Dings Crusaders Rugby Football Club
| Full name | Dings Crusaders Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | Gloucestershire RFU | |
| Founded | 1897 | |
| Location | Lockleaze, Bristol, England | |
| Ground(s) | Landseer Avenue (Capacity: 1,500) | |
| Captain(s) |
 Stean Williams | |
| League(s) | South West Premier | |
| 2016–17 | 2nd (lost promotion playoff) | |
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| Official website | ||
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www | ||
Dings Crusaders RFC is an English rugby union team based in the Bristol suburb of Lockleaze. The club was relegated from National Division Two South, the fourth tier of the English rugby union system in 2015 and currently play in South West Premier.[1]
Dings is one of the oldest clubs in Bristol, with its roots in a slum area of Bristol stretching back over 110 years.The club is entirely amateur, as opposed to the semi-professional structure of other clubs. The mantra "we don't play for personal gain" is a poignant line in the club's anthem, being very much a part of the community of Lockleaze it is not uncommon to find that some players in the teams today are third generation Dings players.
History
The Dings was a slum area of Bristol located between Barton Hill and Temple Meads. The Shaftesbury Crusade, a Christian mission in the area, encouraged sporting activity in the Dings. In 1897, H W Rudge founded Dings Crusaders as part of the Dings Boys Club. Dings is one of only two remaining members of the original Bristol Combination set up in 1901, the other being Bristol Saracens. In 1948, Jack Steadman instigated a move to Dings current home in Lockleaze. Since league structure was introduced, Dings gained three promotions between 1996 and 2003 to enter the National League for the first time. The club finished in the relegation places at the end of the 2003–04 season, their first in National Division Three South, but were spared demotion by the demise of Wakefield. Since then, the club has consolidated its position within the league.
In 2014 it was announced that the club would be moving from the Lockleaze ground to Frenchay Park Road in Frenchay, South Gloucestershire.[2]
Club honours
- Bristol Combination Cup winners (7): 1973–74, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2010–11, 2014-15[3][4][5]
- South West Division 2 West champions: 2000–01[6]
- South West Division 1 champions: 2002–03[7]
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Club officials
President Floyd Waters Vice President Raymond Bowden General Secretary Peter Jones Treasurer Richard Fackrell Chairman Steve Lloyd Chairman of Selectors Richard Grant Commercial Manager Chris Lloyd Head Coach Membership Secretary Richard Cecil
Assistant Coaches Jason Forster, Luke Arscott, Mark Irish, Hallam Smith Club Captain Stean Williams
References
- ↑ "RFU National League 3 South West Rugby Fixtures". South West Sports News. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ↑ "Dings Crusaders RFC to move after selling its site". Western Daily Press. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ↑ "Brisol & District Rugby Football Combination". Pitchero. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ↑ "Dings Crusaders see off Weston in Combination Cup final". Bristol Post. 5 May 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ↑ "RUGBY: Dings' season ends on a high with Combination Cup win". Bristol Post. 14 May 2015.
- ↑ "Final League Tables 2000-2001". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ↑ "Final League Tables 2002-2003". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 December 2015.