VRAC Quesos Entrepinares
Full nameValladolid Rugby Asociación Club
Founded1986
LocationValladolid, Spain
Ground(s)Estadio Pepe Rojo (Capacity: 5,000)
ChairmanJose María Valentín-Gamazo
Coach(es)Diego Merino
League(s)División de Honor
2022–23División de Honor, 1st / W
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
vracrugby.com

Valladolid Rugby Asociación Club is a professional Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1986 and currently competes in the División de Honor de Rugby competition, the highest level of Spanish club rugby. The club are based in Valladolid in central Spain. VRAC play in blue and white colours. The team have in the past won both the Spanish League and the Copa del Rey de Rugby. They play at Estadio Pepe Rojo.

Honours

European rugby

Valladolid RAC's first foray into Europe was in the 2001–02 European Challenge Cup. Playing in a pool with London Irish (England), Dax (France) and L'Aquila (Italy), they lost all six games.

The 2003–04 season saw a change in format in the European Challenge Cup. Teams played in a knockout format, over two legs, in each round. First round losing teams then played in a new, third tier, Shield competition. Having lost heavily home and away to England's Newcastle Falcons in Round 1 of the 2003–04 European Challenge Cup, they dropped into the European Shield. Here their performance against Italy's Overmach Parma was better, but nevertheless they again lost home and away.

The 2004–05 season was a close repeat of 2003–04: heavy losses home and away to Italy's Viadana in the Challenge Cup was followed by even heavier defeats at the hands of England's Leeds in the Shield.

As the winners of the 2011–12 División de Honor de Rugby and the championship playoff, Valladolid RAC qualified to play in the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup but turned down the opportunity due to economic factors.[1] Gernika RT took their place and represented Spain.

As the winners of the 2013–14 División de Honor championship, VRAC qualified to play the Iberian Rugby Cup against CDUL of Lisbon, winning the game and the title.

In 2015/16 season, Valladolid RAC as the champion of the 2014/15 División de Honor championship, represented Spain at the Qualifying Competition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup. In this competition VRAC won two games, against Royal Kituro Rugby Club (Belgium) and Mogliano Rugby (Italy) but lost against Grupo Desportivo Direito (Portugal) and Timișoara Saracens (Romania).

Summary

Season Played Won Drew Lost PF PA PD
2001–02 Challenge Cup600653307−254
2003–04 Challenge Cup200237137−100
2003–04 Shield20021942−23
2004–05 Challenge Cup200210147−137
2004–05 Shield200211174−163
2015/16 European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition42021146846
Summary182016234875−641

Squad 2012–13

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Santiago Ovejero Prop Argentina Argentina
Federico Abente Prop Argentina Argentina
Ángel de la Calle Prop Spain Spain
Francisco Blanco Prop Spain Spain
Alberto Pastor Prop Spain Spain
Steve Barnes Hooker England England
Pablo Gutiérrez Hooker Spain Spain
Haru Nakayama Hooker Spain Spain
Fernando de la Calle Hooker Spain Spain
Julio Lorenzo Lock Spain Spain
Iñigo Ribot Lock Spain Spain
Alejandro González Lock Spain Spain
Ignacio Duco Lock Spain Spain
Álvaro Abril Lock Spain Spain
Alejandro López-Francos Flanker Spain Spain
Borja Estrada Flanker Spain Spain
Pablo Autrán Flanker Spain Spain
Adam Newton Flanker England England
Player Position Union
Diego Merino Flanker Spain Spain
Vicente García Flanker Spain Spain
Glen Rolls Number 8 New Zealand New Zealand
Juan Carlos Pico Scrum-half Spain Spain
Manuel Sevillano Scrum-half Spain Spain
Diego Sánchez Fly-half Spain Spain
Gareth Griffiths Fly-half England England
Miguel Merino Fly-half Spain Spain
Álvaro Ferrández Fly-half Spain Spain
Lisandro Arbizu Fly-half Argentina Argentina
Alejandro Gutiérrez Centre Spain Spain
Sergio Fernández Centre Spain Spain
Nacho Müller Centre Spain Spain
Rodrigo López Wing Spain Spain
Jesús Llanos Wing Spain Spain
Alberto Camaleño Wing Spain Spain
Marco Lora Wing Spain Spain
Javier Ortega Fullback Spain Spain

International honours

Other notable players

  • England Sgt. Adam Newton (English Armed Services XV, England U18)
  • England Gareth Griffiths (former player from Bath, international England U18, U19)
  • New Zealand Mike Davis (International New Zealand Sevens)
  • New Zealand Glen Lewis Rolls (New Zealand U17, Hurricanes Schools, Canterbury B)
  • Argentina Lisandro Arbizu (Player/Coach 2012-2014, Argentina international 1990-2005 Cpt 1992-1999)[2]

Season to season

Season Tier Division Pos. Notes
1987–88 2 División de Honor B 9th
1988–89 2 División de Honor B 8th
1989–90 2 División de Honor B 2nd
1990–91 2 División de Honor B 1st Promoted
1991–92 1 División de Honor 10th
1992–93 1 División de Honor 10th
1993–94 1 División de Honor 4th
1994–95 1 División de Honor 3rd
1995–96 1 División de Honor 7th
1996–97 1 División de Honor 4th
1997–98 1 División de Honor 4th Cup champion
1998–99 1 División de Honor 1st League champion
1999–00 1 División de Honor 5th
2000–01 1 División de Honor 1st League champion
2001–02 1 División de Honor 5th
2002–03 1 División de Honor 3rd
2003–04 1 División de Honor 3rd
2004–05 1 División de Honor 4th
Season Tier Division Pos. Notes
2005–06 1 División de Honor 6th
2006–07 1 División de Honor 4th
2007–08 1 División de Honor 4th
2008–09 1 División de Honor 4th
2009–10 1 División de Honor 4th Cup champion
2010–11 1 División de Honor 5th
2011–12 1 División de Honor 1st / W League champion
2012–13 1 División de Honor 1st / W League champion
2013–14 1 División de Honor 1st / W League/Cup champion
2014–15 1 División de Honor 1st / W League/Cup champion
2015–16 1 División de Honor 1st / F
2016–17 1 División de Honor 2nd / W League champion
2017–18 1 División de Honor 1st / W League/Cup champion
2018–19 1 División de Honor 2nd / W League champion
2019–20 1 División de Honor 1st League champion
2020–21 1 División de Honor 1st / W League champion
2021–22 1 División de Honor

See also

References

  1. "El VRAC Quesos Entrepinares no disputará la Amlin Challenge Cup". Valladolid RAC. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012. These are difficult times. The poor economic situation greatly complicates find sponsors who will assist the VRAC Entrepinares again leave their mark in Europe ten years after the last time you did.
  2. "Lisandro Arbizu no seguirá al frente del campeón de Liga". www.marca.com.
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