Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club

Ealing Trailfinders

Full name

Union

RFU

Founded

1871^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Region

West Ealing, London

Ground(s)

Trailfinders Sports Ground (Capacity: 3,020 (1,000 seats))

President

Dick Craig

Coach(es)

Ben Ward
Kieran Power

Captain(s)

Danny Kenny

League(s)

2015–16 RFU Championship

2014–15 National League 1

1st (promoted to RFU Championship)

Team kit

Official website

www.ealingrugby.co.uk

Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English rugby union club, located in West Ealing, London. The club's first team play in the Greene King IPA Championship RFU Championship after they won National 1 in 2014-15, the third tier of the English domestic rugby union league system.

Structure of the club

The club's registered playing name with the RFU is Ealing Trailfinders. The club is a Mutual Society registered with the FSA, and run on behalf of its members and the game. The club is located at Trailfinders Sports Ground, just south of the A40 at the upper end of West Ealing.

The Club has a first team squad, men's section, academy section, youth section, mini section and referees section. The Ealing Trailfinders first team team finished as champions in National League 1 for season 2012–13 and won promotion, for the first time, to the second tier of the English rugby union leagues, the RFU Championship. After one season they finished in twelfth place and were relegated back to National League 1.

The men’s section runs four teams, competing in The Shield and the Middlesex Merit Leagues, and veterans rugby. The academy and youth sections are for players aged 13 to 23 and now incorporates the new academy section which feeds players directly into senior rugby. The youth teams cater for boys and girls at all levels of ability and currently have players representing the county at all age group levels, as well as players just being introduced to the game. The youth play in the Hertfordshire and Middlesex leagues and, in season 2011–12, were league winners at U14 level as well as winning Division Three at U16 level. The club is active at all levels. The mini and youth sections have teams in several age groups with over 750 registered players, making it the biggest club in Middlesex and one of the largest in the country. The club's junior teams are regular winners of County Festivals, and champions of the Herts and Middlesex Leagues for Youth Rugby.

The club has developed a pathway for female players starting at 10 and running through to U18. Known as the Emeralds, this section has provided players to the England Elite Programme. The club has also seen players develop through the new structures to play for England and U.S.

History

1869 – 1995

The team played its first match in 1869^{[lower-alpha 1]} 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.

Ealing Rugby Club's centenary match was played against Harlequins in 1970. In the 1970s and ’80s Ealing supplied many county level players for Middlesex. In 1987 the club finished top of London Division 1 and during the next six years was never lower than 2nd in London 1 nor higher than 10th in National 5. Ealing won the Middlesex cup three times in this period.

1995 – present

In 1996 Ealing were relegated from London 1. In response, the club formed youth and minis sections, and moved to a new ground at Trailfinders Sports Club in 1999. The Club has been awarded two RFU Presidents Awards, the first in 2007 for its work on referee development that has extended into a national programme, and the second in 2008 for coaching excellence. In 2009, the club fielded two first team players who had been developed through the Juniors.

In the 2009–10, season the Club was the only team in the National Leagues to score more than 1,000 points, averaging more than 36 in each game. The club narrowly missed out on promotion to National One by losing to Barking RFC by 2 points and Rosslyn Park by 1.

In 2010–11, the club started its Community Rugby programme providing coaching support and access to the game to schools and other groups throughout Ealing and West London. During this season, Ealing's winger Phil Chesters scored 70 tries which is the record for the most tries in an English Rugby season.^[2]

2007–08: National Division 3 South, 3rd place Mounts Bay 1st; Cinderford 2nd
2008–09: National Division 3 South, 3rd place London Scottish 1st; Rosslyn Park 2nd
2009–10: National League 2 South, 3rd place Barking 1st; Rosslyn Park 2nd^[3]
2010–11: National League 2 South, 1st place Jersey 2nd
2011–12: National League 1, 2nd place Jersey 1st
2012–13: National League 1, 1st place Esher 2nd
2013–14: IPA Greene King Championship, 12th
Midway through the season long-serving director of rugby Mike Cudmore announced that he would be stepping down at the season's end. Head coach and fly-half Ben Ward was appointed director of coaching from the start of the 2014–15 season. After fighting against relegation for the majority of the season, Ealing Trailfinders were eventually relegated on the final day of the season by one point after they lost at home to Rotherham Titans, while Jersey won away to Bedford Blues
2014–15: National League 1, 1st
Ealing Trailfinders quickly established themselves in first place in National 1 and they won the title with a haul of 136 points, nine ahead of their nearest rivals Rosslyn Park.

