Otley R.U.F.C.

Otley
Full name Otley Rugby Union Football Club
Union Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s) The Beavers
Founded 1865
Ground(s) Cross Green (Capacity: 5,000)
League(s) National League 2 North
2013–14 12th
Team kit
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/otley/

Otley Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club representing Otley in the City of Leeds district of West Yorkshire. The club runs three senior teams - the first XV, the Saracens (2nd XV) and the mighty Viscounts (3rd XV) - and the full range of junior teams. The first XV plays in National League 2 North.

History

Otley RUFC was founded in 1865[1] but broke away from rugby league in 1895 and restarted as a rugby union club in 1908.

In the 2007/2008 season they won the National Division Two title securing an immediate return to National Division One having been relegated the previous season, however they were immediately relegated again in the 2008/09 season along with fellow promoted side Manchester and three other teams due to the new professionalised format of National Division One (now the RFU Championship). Two seasons later the club was relegated again, this time to National League 2 North.

In 1979 Cross Green was the site of a famous victory by the North of England against the mighty All Blacks.[2] The Wallabies suffered the same fate in October, 1988.

Cross Green hosted a group game of the 1991 Rugby World Cup, between the United States and Italy.

Current standings

2014–15 National League 2 North Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Hull Ionians (C) 30 27 0 3 976 407 569 25 1 134
2 Ampthill (P) 30 26 1 3 1113 440 673 23 2 131
3 Sedgley Park 30 18 1 11 881 666 215 16 4 89
4 Harrogate 30 17 3 10 720 652 68 11 4 89
5 Chester 30 16 1 13 706 595 111 12 6 84
6 Caldy 30 16 1 13 696 720 –24 11 7 84
7 Broadstreet 30 17 0 13 773 687 86 11 4 83
8 Otley 30 13 1 16 676 682 –6 13 8 75
9 Huddersfield 30 14 2 14 586 658 –72 7 4 71
10 Stourbridge 30 12 1 17 740 803 –63 12 7 69
11 Leicester Lions 30 13 0 17 612 804 –192 10 2 64
12 Preston Grasshoppers 30 11 0 19 621 664 –43 10 10 64
13 Luctonians 30 11 1 18 599 766 –167 10 5 61
14 Birmingham & Solihull (R) 30 9 2 18 724 809 –85 8 10 58
15 Hull (R) 30 10 1 19 543 836 –293 9 3 54
16 Stockport (R) 30 2 1 27 444 1221 –777 5 4 19
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 2 May 2015
Source: "National League 2 North". NCA Rugby.

Notable former players

Cross Green, Otley's home ground.

Club honours [4]

League Champions:

Cup victories:

References

  1. Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1991). Courage Clubs Championship. Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991-92. Taunton: Tony Williams. ISBN 1869833155.
  2. "TV screening of Otley's historic rugby day". Telegraph & Argus. Newsquest Media Group. 16 September 2004. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  3. "Former Otley rugby player wins Nobel prize". Wharfedale and Airedale Observer. 15 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  4. http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/Squadre.aspx?ID=184
  5. http://www.hampshirerugby.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=820&Itemid=468

External links