By Graham Lyke
Studying Rugby are happy to announce that they’ve teamed up with sponsor, SELECT CAR LEASING, a nationwide firm primarily based within the city.
It’s no shock that Studying Rugby are in a position to entice sponsorship from Choose Automobile Leasing as RRFC are the main group membership within the city.
SCL have been distinguished in Studying for a few years being the primary sponsor of Studying Soccer Membership. The stadium the place Studying soccer performs has modified its title to the Choose Automobile Leasing (SCL) stadium and it was a serious deal for Studying Rugby when SCL determined it might convey the rugby membership in addition to the soccer membership into its portfolio.
This have to be a singular sponsorship within the nation. I don’t suppose that there are every other rugby and soccer golf equipment, each bearing the city’s title which have the identical sponsor.
Studying Rugby had the pleasure of unveiling their new shirts, bearing the Choose Automobile Leasing brand, as they beat native rivals Abbey in a hard-fought match.
Studying Rugby have been happy to welcome representatives from SCL to a lunch earlier than the sport and want to thank SCL for his or her generosity.
So how did Studying Rugby Membership begin?
The concept of a rugby membership in Studying was born when three fans met one summer time night at Pangbourne in July 1898.
They have been England participant and RFU president Roger Walker, RFU secretary G. Rowland-Hill and native schoolmaster G.R.Joyce, a Cambridge Blue. The trio felt the county city of Berkshire would make a great centre for the sport.
Berkshire Wanderers was born.
In 1936, having had a little bit of a nomadic existence, the dream got here true and 11 acres of floor was purchased in Sonning for £900. The altering rooms have been the cellars of the close by Shepherds Home Resort !!
1947-48 noticed the Jubilee season and Claude Davey, a Welsh Worldwide and Syd Fox, a Cambridge Blue performed for the membership.
The Membership modified its title to Studying Rugby Membership in 1956 and the current clubhouse was erected in 1969 . 1973-74 was the seventy fifth anniversary of the membership’s basis and a Studying crew performed a President’s XV which contained 3 Welsh internationals and one English one.
Studying received the primary Berkshire Cup in 1970 however there was little success over the subsequent fifteen years.
The revival got here within the mid-eighties when Studying received the Berkshire Cup in 1986 and from 1988 received the trophy seven instances.
Membership Historical past Continued
This upturn in fortunes was primarily based upon the very profitable Colts facet and the primary main tour for a few years, which performed 4 video games in Canada.
In 1986-87, the first XV received 30 out of 34 video games, bolstered by ex-British Lion and Wales participant Clive Rees. Of their first Nationwide Cup marketing campaign they overcame Taunton and Sudbury earlier than taking place to Coventry 26-12.
The leagues began and Studying received promotion to South West 1 at their first try in 1987-88. Additional promotions adopted within the 1990’s, as much as the third tier of English rugby, which coincided with the appearance of the skilled sport.
The sponsorship of the membership by an American firm fell by and with no main monetary backer, through the years, RRFC discovered the upper leagues powerful going, arising towards golf equipment with some huge cash.
For about 15 years Studying was in South West 1 with the occasional go to to the next league and South West 2, holding their very own towards some extra well-known names.
In 2017 relegation took them to Southern Counties and with league reorganisation subsequent seasons noticed them into Counties 1 Tribute Southern North.
Current Day
And the current day, the place the membership has a really younger crew, with loads of latest ex-Colts taking part in within the 1st XV.
They’ve discovered it laborious going towards larger extra skilled groups and are at present in Stage 7 of the leagues. The membership is a group membership with ambitions to achieve degree 5 within the brief time period.
RRFC operates a number of groups for all ages and genders, together with the first XV males’s crew in degree 7 and the ladies’s crew at degree 4. There’s a Veteran’s crew, the Rhinos which has been going since 1986.
The women’ crew has been very profitable and present Purple Roses Abby Dowd and Alex Matthews, nominated for Ladies’s World Participant of the 12 months, are former Studying gamers.
RRFC was the primary membership in England to begin up Strolling Rugby, and the rules for the sport have been the blueprint for a lot of different golf equipment to take up this sport for his or her most senior gamers.
It has prolonged the taking part in careers of former gamers, new gamers and girls. There’s additionally Mini rugby for the youthful gamers.
Berkshire Brigands
A singular a part of Studying Rugby is the Berkshire Brigands, Berkshire’s first mixed-ability rugby crew. Based in 2020, the Brigands have been impressed by a younger man on the membership who wished to play alongside his brother.
The crew is open to gamers of all skills, permitting these with disabilities to take part in contact rugby with skilled gamers.
Studying RFC is a thriving membership which provides rugby from the cradle to the grave and its Group Day on September seventh confirmed the membership at its greatest.
We turned companions with the Picket Spoon Society and Howdens Insurance coverage, sponsors of the British & Irish Lions in Australia in 2025 offered us with a plaque to commemorate Clive Rees, Lion #512, taking part in for us.
Studying Rugby celebrated 125 years of rugby in 2023-24 and continues to supply a welcoming taking part in and social atmosphere for all its members and would welcome anybody searching for a membership to affix.
