Durham University Rugby Football Club

Durham University RFC

Full name	Durham University Rugby Football Club
Nickname(s)	Palatinates
Founded	1875; 149 years ago (1875)[1]
Location	Durham, England
Ground(s)	Hollow Drift
Team kit
Official website
www.durhamunirugby.com

The Durham University Rugby Football Club (Durham University RFC or DURFC) is the rugby union club of the University of Durham. They play in BUCS Super Rugby, the highest level student rugby competition in the UK, and have produced a number of notable international rugby players.

History

One of the earliest recorded matches was against Durham School, on 2 November 1875. The school won by "one goal, one try and two touch-downs to three touch-downs". Other fixtures for Michaelmas term 1875 included vs Houghton-le-Spring in Houghton on 6 November, vs Durham City in Durham on 13 November, vs South Shields in South Shields on 20 November, the return match vs Durham School in Durham on 25 November, vs Sunderland in Durham on 27 November, the return match vs Durham City on 2 December, vs Northumberland in Newcastle on 4 December, and the return match vs Houghton-le-Spring in Durham on 11 December.[2]

Ted Wood previously served as director of rugby.[3][4]

Durham were crowned BUCS Super Rugby champions[5] for the 2019/20 season under captain Ben Fowles, the Covid-19 pandemic stopped the team from going to challenge for the BUCS Super Rugby Cup Final.

Following the cancelled Covid-19 season, Durham again won the BUCS Super Rugby league title for the 2021/22 season[6] under captain Fred Davies.[7]

Notable former players

See also: Category:Durham University RFC players

Flags represent country capped by in international competition.

• Will Carling
• Will Greenwood
• Phil de Glanville
• Dave Walder
• Charlie Hodgson
• Tim Stimpson
• Duncan Hodge
• Jeremy Campbell-Lamerton
• Andy Mullins
• Marcus Rose
• Ben Woods
• Pete Dixon
• Toby Allchurch
• Richard Breakey
• Tim Cowell
• Peter Westwood
• Mark Griffin[8]
• Charlie Hannaford[9]
• Jon Ions[10]
• Chris Kelly[10]
• Peter Lillington
• Ed Kalman
• Ollie Phillips
• Peter Warfield
• Josh Beaumont[11]
• Simon Hammersley

Honours

• Earlston Sevens
  • Champions (1): 2023[12][13]

References

1. "Catalogue of Durham University Records: Associations and Societies". Reed.dur.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
2. "Football". The Durham County Advertiser. 5 November 1875. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. Journal, The. "Legend takes his leave". The Journal. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
4. "Into touch". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
5. "Durham crowned BUCS Super Rugby champions". Palatinate. 5 March 2020.
6. "Durham 67-7 Northumbria: Palatinates claim back-to-back BUCS Super Rugby titles". Palatinate. 10 March 2022.
7. "Fred Davies". Bristol Bears.
8. "Mark Griffin". rugby4good. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
9. "Charlie Hannaford | Rugby Union | Players and Officials". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
10. "Hatfield College History". Community.dur.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
11. ""University helped me become the player I am" - Beaumont". Englandrugby.com. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
12. https://twitter.com/KingsOf7s/status/1652758035511607298 ^[bare URL]
13. "Earlston Sevens". 7 June 2019.