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Exmouth
Full nameExmouth Rugby Football Club
UnionDevon RFU
Nickname(s)Cockles
Founded1873; 151 years ago (1873)
LocationExmouth, Devon, England
Ground(s)Imperial Recreation Ground (Capacity: 1,250 (250 stand))
ChairmanIan Harris
PresidentRoger Holman
Coach(es)Steve Perry
League(s)Regional 1 South West
2023–246th
Team kit
Official website
www.exmouthrugby.co.uk

Exmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team based at the Imperial Recreation Ground in Exmouth, Devon. The club runs four senior teams and a ladies side as well as the full range of junior boys teams and girls teams at three age levels.[1] The first XV plays in the Regional 1 South West, the fifth tier of the English rugby union league system.

The stand at Exmouth RFC Imperial Recreation Ground

History

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Exmouth RFC was formed in 1873 and, along with clubs such as Barnstaple and Exeter, were instrumental in promoting the game of rugby union in Devon. Early games were played at Exmouth Cricket Ground and then Littleham Lane, until the club moved to more permanent lodgings at Archery Field (Cranford), where they would remain for the next 70 years. The club had some difficult times in its infancy, almost fading from existence in the early 20th century and having to merge with another local club (the Exmouth Echoes) in 1905.

By the 1920s things had improved considerably and Exmouth became one of the top sides in the county, with the first team winning the Devon Senior Cup in 1925 and reserves winning the Devon Junior Cup three times between 1920 and 1926. Although the success of the 1920s was not reflected in the decades before and after the Second World War, there were some moments of note including a home victory over a Swansea side. In the 1960s Exmouth decided to leave Cranford to a more suitable location in town so that they were more accessible to supporters. In 1964 the club moved to its current home at the Imperial Recreation Ground, where it has remained to this day.[2]

When the leagues were introduced in 1987-88 Exmouth were placed in Cornwall/Devon at level 8 of the English rugby union system. Although they were relegated to the Devon regional leagues at the end of 1988-89 they bounced back quickly and spent the remainder of the 1990s in Cornwall/Devon. At the end of the millennium Exmouth finally escaped from level 8 by winning promotion to Western Counties West. The club also won the Devon Junior Cup twice during this period, including a league and cup double in 2000.

During the early 21st century Exmouth started to rise up the league structure and become one of the counties premier sides. They achieved promotion from Western Counties West at the end of 2002 and also won the clubs' first Devon Senior Cup title since 1925. A second promotion at the end of 2008, this time from South West 2 West, saw Exmouth reach the lofty heights of level 5 rugby.

On reaching level 5 Exmouth embarked on their most successful spell in the club's history, winning promotion to National League 2 South twice (at tier 4, the highest level the club has reached), and becoming dominant in county rugby with five senior cup victories, including four in row between 2010 and 2014. The only downside during this period was that the club was unable to remain in National League 2 South for longer than a season on each occasion they were promoted to that league.

Ground

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Exmouth RFC play at the Imperial Recreation Ground on the banks of the River Exe, just off the Royal Avenue in the heart of Exmouth. As it is next to Exmouth railway station it is easily accessible to supporters and there is plenty of parking, both inside and outside the ground. The ground consists of two enclosed pitches. The main pitch is surrounded by an athletics track and is next to the club-house and there is a covered grand stand. Capacity is around 1,250, which includes 250 in the stand, and a further 1,000 standing pitch side. The second pitch is for 2nd XV and junior games.

The clubhouse has borne witness to some epic p*ss-ups, with drunken renditions of “2, 4, 6, 8 Motorway” and “Come on Eileen” being belted out by Geldy, Eyelash, Yozza, Dickie Guy and Bedders.