Club honours

London Division 1 champions: 1987–88^[4]
London Division 2 North champions: 2004–05
National League 2 South champions: 2010–11
National League 1 champions (twice): 2012–13, 2014–15

Current standings

2015–16 RFU Championship Table

Club

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Points for

Points against

Points diff

Try bonus

Loss bonus

Points

Bristol Rugby

558

303

255

Doncaster Knights

432

336

Yorkshire Carnegie

483

356

127

Bedford Blues

457

388

Jersey

339

319

Nottingham Rugby

346

348

-2

London Scottish

307

326

-19

Cornish Pirates

338

370

-32

London Welsh

277

394

-117

Rotherham Titans

321

433

-112

Moseley

320

463

-143

Ealing Trailfinders

335

477

-142

If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

Number of matches won
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Green background are promotion play-off places. Pink background is the relegation place.
Updated: 13 February 2016
Source: "Greene King IPA Championship". NCA Rugby.

Current squad

For player movements leading up to the 2016–17 season, see List of 2016–17 RFU Championship transfers#Ealing Trailfinders.

2015–16 Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player	Position	Union
Karl Gibson	Hooker	England
Rhys Lawrence	Hooker	Wales
Matt Thompson	Hooker	England
Alun Walker	Hooker	Scotland
Nathan Buck	Prop	Wales
Will Davis	Prop	England
Michael Holford	Prop	England
Jamie Kilbane	Prop	Ireland
Steven Neville	Prop	England
Alex Penny	Prop	England
George Porter	Prop	England
Sam Rodman	Prop	England
Nathan Hannay	Lock	England
Llewelyn Jones	Lock	Wales
Carwyn Jones	Lock	Wales
Adam Preocanin	Lock	England
Paul Spivey	Lock	England
Alex Bradley	Flanker	England
Arthur Ellis	Flanker	England
Iain Grieve	Flanker	England
Harrison Orr	Flanker	Australia
Eoghan Grace	Flanker	England
Danny Kenny	Number 8	Ireland
Chris York	Number 8	England

Player	Position	Union
Tom Bliss	Scrum-half	United States
Alex Davies	Scrum-half	England
Alex Walker	Scrum-half	Wales
Jonny Bentley	Fly-half	New Zealand
Tristan Roberts	Fly-half	England
Sam Stanley	Fly-half	England
Danny Barnes	Centre	Ireland
Toby Howley-Berridge	Centre	England
Joe Munro	Centre	England
Andy Reay	Centre	England
Tom Wheatcroft	Centre	England
Phil Chesters	Wing	England
Rhys Crane	Wing	England
Chirs Kinloch	Wing	Scotland
James Stephenson	Wing	England
Callum Wilson	Wing	England
Luke Daniels	Fullback	England
Will Harries	Fullback	Wales
James Love	Fullback	England

Notes

1 2 According to Ealing Traifinders official website, the club played its first match in 1869 but the official date of establishment was set up in 1871.^[1]

References

↑ "Club History". Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
↑ History of the Club at official website
↑ http://ealingrugby.co.uk/?page_id=2652
↑ http://www.hampshirerugby.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=608&Itemid=328

External links

Official site

RFU Championship

2015–16 Teams

Former clubs

Seasons

National Division Two	1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97

Premiership Two	1997–98 1998–99 1999–00

National Division One	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09

Championship	2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

Representative team

RFU Championship XV

RFU Championship Venues 2015–16

Current grounds	Ashton Gate Athletic Ground, Richmond Billesley Common Castle Park Clifton Lane Goldington Road Headingley Carnegie Stadium Lady Bay Sports Ground The Menaye Old Deer Park St. Peter Trailfinders Sports Ground

