Streatham-Croydon RFC

Rugby team
teamname = Streatham Rugby
fullname = Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club
location = South London, England
country

founded = 1871 as 'Streatham FC'
ground = Frant Road
capacity = 500 seated
president = flagicon|England R.J. Towers
coach = flagicon|Australia D.J. Murray
captain = flagicon|England S. Hampton
league = RFU Surrey 3
url = www.scrfc.co.uk The Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, is an historic Rugby Union club, founded in 1871, based at Frant Road, Thornton Heath, in the London Borough of Croydon, South London.Streatham are currently playing in the Rugby Football Union Surrey 3 league, Surrey Shield and the EDF Energy Junior Vase.

Streatham's heyday was arguably during the late 1960s and 70s, when 9 senior teams and 4 Colts teams were active, combined with an extensive fixture list against top clubs such as Richmond, Bath, Sale, Saracens, London Welsh, London Irish and others.

The professional era and the impact of the new RFU Courage League structure through the late 1980s and 90s led to a decline in the size of the Club as greater attention was paid to the needs of the 1st XV, and the Streatham's membership struggle coincided with its drop down the National and then London leagues.

However, Streatham currently run 3 senior mens teams during the season, as well as a thriving Mini rugby section, and own a private ground in Thornton Heath (close to the original pitches on Streatham Common), comprising 2 pitches (1 floodlit) as well as a large clubhouse and grandstand, along with several squash courts, which are all in the process of extensive refurbishment and renovation as the Club looks to future growth and movement up the league system.Streatham's facilities also host the South London Storm Rugby League Club during the rugby union off-season from April to August.

This collaboration provides Croydon and South London with a thriving rugby centre, offering sporting facilities and coaching to many young players and seniors alike.

Streatham Rugby was featured in a book titled "London's Oldest Rugby Clubs" by Dick Tyson, published in May 2008.

Former Players

England prop, and later RFU committee man, Jeff Probyn played at Streatham for a number of seasons in the late 1970s before moving to Wasps and gaining his first England cap. Current Superleague player Will Sharp, played for Streatham 1st XV, before signing his first professional contract with Harlequins RL in 2007.

* Jeff Probyn
* Will Sharp

External links

* [http://www.scrfc.co.uk Official Streatham Rugby website]
* [http://www.scrfc.co.uk/history.htm The History of Streatham Rugby]
* [http://www.dicktyson.co.uk/ London's Oldest Rugby Clubs]