Dunstablians R.F.C.

Dunstablians

Full name	Dunstablians Rugby Union Football Club
Union	RFU
Nickname(s)	The D's
Founded	1948
Location	Houghton Regis, England
Ground(s)	Bidwell Hill
Chairman	Graham White
Coach(es)	Martin Morris
Captain(s)	Stuart Hall
League(s)	Midlands 1 East
Official website
www.drufc.com/

Dunstablians Rugby Football Club are a Bedfordshire based English rugby union team who currently play their rugby in Midlands Division One (East). Their ground is located just outside of nearby Houghton Regis and is commonly known as Bidwell Park.^[1]

The club runs 4 Senior teams and a full mini, junior and academy programme of teams. Numerous local rivalries are shared, most notably with Luton Rugby Club.

History

In 1927, members of Dunstable Grammar School formed a rugby section, based at Fensomes Field in Leagrave, Luton. Unfortunately, following the initial commitments, the number of regular players dwindled, forcing the closure of the club after only three seasons.^[2]

In 1948, another group of former pupils made a new start, securing a new ground at French's Avenue in Dunstable and later moved to Skimpot Lane in Luton, home of what is now a Fitness First Gym.

In 1954 a great step forward was made when a ground in Bullpond Lane, Dunstable was leased. The opening was marked with a match against an East Midlands invitation XV.

It was eventually decided to purchase a new ground at Bidwell Hill in Houghton Regis, the club's present site. A new and dynamic committee was formed with the task of raising the funds required to provide Dunstablians with a new home, purpose built facilities and state of the art pitch floodlighting. The bulk of the funds was raised through the sale of the Bullpond Lane site for a housing development

In September 1985, the Club celebrated the opening of the new clubhouse, which was at the time, the best in the county. The Club hosted an International XV which included six past England Captains to mark the opening.

The last ten years except the last have been very successful for the D's. The club has been promoted through the league system in 2000, 2001, then to Midlands 1 in 2002, remaining in the league until 2008 when they were relegated back down to Midlands 2 East.

The 1999/2000 season saw a near perfect season as the league victory was complemented by the county cup, and saw the club win the national Intermediate Cup at Twickenham.

Dunstablians retained the county cup adding the Colts cup to the collection in 2001, and also claiming the county cup in 2005.^[3]

During 2006/2007 Dunstablians recorded their best ever season. They secured the Bedfordshire county cup at Putnoe Woods defeating Bedford Athletic in the process.^[4] Then they returned to Twickenham for their second Intermediate Cup Final^[5] losing 36-46 to Cornish side Mounts Bay and finished third in Midlands League 1 (RFU Level 5), their highest ever league placing.

The 2007 season started with high expectations although Dunstablians could not build upon the successes of previous seasons and were relegated on the final day of the 2007/2008 season. Expectations for promotion were initially confident however short lived as a poor second half of the 2008/2009 season saw D's finish a disappointing mid table. A position they consolidated in the 2009/10 season.

Dunstablians start the 2010/11 season again in Midlands 1 East.^[6]

Current squad

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

Player Position Union Reece Bowles Prop England Stuart Calder Prop England Simon George Prop United States Alex Ayres Hooker England Shaun Mangan Hooker England Kelvin Frost Lock England Tom Copcutt Lock England Ray Carry Lock England Ashley Jenkinson Flanker England Craig Scanlon Flanker England Scott Oliver Number 8 Russia James Noel Number 8 England

Player Position Union Gerry Goss Jnr Scrum-half England Stuart Hall Scrum-half Zimbabwe Gerhard Swart Fly-half South Africa Jon White Fly-half Scott Warren Centre England Duncan Holmes Centre England David Bradshaw Centre England Nathan Dominique Wing England David Bateman Wing England Glenn Brinkley Wing England Simon Morgan Wing England Simon Howard Fullback England Campbell Haig Fullback England

International honours

Nationality	Player	Honours
	Marcus Vass	Denmark
	Søren Brobyskov	Denmark
	Morne Loxton	South Africa U21s
	Anthony Niven	New Zealand U19s

Club honours

• NPI Intermediate Cup - 2000
• EDF Intermediate Cup - 2007 Runners-up
• Rugby World Team of the Year - 2001
• RFU Midlands 2 East - 2001
• Bedfordshire County Cup - 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007
• Bedfordshire Colts County Cup - 2001

References

1. ^ "RFU Handbook - Dunstablians". RFU. http://www.rfu.com/microsites/handbooks/index.cfm?fuseaction=handbook.Clubs&grou_id=21. Retrieved 2009-10-05. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Dunstablians - Club History". DRUFC. http://www.drufc.com/clubhistory.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-05. 
3. ^ "Dunstablians Win County Cup". Luton Today. http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/lut/Lastgasp-Dunstablians-win-County-Cup.945495.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-05. 
4. ^ "Cup Win". Bedford Today. http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/bed-sport?articleid=2730922. Retrieved 2009-10-05. 
5. ^ "Community Details - Cup Win". RFU. http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.Community_Detail/StoryID/16502. Retrieved 2009-10-05. 
6. ^ "Fixtures - By Division". RFU. http://www.rfu.com/fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=14287286. Retrieved 2009-10-05. 

External links

• Dunstablians Rugby Football Club
• Rugby Football Union