams) and the Scottish international Geddes. The match referee was Cartwright.
On 2 September 1964 Staines RFC played a Middlesex XV on the occasion of the opening of their new ground, "The Reeves".

### English County championship

Middlesex appearances in English County Championship Finals :
| Year | Winners | Opponents | Score | Venue |
| 1893 | Yorkshire | Cumberland, Devon, Middlesex | | |
| 1905 | Durham County | Middlesex | 9–8 | West Hartlepool |
| 1929 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 8–8 | Twickenham |
| 1929 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 8–9 | St Anthony's Road ground, Blundellsands |
| 1951 | East Midlands | Middlesex | 10–0 | Northampton |
| 1952 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 9–6 | Twickenham |
| 1954 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 6–24 | St Anthony's Road ground, Blundellsands |
| 1955 | Lancashire | Middlesex | 8–14 | Twickenham |
| 1956 | Middlesex | Devon | 13–9 | Twickenham |
| 1966 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 0–6 | St Anthony's Road ground, Blundellsands |
| 1968 | Middlesex | Warwickshire | 9–6 | Twickenham |
| 1976 | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 9–24 | Athletic Ground, Richmond |
| 1977 | Lancashire | Middlesex | 17–6 | St Anthony's Road ground, Blundellsands |
| 1979 | Middlesex | Northumberland | 19–6 | Twickenham |
| 1985 | Middlesex | Notts, Lincs & Derby | 12–9 | Twickenham |
| 1987 | Yorkshire | Middlesex | 22–11 | Twickenham |
| 1990 | Lancashire | Middlesex | 32–9 | Twickenham |

### 1968 tour of East Africa

Middlesex were the English county champions for the sixth time in 1968, having defeated Warwickshire in the final (tries by Brian Stoneman and Sandy Hinshelwood helped them to their 9–6 win at Twickenham). At least ten of the players that had participated in the final went on the tour in July of that year. Middlesex played a total of seven matches on a tour that lasted a little over two weeks, two games being played in Uganda and five in Kenya. The tourists won all seven matches comfortably and reported that the standard of rugby in the region had dropped noticeably since some members of the touring party had last played there. It was generally felt that the East African sides lacked stamina and tactical nous; the latter is understandable as the opportunities for playing high level rugby in the region were limited, though the former is surprising as much of the region is at altitude and it would be expected that the visitors would suffer more than the hosts.
The Middlesex tour party consisted of 70 members though the minority of these were players, the majority were officials and non-playing members who were travelling as supporters. Amongst the players, at least three had previously toured East Africa; Patrick Orr (twice, with Anti-Assassins in 1965 and Richmond F. C. in 1963), Chris Ralston (with Richmond F. C. in 1963) and Brian Stoneman (twice, with Richmond F. C. and Combined (Oxford and Cambridge) Universities, both in 1963).
* Tony Miles (Wasps FC)
* Francis Mann (Old Millhillians RFC)
* Dick Bateman (Richmond F.C.)
* Mike Ireland (Wasps FC)
* Brian Stoneman (Richmond F.C.)
* Jim Kent (Wasps FC)
* Ernie Preece (Richmond F.C.)
* Elwyn Lloyd (St Bartholomew's Hospital RFC)
* Patrick Orr (Harlequin F.C.)
* Chris Ralston (Richmond F.C.)
* Ian Jones (London Welsh RFC)
* Brian Goodchild (Saracens RFC)
* Charles Thorburn (Guy's Hospital RFC)
* Alistair Boyle (London Scottish RFC)
* Andrew Mortimer (Wasps FC)
* Keith McIntyre (St Bartholomew's Hospital RFC)
* William Macdonald (London Scottish RFC)
* Ricky Parsons (Wasps FC)
* Hamish Keith (Wasps FC)
* Tim Rutter (Harlequin F.C.)
* Roger Weaver (Saracens RFC)
* Mike Alder (Saracens RFC)
* Robin Jolliffe (Richmond F.C.)
Matches and Results :
| Date | Opposition | Location | Result | Score |
| 1968-07-06 | Uganda | Kampala | won | 5–47 |
| 1968-07-08 | Uganda Invitation XV | Entebbe | won | 0–32 |
| 1968-07-10 | West Kenya Province | Eldoret | won | 3–57 |
| 1968-07-13 | Central Province | Nairobi | won | 6–35 |
| 1968-07-14 | Scorpions RFC | RFUEA Ground, Nairobi | won | 0–47 |
| 1968-07-17 | Coast Invitation XV | Mombasa | won | 0–16 |
| 1968-07-20 | East Africa | RFUEA Ground, Nairobi | won | 0–28 |
Middlesex scored 262 points in seven matches, an average of more than 37 per game. In total they conceded only 14 points. They scored 61 tries, 32 conversions, three penalty-goals and two dropped-goals. Top scorer was Gordon MacDonald (45 points, all from goal-kicking), Ricky Parsons was second highest scorer (33 points, from 5 tries, the rest from goal-kicking), Mike Alder was third (31 points from 6 tries, the rest from goal-kicking). Top try scorers were Tim Rutter and Robin Jolliffe (7 each), Mike Alder and Roger Weaver (6 each). Francis Mann was the outstanding player of the tour.
The tour had been organised by the Middlesex Hon. Secretary Barry Boyden, his assistant Cyril Brandon and the RFUEA's appointed Tour Chairman Bernard Nicholls. As with all rugby tours to East Africa in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, it would not have been possible without the hosting arrangements offered by the rugby fraternity in Kenya and Uganda; in order to cut down on costs, members of the tour party were welcomed into the homes of the hosts and provided for in a manner that was acclaimed by those that were lucky enough to have toured the region. Hence the frequency with which first time tourists rapidly made certain they returned a second or third time.