Previous grounds	Abbeydale Park The Avenue Beacon Park (Plymouth) Bramley Sports Ground (Southgate) Brantingham Park (Hull Ionians R.U.F.C.) Brickfields Bridge Road (Headingley) Brierton Lane (Hartlepool) Bournbrook College Grove Coundon Road County Ground (Exeter) Cross Green Damson Park Dry Leas Franklin's Gardens Grove Park Heywood Road Ireland Avenue Kassam Stadium Kenwyn Kingston Park Lily Hill Park Meadow Lane Memorial Stadium Molesey Road Moss Lane (St Helens) New Ground (Gosforth) Priory Lane (Roehampton) Recreation Ground (Camborne) The Reddings Rectory Field St Anthony's Road (Blundellsands) Sandy Park Scatcherd Lane (Morley) Sharmans Cross Sixways Stadium The Sycamores (West Park Leeds RUFC) Twickenham Stoop Webb Ellis Road Wharfeside Avenue (Threshfield)

British and Irish Cup

2015–16 Teams

English	Bedford Blues Bristol Rugby Cornish Pirates Doncaster Knights Ealing Trailfinders Jersey London Scottish London Welsh Moseley Nottingham Rugby Rotherham Titans Yorkshire Carnegie

Irish	Connacht Eagles Leinster A Munster A Ulster Ravens

Welsh	Cardiff Blues A Newport Gwent Dragons A Ospreys A Scarlets A

Former clubs

English	Birmingham & Solihull 2009–10, 2010–11 Coventry 2009–10 Esher 2010–11, 2011–12 Exeter Chiefs 2009–10 Newcastle Falcons 2012–13 Plymouth Albion 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 Worcester Warriors 2010–11, 2014–15

Scottish	Ayr 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 Currie 2010–11, 2011–12 Dundee HSFP 2012–13 Edinburgh Academicals 2013–14 Gael Force 2009–10 Gala 2012–13, 2013–14 Heriot's FP 2009–10 Melrose 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13 Stirling County 2012–13, 2013–14

Welsh	Aberavon 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 Bedwas 2012–13 Bridgend Ravens 2012–13 Cardiff 2009–10, 2012–13 Carmarthen Quins 2012–13, 2014–15 Cross Keys 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 Llandovery 2010–11, 2012–13 Llanelli 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 Neath 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13 Newport 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13 Pontypridd 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 Swansea 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13

Seasons

Winners

2010: Cornish Pirates
2011: Bristol
2012: Muster A
2013: Leinster A
2014: Leinster A
2015: Worcester Warriors

Rugby union in England

Governing body

National teams

Men's	England England Saxons 7's U-20 U-21 U-19 U-18 Schoolboys British and Irish Lions England Counties XV

Women's	Women's 7's

International Competitions

Competition divisions

European competitions

National competitions

London and South East competitions

Midland competitions

Northern competitions

South West competitions

County competitions

Ealing Trailfinders squad

Forwards	Nathan Buck Alex Bradley Will Davis Arthur Ellis Karl Gibson Eoghan Grace Iain Grieve Nathan Hannay Michael Holford Carwyn Jones Llewelyn Jones Danny Kenny Jamie Kilbane Rhys Lawrence Steven Neville Harrison Orr Alex Penny George Porter Adam Preocanin Sam Rodman Paul Spivey Matt Thompson Alun Walker Chris York

Backs	Danny Barnes Jonny Bentley Tom Bliss Phil Chesters Rhys Crane Luke Daniels Alex Davies Will Harries Toby Howley-Berridge Chirs Kinloch James Love Joe Munro Andy Reay Tristan Roberts Sam Stanley James Stephenson Alex Walker Tom Wheatcroft Callum Wilson

Coach	Ben Ward Kieran Power

Coordinates: 51°31′31″N 0°19′48″W / 51.525175°N 0.330042°W / 51.525175; -0.330042

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