# Civil Service Rugby Club

Civil Service NI Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Maynard Sinclair Pavilion of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The club was formed in the autumn of 1922 by staff of the newly established Northern Ireland Civil Service. After some years of success playing at a junior level, the club was given senior status by the Ulster Branch in the 1928/29 season and celebrated by winning the senior league at its first attempt. Up until World War II, Civil Service teams enjoyed high placings in the league tables but struggled to convert good performances into trophies.
Playing performances however improved steadily throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Service junior teams won league and cup competitions and the 1st XV won the Ulster Senior League in 1969-70. They also enjoyed something of a tradition in sevens winning a number of the premier competitions in Ulster at that time. In more recent times Civil Service has competed at more modest levels as it no longer has senior status. However, the Club also enjoyed successes in league and cup competitions in the 1990s. The 1st XV won the McCrea Cup in 1998, followed by triumphs in Qualifying League 3 and the North Down Cup.

## Club Captains

2024 - J. Mooney
2022 - 24 - C. Stone
2020 - 22 - J. Duffin
2019 - 20 - P. Hoskins
2018 - 19 - H. Matheson
2016 - 18 - B. Morgan
2014 - 16 - C. Burns
2012 - 14 - M. Murray
2011 - 12 - B. Scott
2009 - 11 - D. Cartland
2007 - 09 - J. P. Cartwright
2006 - 07 - S. Gray
2004 - 06 - M. McLaughlin
2003 - 04 - A. Millar
2002 - 03 - A. P. Neeson
2001 - 02 - M. Goldsborough
2000 - 01 - E. Williamson
1999 - 00 - G. Ellis
1997 - 99 - M. McGuigan
1996 - 97 - M. Curran
1995 - 96 - B. McMillan
1994 - 95 - I. T. Millar
1993 - 94 - P. Foy
1991 - 93 - B. McMillan
1989 - 91 - C. G. H. O'Connor
1988 - 89 - R. J. Millar
1986 - 88 - S. McMorran
1985 - 86 - K. McCollum
1984 - 85 - E. J. H. Weir
1982 - 84 - J. P. Bill
1981 - 82 - S. Robinson
1980 - 81 - E. J. H. Weir
1979 - 80 - M. S. R. McLean
1978 - 79 - W. J. McKinney
1976 - 78 - J. G. Rodgers
1975 - 76 - W. J. McKinney
1974 - 75 - J. W. Ferris
1973 - 74 - D. M. Crothers
1972 - 73 - W. F. Rodgers
1971 - 72 - T. F. Dunlop
1969 - 71 - L. M. Hunter
1966 - 69 - T. Johnston
1965 - 66 - D. H.Bell
1964 - 65 - J. Hanna
1963 - 64 - J. J. Kyle
1962 - 63 - S. W. Lindsay
1961 - 62 - T. Johnston
1960 - 61 - R. J. Anderson
1958 - 60 - D. E. K Boyd
1957 - 58 - S. W. Lindsay
1956 - 57 - W. Neagle
1955 - 56 - K. H. Clarke
1953 - 55 - J. F. Davidson
1951 - 52 - J. D. W. Mills
1949 - 51 - J. B. Mills
1947 - 49 - J. A. D. Higgins
1946 - 47 - R. J. Christie
1945 - 46 - S. J. Edgar
1944 - 45 - J. A. Young
1943 - 44 - S. J. Edgar
1942 - 43 - J. A. D. Higgins
1941 - 42 - J. A. Young
1940 - 41 - W. D O'Neill
1939 - 40 - S. J. Edgar
1938 - 39 - R. Shaw
1937 - 38 - S. M. Morgan
1935 - 37 - R. M. Greeves
1934 - 35 - H. O. H. O'Neill
1932 - 34 - G. C. H. Siggins
1931 - 32 - S. M. Morgan
1930 - 31 - H. O. H. O'Neill
1929 - 30 - G. C. H. Siggins
1928 - 29 - L. B. Jago
1927 - 28 - R. R. Butler
1926 - 27 - G. C. H. Siggins
1924 - 26 - T. Shanks
1923 - 24 - W. Jebb
1922 - 23 - H. Frame