### Notable players

These players have played test rugby.
* Lawrence Dallaglio, (Wasps FC, England , Lions and Barbarian F.C.)
* Rob Lozowski (Wasps FC, England and Barbarian F.C.)
* Chris Sheasby (Harlequin F.C., and England )
* Bob Mordell (Wasps FC, Harlequin F.C., and England )
* John Dawes (London Welsh RFC, Wales , Lions and Barbarian F.C.)
* Sandy Hinshelwood (London Scottish, Scotland and Lions)
* Ian Conin Jones (London Welsh RFC and Wales )
* George James
* Hamish Keith (Wasps FC and Scotland )
* Andy Ripley (Rosslyn Park F.C., England , Lions and Barbarian F.C.)
* Chris Ralston (Rosslyn Park F.C., England and Lions)
* Arthur Gould (London Welsh RFC Richmond F.C. and Wales )
* Peter Kininmonth (Scotland )
* CEL "Curly" Hammond (for four successive years was captain of Harlequin F.C. and Middlesex and later captained England )
* Patrick C.R. Orr (Harlequin F.C. and Barbarian F.C.)
* Brian Stoneman (Richmond F.C. and Barbarian F.C.)
* Charles Webster Thorburn (Guy's Hospital RFC and Barbarian F.C.)
* Thomas Lawther (Old Millhillians) (Scotland )

## Affiliated clubs

There are currently 88 clubs affiliated with the Middlesex RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level. All these clubs are based in Greater London – in what used to be the historic county of Middlesex, although a large number of clubs are also members of the Surrey RFU.
* Askeans
* Barnes
* Barnet Elizabethans
* Battersea Ironsides
* Bec Old Boys
* Bedfont Sports
* Belsize Park
* Birkbeck Phantoms
* Blackheath
* Bulldogs
* Chiswick
* Croydon
* CS Rugby 1863
* Ealing Trailfinders
* Effingham & Leatherhead
* Enfield Ignatians
* Epping Upper Clapton
* Feltham
* Feltham Phoenix
* Finchley
* Finsbury Park
* Footscray
* Grasshoppers
* Hackney
* Hammersmith & Fulham
* Hampstead
* Hanwell
* Haringey Rhinos
* Harlequin Amateurs
* Harlequin Ladies
* Harlequins
* Harrow
* Hayes
* Hendon
* Hillingdon Abbots
* Kilburn Cosmos
* London Cornish
* London Exiles
* London Irish
* London Irish Wild Geese
* London New Zealand
* London Nigerian
* London Scottish Lions RFC
* London Scottish
* London Welsh Amateur
* Merton
* Mill Hill
* Millfield Old Boys
* Millwall
* Mitcham
* Northolt
* Old Actonians
* Old Alleynians
* Old Cliftonians
* Old Colfeians
* Old Dunstonians
* Old Emanuel
* Old Grammarians
* Old Haberdashers
* Old Haileyburians
* Old Hamptonians
* Old Isleworthians
* Old Millhillians
* Old Pauline
* Old Priorians
* Old Streetonians
* Old Tiffinians
* Old Tottonians
* Old Whitgiftian
* Old Wimbledonians
* Pinner & Grammarians
* Quintin
* Rosslyn Park
* Ruislip
* Saracens
* Saracens Amateur
* Southgate
* Southwark Lancers
* Staines
* Streatham-Croydon
* Teddington
* Thamesians
* Twickenham
* Uxbridge
* Warlingham
* Wasps Amateurs
* West London
* Whitton Lions
* Wimbledon

## County club competitions

The Middlesex RFU currently helps run the following competitions for clubs based in the historic county of Middlesex (now part of London):

### Leagues

* Herts/Middlesex 1 – (alongside Hertfordshire RFU) league at tier 9 of the English rugby union system
* Herts/Middlesex 2 – league at tier 10

### Cups

* Middlesex Senior Cup – founded in 1971, currently open to clubs at tiers 6–7 of the English rugby union system
* Middlesex Bowl – founded in 2003, clubs at tiers 6–9
* Middlesex Vase – founded in 2002, clubs at tiers 9–10
* North West Floodlight Cup

### Discontinued competitions

* Herts/Middlesex 3 – tier 11 league, discontinued in 2014
* Herts/Middlesex 4 – tier 12 league, discontinued in 2010
* Herts/Middlesex 5 – tier 13 league, discontinued in 1997
* Middlesex 1 – tier 8–10 league, discontinued in 1996
* Middlesex 2 – tier 9–11 league, discontinued in 1996
* Middlesex 3 – tier 10–12 league, discontinued in 1996
* Middlesex 4 – tier 11–13 league, discontinued in 1996
* Middlesex 5 – tier 12 league, discontinued in 1992