Gloucestershire Warriors

Infobox_esl_club | clubname = Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC


emblem = Warrior badge
fullname = "Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC"
colours = Red and Black
founded = 1997
sport = Rugby league
league = Rugby League Conference
ground = Chosen Hill FP RFC (Coordinates: 51°52′48.21″N, 2°09′11.49″W)
web= http://www.gloucestershirewarriors.co.uk

Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Gloucestershire in England. They play in the Rugby League Conference and in 2006 made their debut in the Challenge Cup.

History of rugby league in Gloucestershire

The Cheltenham Warriors were formed in 1997 and took part in the second season of the summer conference. They played at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham, chosen as the venue for the inaugural Grand Final of the conference.

In 2000, the club moved to a new home at Chosen Hill Former Pupils RFC and changed its name to the Gloucestershire Warriors to reflect the fact that it was attracting players from throughout the county.

In 2005 the club reached the regional final of the RLC, losing to a very strong Wetherby outfit.

As a result of their efforts in 2005, in 2006 the club was invited to take part in the Challenge Cup and, despite the early rounds being in the off-season for conference teams, took the opportunity to play in the famous competition. In the preliminary round they were drawn away to Pennine League team Illingworth and on a famous day in January beat them by 25-24. In the next round they faced stronger opposition in St Helens club Blackbrook, this time at home. The visitors proved too strong but the Warriors gained respectability in the score of 20-36. This cup run gained the club unprecedented national media coverage and augured well for the season in the South West and Midlands division of the RLC. The 2006 season saw the Warriors beaten only once in the regular season, finishing top of the South West division and qualifying first for the play-offs. They beat rivals Somerset Vikings twice in the play-offs to qualify for the national quarter-finals. After a walkover against Broadstairs, they lost a semi-final against Thorne Moor Marauders, the winners of the North Midlands division.

In 2007 the Warriors competed in the Midlands Premier division, finishing in third place behind Coventry Bears and Nottingham Outlaws, to whom they lost in the play-offs.

External links

* [http://www.gloucestershirewarriors.co.uk Official website]
* [http://www.gloucestershirerugbyleague.co.uk/ Gloucestershire rugby league site]
* [http://www.summerconference.net Rugby League Conference]