## Club Presidents

2024 - M. Magill
2021 - 24 - S. McMorran
2019 - 21 - N. Palmer
2016 - 19 - M. Heath
2014 - 16 - B. McCreight
2013 - 14 - G. Rodgers
2008 - 13 - S. McMorran
2006 - 08 - D. Fusco
2004 - 06 - J. G. Rodgers
2002 - 04 - S. B. Mercer
2000 - 02 - W. L. McDowell
1998 - 00 - W. D. McKeeman
1996 - 98 - J. L. Townson
1994 - 96 - E. R. Wilkie
1991 - 94 - S. W. Lindsay, U.D.
1989 - 91 - J. N. Campbell
1988 - 89 - Sir K. Bloomfield, K.C.B.
1987 - 88 - D. Fusco
1985 - 87 - L. E. Arneill
1983 - 85 - K. R. Boyd
1982 - 83 - H. C. Lucas
1981 - 82 - D. D. Owens
1980 - 81 - J. A. Lewis
1979 - 80 - R. S. MacElhinney
1978 - 79 - R. J. Anderson
1977 - 78 - R. J. Simms
1976 - 77 - T. Mc. Nesbitt
1975 - 76 - S. W. Lindsay, U.D.
1974 - 75 - C. J. Platt
1973 - 74 - J. A. Lewis
1972 - 73 - J. A. D. Higgins
1970 - 72 - L. E. Arneill
1969 - 70 - S. J. Edgar
1967 - 69 - L. C. Dennis, M.B.E.
1964 - 67 - R. R. Butler, O.B.E.
1962 - 64 - Sir R. Dunbar, K.B.E., C.B.
1960 - 62 - W. A. Leitch, C.B.
1959 - 60 - L. B. Lagoe
1955 - 59 - Prof. H. G. Lamont, C.B.E.
1953 - 55 - E. A. F. Johnston, C.B.E.
1951 - 53 - J. F. Caldwell, Q.C., C.B.
1949 - 51 - R. S. Brownell, C.B.E.
1947 - 49 - W. H. Smyth, M.B.E.
1946 - 47 - J. A. McKeown, C.B.E.
1945 - 46 - H. V. V. Thompson, O.B.E.
1943 - 45 - E. S. Scales, C.B.E.
1939 - 43 - J. Taylor, O.B.E.
1938 - 39 - G. S. Robertson
1937 - 38 - J. I. Cook, C.B., O.B.E.
1935 - 37 - Capt. C. H. Petherick, C.B.E.
1934 - 35 - S. Sloan, O.B.E.
1933 - 34 - Brig. Gen. H. G. Young, C.I.E. D.S.O.
1932 - 33 - G. C. Duggan, C.B., O.B.E.
1931 - 32 - R. E. Thornley, C.B.
1928 - 31 - Lt. Col. Sir. W. B. Spender, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.
1925 - 28 - F. H. Kerr
1922 - 25 - Major G. A. Harris, C.B.E., D.S.O.

## Adult Rugby

The health of the current club is built on the foundations put in place by the likes of former 2nd XV Manager Aaron Thompson and Welsh flanker Bryn Sturgeon who helped bring in a raft of new players over a decade ago. Indeed this group of players became the spine of the senior sides over the past decade and led to a resurgence in form and fortune in 2012 the 2nd XV got promotion to the Junior rugby section of Ulster rugby. The Club went on to reclaim both the Wolfhound Cup and the Old Campbellian's Boxing Day Cup after years without their hands on the respective cups.

### Historic 1st XV League Performance

| Year | League | Pos | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points Scored | Points Conceded | Points | Captain | Win % |
| 2004/05 | Qualifying 4 | 3 | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 276 | 239 | 28 | Mark McLaughlin | 70% |
| 2005/06 | Qualifying 3 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 314 | 503 | 13 | Mark McLaughlin | 35% |
| 2006/07 | Qualifying 3 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 158 | 454 | 10 | Stephen Gray | 28% |
| 2007/08 | Qualifying 3 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 158 | 169 | 15 | Jonny Cartwright | 50% |
| 2008/09 | Qualifying 3 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 202 | 217 | 9 | Jonny Cartwright | 40% |
| 2009/10 | Qualifying 3 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 130 | 259 | 6 | Dan Cartland | 20% |
| 2010/11 | Qualifying 3 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 213 | 388 | 10 | Dan Cartland | 33% |
| 2011/12 | Qualifying 3 | 4 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 185 | 253 | 12 | Ben Scott | 38% |
| 2012/13 | Qualifying 3a | 4 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 395 | 297 | 20 | Michael Murray | 61% |
| 2013/14 | Qualifying 4 | 4 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 206 | 354 | 13 | Michael Murray | 33% |
| 2014/15 | Qualifying 4 | 3 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 337 | 280 | 20 | Chris Burns | 56% |
The club had its most successful league campaign in almost a decade under then Captain Michael Murray 2012-13.

## Honours

Ulster Senior Cup: Runner up 1933-34
Ulster Senior League: Winners 1928/29, 1969/70
Ulster Junior Cup: Runner up 1967-68
McCrea Cup: Winners 1997-98

## Distinguished Players

The Club has a long tradition of producing players, referees and officials who gained international and representative recognition. Several players were capped by Ulster and Ireland, while others who passed through the ranks of Service teams achieved similar honours, including British Lions status. The Club has provided 4 Presidents of the Ulster Branch and others who served on various committees.
The Club's most distinguished son was perhaps Dudley Higgins, an accomplished full back, who gained caps during the 1948 Five Nations Championship, and in doing so became one of the elite band of players who have won a Grand Slam for Ireland. Dudley went on to become President of the Ulster Branch in 1960/61 and of the IRFU in 1976-77.