Season summary

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Season League National Cup(s) County Cup(s)
Competition/Level Position Points Competition Performance Competition Performance
1987–88 Cornwall/Devon (8) 2nd 18
1988–89 Cornwall/Devon (8) 10th (relegated) 4
1989–90 Devon 1 (9) 1st (promoted)
1990–91 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1991–92 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1992–93 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1993–94 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1994–95 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1995–96 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1996–97 Cornwall/Devon (8)
1997–98 Cornwall/Devon (8) 3rd[3] 24 Devon Junior Cup Winners
1998–99 Cornwall/Devon (8) 5th[4] 16
1999–00 Cornwall/Devon (8) 1st (promoted)[5] 30 Devon Junior Cup Winners
2000–01 Western Counties West (7) 3rd[6] 32
2001–02 Western Counties West (7) 1st (promoted)[7] 40
2002–03 South West 2 West (6) 4th[8] 28 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2003–04 South West 2 West (6) 9th[9] 18 Powergen Cup Preliminary Round[10]
2004–05 South West 2 West (6) 9th[11] 18 Powergen Intermediate Cup [12]
2005–06 South West 2 West (6) 7th[13] 16 Powergen Intermediate Cup [14] Devon Senior Cup Winners
2006–07 South West 2 West (6) 7th[15] 22 EDF Energy Trophy 2nd Round[16][17]
2007–08 South West 2 West (6) 1st (promoted)[18] 40 EDF Energy Intermediate Cup 3rd Round[19][20] Devon Senior Cup Runners up
2008–09 South West 1 (5) 8th[21] 20 EDF Energy Trophy 2nd Round[22]
2009–10 National 3 South West (5)[a 1] 10th[23] 50[a 2]
2010–11 National 3 South West (5) 8th [24] 62 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2011–12 National 3 South West (5) 4th[25] 90 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2012–13 National 3 South West (5) 2nd (promoted via play-off)[26] 107 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2013–14 National 2 South (4) 16th (relegated) 34 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2014–15 National 3 South West (5) 2nd (lost play-off)[27] 99 Devon Senior Cup Semi-finals[28]
2015–16 National 3 South West (5) 1st (promoted)[29] 103 Devon Senior Cup Winners
2016–17 National 2 South (4) 16th (relegated) 29
2017–18 South West Premier (5)[a 3] 11th[30] 65 Devon Senior Cup Runners up
2018–19 South West Premier (5) 6th[31] 75 Devon Senior Cup Runners up
2019–20 South West Premier (5) 10th 54[a 4] Devon Senior Cup
2020–21 South West Premier (5) Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.
2021–22 South West Premier (5) 5th
Green background stands for either league champions (with promotion) or cup winners. Blue background stands for promotion without winning league or losing cup finalists. Pink background stands for relegation.

Honours

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Notes

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  1. ^ Following widespread RFU restructuring of the English rugby union system South West 1 was renamed as National League 3 South West for the 2009–10 season.
  2. ^ The 2009–10 season would see the introduction of bonus points into tier 5 English rugby union.
  3. ^ National League 3 South West would be renamed to South West Premier for the 2017–18 season.
  4. ^ The season was postponed and ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom with Exmouth sitting in 10th, having played 20 games and gained 45 points. The remaining games were calculated on a 'best playing record formula', with Exmouth remaining in 10th place with 54 points.[32]
  5. ^ 4 of Exmouth's Devon Junior Cup wins (1920, 1922, 1926, 1938) were won by the reserve side.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Teams". Exmouth RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Club History". Exmouth RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Final League Tables 1997–98". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Final League Tables 1998–99". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Final League Tables 1999–2000". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Final League Tables 2000–2001". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Final League Tables, 2001–2002". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  8. ^ "South West 2 West 2002–2003". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  9. ^ "South West 2 West 2003–2004". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  10. ^ "POWERGEN CUP DRAW". Gloucester Rugby. 14 July 2003.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "South West 2 West 2004–2005". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Away days for Swindon sides". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 24 September 2004.
  13. ^ "South West 2 West 2005–2006". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Powergen Cup Draws". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 17 August 2005.
  15. ^ "South West 2 West 2006–2007". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  16. ^ "EDF Energy National Cup 2006/07 (second round)". Statbunker. 18 November 2006.
  17. ^ "EDF Energy National Cup 2006/07 (3rd Round)". Statbunker. 9 December 2006.
  18. ^ "South West 2 West 2007–2008". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  19. ^ "EDF Energy competition draws and finals news". ESPN. 21 November 2007.
  20. ^ "Bracknell recall for Blankely". Get Reading. 11 January 2008.
  21. ^ "South West 1, 2008–2009". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  22. ^ "EDF National Trophy 08/09". Statbunker. 22 November 2008.
  23. ^ "National League 3 South West 2009–2010". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  24. ^ "National League 3 South West 2010–2011". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  25. ^ "National League 3 South West 2011–2012". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  26. ^ "National League 3 South West 2012–2013". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  27. ^ "National League 3 South West 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  28. ^ "The Devon Senior Cup 2014-15". Devon RFU. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  29. ^ "National League 3 South West 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  30. ^ "South West Premier 2017–2018". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  31. ^ "South West Premier 2018–2019". England Rugby. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  32. ^ "RFU confirms league positions". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  33. ^ a b "DRFU Handbook 2011-12" (PDF). Devon RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Trelawny's Army Final League Tables 2001-2002".
  35. ^ "Trelawny's Army Final League Tables 2007-2008".
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