Draft:KCS Old Boys RFC
| Full name | King's College School Old Boys Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | Surrey RFU |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Location | Motspur Park, Kingston, London, England |
| Ground(s) | Dornan Fields, Motspur Park |
| League(s) | Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex |
| Official website | |
| www | |
King's College School Old Boys RFC is a rugby union club founded in 1907 for the alumni of King's College School, Wimbledon[1]. In recent years the club has used the name King's Rugby which reflects the open nature of the club which was historically only for old boys of KCS. The club's constituent bodies are Surrey RFU[2] and L&SE RFU. The 1XV currently compete in Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex at level 6 of the RFU pyramid whilst the 2XV, U22s and veterans play in the Surrey Rugby reserve leagues.
Club Location
[edit]For a long time the club operated out of a modest clubhouse situated close to Robin Hood Way on the A3, but that burnt down in the late 1980s and after a brief homeless period King's arrived at their current location in Motspur Park, the new clubhouse opening on 11th September 1993[3]. The building was unusual in that it was constructed in such a way that two identical halves were built - King's occupying one and Old Blues RFC (Christ's Hospital old boys) the other[4]. That arrangement remains to this day.
In 2020 fundraising began for a balcony to be added to the clubhouse[5] which was a great success with the club going on to win the Canterbury Club of the Month for June 2021[6]. The work was completed in 2022 and officially opened by club president Tony Allen on 16th February that year.
Senior Section
[edit]Until the advent of the RFU league system the club's fixture calendar was made up of a series of friendly games against other local old boys' sides including Old Paulines, Old Cranleighan, Old Whitgiftian and many others. When the leagues started King's were placed in Surrey 1 where they remained until 2003 when the 1XV were promoted to London 4 South West and three seasons later promoted again to London 3 South West. In the years that followed he club remained at Level 7 with just two seasons back at Level 8, both of which were followed with promotion back to Level 7 - which has since 2009 been known as London 2 South West. In 2009-10 the club was level transferred to London 2 South East but this stay lasted just one season before being returned to the SW London leagues.
Finally, in 2018-19 King's won London 2SW in a record breaking season which saw the club record an unprecedented 22 wins from 22 games with 22 try bonus points which saw the club achieve a maximum tally of 110 points - a first for London 2SW (previously London Cornish RFC had gone undefeated in 2016-17 but drew two games including one versus King's[7]. The achievement earned the club recognition in the national rugby press with two features in Rugby World (June and July 2019), Rugby Club Magazine[8], The Rugby Paper (23rd February 2019) and on the 5 live Sport Rugby Union Weekly podcast (17th February 2019) amongst others. King's 1XV were the first team in the country to be promoted in 2018-19 as confirmed as league winners, doing to in mid-February[9].
Cup Rugby & 7s
[edit]The club regularly competed in the Surrey Cup - and were winners beating Guildford & Godalming in 1983 then runners-up in 1984 to Sutton & Epsom RFC - and for three years were in the Senior National Knockout Cup. The club also finished runner-up again in 2015 this time to Guildford Rugby Club (the successor club to Guildford & Godalming) in the first cup final to be settled by a 'golden score' in extra-time[10].
More recently, King's 7s side the 'King Prawns' won the prestigious Surrey 7s in 2017.
In 2023-24 King's won the L&SE RFU section of the RFU Papa John's Community Cup defeating Dartfordians, Old Tiffinians and Teddington to progress to a national semi-final away against Longlevens, winners of the Rugby Football Union South West Division section. In a high-scoring match the home side won 56-40[11] to progress to a final at Twickenham stadium against Widnes who were also defeated as the Gloucestershire club were crowned champions[12].
Mini & Junior Section
[edit]Since 1993 King's has also been home to thriving Mini and Junior sections comprising children of all ages who train each Sunday and play in festivals all over SE England and beyond[13]. Amongst the thousands of boys and girls to have passed through the section many have gone on to gain higher honours including several professionals including from the Juniors Mark Tampin and Hayden Hyde and, most famously, from the Minis Alex Corbisiero[14] the prop forward who won 31 caps for England and 2 for the British & Irish Lions[15] on the victorious 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia which the Lions won 2-1, Corbisiero scoring a try in the third Test[16].
Club Honours
[edit]- London 2 South West - champions 2018-19
- Surrey 1 - champions 2002-2003; runners-up 1999-2000, 2001-02 (lost promotion play-off final)
- Surrey Cup - winners 1983; runners-up 2015
- Surrey Trophy - winners 2023-24
- Surrey Shield - winners 2000-01; 2001-02; runners-up 2002-03
- Surrey 7s - winners 2017
Notable Players
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Rugby". Old King's Club. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "Find A Club". Surrey Rugby. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "OLD KING'S CLUB/KCS OLD BOYS' R.F.C. PAVILION APPEAL" (PDF). Old King's Club. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "HISTORY OF OLD BLUES RFC". Old Blues RFC. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "Raise money for the KCS Old Boys new balcony fund and the NHS". Justgiving. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "King's Rugby crowned Canterbury Club of the Month for June". British and Irish Lions. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Cornish Comeback to Seal Unbeaten Season!". Justgiving. 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Rugby Club Magazine Issue 84". Rugby Club Magazine. 19 March 2019.
- ^ "Dominant KCS Old Boys out to become the new unbeatables after sealing early promotion". SW Londoner. 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Guildford Trump King's With Their Ace In The Pack". King's Rugby (Pitchero). 4 May 2015.
- ^ "Longlevens v KCS Old Boys (Papa John's Counties 1 Championship SF, 2023/24)". Youtube. 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Longlevens relishing Twickenham return for Papa John's Community Cup final against Widnes". The Local Answer. 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Junior and Mini Rugby (King's Rugby - KCS Old Boys RFC)". LB of Merton. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ "Journey through Rugby – Alex Corbisiero". 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Life of a Lion: Alex Corbisiero". 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Alex Corbisiero's incredible Lions Tour". 18 April 2023.