Ealing Rugby
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Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club played its first match in 1869 on Ealing Common, prior to the founding of the Rugby Football Union in 1871. The early years saw regular fixtures against the likes of Wasps, London Irish, Harlequins, Richmond and Blackheath with 75% win rate for a long period.
Between 1894 and 1958 the club moved location numerous times – Hanger Lane – West Middlesex Polo Club – Gunnersbury Park – Drayton Green – Syon Lane, Horsenden Hill. Now the club is located at Trailfinders Sports Ground, just south of the A40 at the upper end of West Ealing.
Ealing Rugby Club’s centenary match was played against Harlequins in 1970. The 1970s and ’80s saw Ealing playing a superior standard of rugby union with the club supplying many county level players for Middlesex. In 1987 the club finished top of London Division 1 and over the next 6 years was never lower than 2nd in London 1 or higher than 10th in National 5. Ealing won the Middlesex cup 3 times in this period.
Unfortunately the early 1990s saw great reductions in the number of home grown colts and new mature talent joining the club and in 1996 Ealing were relegated from London 1 with further challenging times since. Corrective action was taken, youth and minis sections were formed and the Club moved to a new ground at Trailfinders Sports Club in 1999.
The Club is now thriving at all levels. The minis and youth sections have teams in all age groups and on Sundays the club is a sea of green and white clad junior players with almost 600 registered players. The Senior Club fields six regular sides with the Exiles & Evergreens growing stronger each season and the 1st XV back in London One. We are fortunate to have such a fantastic partner and main sponsor in Trailfinders. Their facilities at Vallis Way are superb and will reach new heights of excellence with the opening of the Olympic Pavilion later this year. We continue to build excellent relationships with National and Local businesses and look to attract further support and investment in the coming years. We continue to provide top quality coaching & support staff and volunteer effort all of which is totally focused in keeping Ealing Trailfinders the best junior rugby club in the country.
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