View source for Wimbledon RFC

{{Short description|English rugby union team, based in London}}
{{Infobox rugby team
  | teamname       = Wimbledon RFC
  | image          = Wimbledon_RFC.png
  | imagesize      = 150
  | union          = [[Surrey Rugby Football Union|Surrey RFU]]
  | fullname       = Wimbledon Rugby Football Club
  | nickname       = ''Dons''
  | shortname      = 
  | founded        = {{Start date and age|1865}}
  | location       = [[Raynes Park]], [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]], [[London]], [[England]]
  | region         = 
  | ground         = Beverley Meads
  | capacity       = 1,000
  | chairman       = Stefano D'Anna
  | ceo            = 
  | president      = Jim Green
  | captain        = Josh Bayford<br>
  | coach          = Collin Osborne, Neil Hallett, Shawn Renwick, Marc Bertrand, James Ogilvie-Bull and William Brunt
  | top scorer     = 
  | caps           = 
  | url            = https://www.wimbledonrfc.co.uk/
  | league         = [[National League 2 East]]
  | season         = [[2023–24 National League 2 East|2023–24]]
  | position       = 13th (relegated to [[Regional 1 South Central]])
| pattern_la1    = 
| pattern_b1     = _skyhoops
| pattern_ra1    = 
| pattern_sh1    = 
| pattern_so1    =  
| leftarm1       = AF003D
| body1          = AF003D
| rightarm1      = AF003D
| shorts1        = 000055  
| socks1         = 000055
}}
'''Wimbledon Rugby Football Club''' is a [[sports club]] based in [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], [[London]]. The club was a founding member of the [[Rugby Football Union]] and were at that time known as the Wimbledon Hornets. The first [[rugby union]] team currently play in [[Regional 1 South Central]] following their relegation from [[ National League 2 East]] at the end of 2023–24 season.

Apart from rugby, the club has a [[netball]] section.

==History==
Wimbledon’s first recorded match was against [[Richmond F.C.]] in November 1865, making the club one of the oldest in the country, and one of just twelve surviving clubs that founded the [[Rugby Football Union]] in 1871. The club’s captain at this time was L J Maton who drafted the first laws of the game and went on to become the third president of the RFU in 1875. In the same year, two club members, J D and H J Graham, gained one and four [[Cap (sport)|caps]] respectively for [[England]].

In 1874 the club changed its name to Wimbledon RFC. It has been suggested that the change in name was due to the club's L J Maton becoming president of the [[Rugby Football Union]], and in order to reflect their new-found gravitas they dispensed with the Hornets for a less whimsical name.<ref name="London">Dick Tyson, ''London's Oldest Rugby Clubs'', p159 (JJG Publishing), 2008</ref>

They played on [[Wimbledon Common]] until [[World War I]], using the Rose & Crown in [[Wimbledon Village]] as changing rooms and clubhouse. The club then went into suspended animation when the [[World War I|First World War]] started, and was only re-formed in 1927.<ref name="London"/> It was at this time that the club changed colours from broad blue and white hooped jerseys, to maroon and Cambridge blue hooped jerseys.<ref>Dick Tyson, ''London's Oldest Rugby Clubs'', p158 (JJG Publishing), 2008</ref> The club's celebration of its centenary with a dinner held in February 1966, was demonstrative that it perceived itself a continuation of the original Wimbledon Hornets.<ref name="London"/> They moved to the current clubhouse on Barham Road, [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]] in the 1987–88 season, coinciding with the setting up of [[amateur]] league rugby in [[United Kingdom|Britain]].

==Honours==
'''1st team:'''
* [[Surrey 2]] champions: 1989–90
* [[Surrey 1]] champions: 1993–94
* [[London 2 South West|London 3 South West]] champions: 1994–95
* [[London 1 South]] champions (2): 1995–96, 2014–15
* [[London 2 South West#Promotion play-offs|London 2 (south-east v south-west)]] promotion play-off winners (2): 2008–09, 2011–12
* [[National League 3 London & SE#Promotion play-offs|National League 3 (south-east v south-west)]] promotion play-off winners: [[National League 3 London & SE#Promotion play-off|2016–17]]
*  [[Regional 1 South Central]] champions: [[Regional 1 South Central#2022–23|2022–23]]

'''2nd team:'''
* [[Surrey Cup]] winners: 2018
<!-- 
==Current standings==
{{transcluded section|2017–18 National League 2 South}}
{{trim|{{#section-h:2017–18 National League 2 South|League table}}}}
 -->
==Club colours==
Wimbledon 1st team play in maroon shirts with blue sleeves and a blue stripe on the side. They wear navy shorts and navy socks.

All other teams play in maroon and blue hooped shirts with navy shorts and navy socks.

==Teams==
Wimbledon has four men's teams, a ladies team and a thriving youth & mini section.

'''The men's teams'''
Wimbledon currently has four men's teams.

The 1st team play in London & South East Premier (Nat3SE), as a result of result of relegation from National League 2S in the 2017–18 season. The 2nd team play in the Zoo Sports Shield Division 1 having won consecutive promotions from Division 3 and 2 in the 2015–16/2016-17 seasons. The 3rds or Mavericks as they are fondly known and the 4ths Strollers (the Vets team) compete in the Surrey Leagues.

'''The ladies team'''
The ladies team was founded in the 1990–91 season by Tina and John Ambler, club stewards from 1989 to 1993. Their team mascot is Alderney, one of [[The Wombles]].

The first ladies match was against a selection of players from the men's teams. Due to a lack of playing experience the men emerged the victors. Since then, the Ladies section has grown from strength to strength with several of the players reaching national and international level.

The team currently plays in the Championship South West 2 League and has a regular squad of over thirty ladies as well as strong mini and youth section offering rugby for all ability levels from 5 to 18.

==Current standings==
{{2023–24 National League 2 East}}

==Notable former players==
* [[Madison Hughes]] ({{flagicon|USA}}) [[United States national rugby sevens team|USA Rugby Sevens]] (''first capped'' 2012)
* [[H J Graham]] ({{flagicon|England}}) (''first capped'' 1875)
* [[J D Graham]] ({{flagicon|England}}) (''first capped'' 1875)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}

{{National League 2 East}}
{{National League 2 South}}
{{Rugby Football Union Founding Clubs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wimbledon Rfc}}
[[Category:Women's rugby union teams in England]]
[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1865]]
[[Category:Rugby union clubs in London]]
[[Category:Wimbledon, London]]