Cambridge (CRUFC)
Full nameCambridge Rugby Union Football Club
UnionEastern Counties RFU
Founded1923 (1923)
LocationCambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Ground(s)Grantchester Road (Capacity: 1,500 (200 seats))
League(s)RFU Championship
2023–241st (promoted from National League 1)
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
cambridgerugby.co.uk/rugby/

Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club or CRUFC ('The Blood & Sand') is an English rugby union club representing the city of Cambridge. Formed in 1923, the club competes in the second tier of the English rugby union system, the RFU Championship, following promotion from National League 1 in 2022–23. The club plays its home matches at the 1,500 capacity Grantchester Road ground, in the suburb of Newnham, approximately two kilometres south-west of the city centre. The club runs three senior squads: the national league squad, a development squad, and a social squad. At junior level the club runs one of the oldest mini and youth rugby sections in the country, starting back in the early 1970s, with a colts team for under-18s.

History

Cambridge RUFC was formed in 1923 and was settled in its current ground by the 1950s. In 1993 the club was offered the opportunity to buy the lease on its existing three pitches and to buy adjoining land for a further three pitches from King's College. Floodlights were added to one of these pitches in 2003 so that evening games might be played and the light available for training was improved.

Cambridge RUFC joined the newly formed league structure in 1988 and by 1991 was playing in London 3 North East. After five years in this division, the club was promoted to London 2 North and after four years in this division, was promoted at the end of the 199899 season to London 1, which feeds into the National Leagues. In the Club's first season in London 1, they achieved 4th place, plus a run to the semi-final of the NPI Cup, falling just one match from Twickenham, after defeat away at Hull by 21–17. London 1 status was secured again for the 2001–02 Season, but the squad led to relegation at the end of that season. However, by the end of the 2003–04 season, a rebuilt side regained promotion to London 1. Cambridge also won the Eastern Counties Cup for the first time and regained the Cambridgeshire Cup from perennial rivals Shelford. This time, the stay in London 1 was to be even shorter; At the end of an exciting season the League championship lay between Worthing and Cambridge at the start of the final round of matches: Worthing at home to Canterbury and Cambridge at home to Basingstoke. The championship would go to the team achieving the greatest points difference. In the event, Cambridge won by 96–15 and Worthing were condemned to the play-offs. Cambridge went on to beat Norwich in the Eastern Counties Cup Final and Shelford in the Cambridgeshire Cup Final — the second successive treble, and promotion to National League rugby for the first time.

In the 2005–06 season Cambridge once again secured promotion after a two horse race. This time with Norfolk & East Anglian Giants North Walsham who had been present in this league for well over a decade. Cambridge squeezed past them with a last day win at Reading while North Walsham failed by 21–20 at Southend. This was all the more lucky as North Walsham had secured the bonus point for four tries but failed with all four conversions. In the 2006–07 season Cambridge managed to consolidate their position in National Division Two with a 9th-place finish. In the 2008–09 season Cambridge finished second in the league and would have been promoted had it not been for the re-organisation of the leagues in mid season.

Current season

League history

Overall

Year League Position Notes
1987–88No league
1988–89Eastern Counties Division One
1989–90London Division Four North-East
1990–91London Division Three North-East
1991–92London Division Three North-East1st
1992–93London Division Three North-East
1993–94London Division Three North-East
1994–95London Division Three North-East
1995–96London Division Two North
1996–97London Division Two North4th
1997–98London Division Two North3rd
1998–99London Division Two North1stpromoted to London Division One
1999–2000London Division One4thNPI Cup semi-final
2000–01London Division One8th
2001–02London Division One12threlegated
2002–03London Division Two North4th
2003–04London Division Two North2ndpromoted via play-off; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2004–05London Division One1stpromoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2005–06National Division Three South1stpromoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions
2006–07National Division Two9th5th round in Powergen National Trophy
2007–08National Division Two5th
2008–09National Division Two2ndwould have been promoted but for the RFU league structure changes
2009–10National League 14thleague renamed
2010–11National League 13rd
2011–12National League 112th
2012–13National League 116threlegated
2013–14National League 2 South7th
2014–15National League 2 South6th
2015–16National League 2 South1stpromoted to National League 1
2016–17National League 114th
2017–18National League 110th

Players

A number of players have gone on to gain International rugby honours, including Dickie Jeeps (England and British Lions), Andy Hancock (England), Bob Steven (Scotland), Trefor Evans (Wales), Simon Culhane New Zealand, including appearances in the 1995 World Cup Finals, and Alex Goode (England). Many more have earned age grade or England Counties caps. In 2014 Martin Wolfenden represented Zimbabwe in the qualifying competition for the Rugby World Cup.

The club's most capped player is the late Shaun Gadsby who made 505 appearances for the club, his last being in the 2003/04 season aged 40.

Honours

Senior team

Youth teams

  • Eastern Counties U-17s Cup (3): 1992, 2002, 2006
  • Eastern Counties U-19s Cup (3): 1994, 2003, 2004
  • National U-19 Plate (1): 2002
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