Guernsey RFC

Guernsey

Full name	Guernsey Rugby Football Club
Union	Hampshire RFU
Nickname(s)	Raiders
Founded	1928; 96 years ago (1928)
Location	Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Ground(s)	Footes Lane (Capacity: 5,000 (720 seated))
Chairman	Andrea Harris
President	Ady Le Page
Coach(es)	Jordan Reynolds
Captain(s)	Lewis Hillier
League(s)	National League 2 East
2023–24	10th
Team kit
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/guernseyrfc/

Guernsey Rugby Football Club is an amateur[1][2] rugby union team who play at Footes Lane in St Peter Port on the Channel Island of Guernsey. The club was formed in 1928.[3] The club runs two senior teams, a veterans side and a colts side.[4]

Their first XV, the Guernsey Raiders[5] currently play in level 4 (National League 2 East) following their promotion from London & South East Premier at the end of the 2019–20 season.

The Guernsey Raiders Ladies team plays in level 4, Women's National Challenge 1 South East (South).

History

Guernsey RFC were founded in 1928 and started playing in English leagues in 1987.[6] As a result of the high transport costs, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) funds the opposition team's travel when they play away at Guernsey as well as funding Guernsey's travel to England for league matches. Until 2010, the Hampshire Rugby Football Union also granted additional funding to help with the transport costs.[7]

In 2011, Guernsey had a new clubhouse constructed which was visited by The Princess Royal during her visit to Guernsey in November.[8] In 2012, after being promoted from London 1 South, Guernsey became the only fully amateur team in National League 3 London & SE.[9] Guernsey host annual "ladies days" during their season.[10]

Siam Cup

Guernsey annually play Jersey Reds in the inter-insular Siam Cup, the second oldest rugby honour contested after the Calcutta Cup. The host venue alternates yearly between Footes Lane and Jersey's St. Peter. The Siam Cup match is viewed as a season finale by the two clubs as the match is played after the regular league season has finished.[11] In 2010, a Guernsey player was found guilty of assaulting two Jersey players after a Siam Cup game.[12] Since Jersey began employing professional players they have dominated the inter island game. From 2016 in an attempt to even up the game only professional players who had been in Jersey for three years will be eligible for the annual match.[13]

Guernsey Ladies Rugby team

In 2012, Guernsey's women's team applied to join the English leagues. However the Rugby Football Union rejected their application on logistical grounds and also because the RFU Council had previously passed a moratorium to not admit to the English leagues, any further teams from offshore.[14]

In 2014–15 the decision was overcome and Guernsey Ladies (GLR) joined the Women's National Challenge South East South 2 league, which they won, earning promotion to Women's National Challenge South East South 1 for the 2015–16 season. In 2016-17 the Women again won the top position in their league becoming champions after winning 12 of the 14 season's matches.[15]

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Men's seasons

2023-24 National League 2 East - level 4 2022-23 National League 2 East - level 4 - 9th 2021–22 National League 2 South - level 4 - 10th 2020–21 National League 2 South - level 4 - season cancelled 2019–20 London & South East Premier - level 5 - 2nd promoted without play-offs 2018–19 National League 2 South - level 4 - 15th relegated 2017–18 London & South East Premier – level 5 - runners up promoted via play-offs 2016–17 National League 3 London & SE - level 5 - 5th 2015–16 National League 3 London & SE – level 5 - 6th 2014–15 National League 3 London & SE – level 5 - 10th 2013–14 National League 3 London & SE – level 5 - 5th 2012–13 National League 3 London & SE – level 5 - 8th

2011–12 London 1 South – level 6 - 1st promoted 2010–11 London 2 South West – level 7 - 1st promoted 2009–10 London 2 South West – level 7 - 2nd‡ 2008–09 London 3 South West – level 7 - 7th‡ 2007–08 London 3 South West – level 7 - 4th 2006–07 London 3 South West – level 7 - 5th 2005–06 London 3 South West – level 7 - 10th 2004–05 London 3 South West – level 7 - 2nd 2003–04 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 1st promoted 2002–03 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 3rd 2001–02 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 3rd 2000–01 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 5th 1999–00 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 8th 1998–99 Hampshire 1 – level 8 - 8th

‡ Leagues re-branded, with London 3 South West renamed London 2 South West

Men's current season results

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Women's seasons

2023-24 Women's National Challenge 1 South East (South) 2022-23 Women's National Challenge 1 South East (East) - 6th 2021-22 Women's National Challenge 1 South East (East) - 6th 2020–21 Women's National Challenge 1 South East South 1 - level 4 - 2019–20 Women's National Challenge 1 South East South 1 - level 4 - 5th 2018–19 Women's National Challenge South East West 1 - level 4 - 3rd

2017–18 Women's Championship South West 2 - level 3 - 8th relegated 2016–17 Women's National Challenge South East South 1 – level 4 - 1st promoted 2015–16 Women's National Challenge South East South 1 – level 4 - 4th 2014–15 Women's N C South East South 2 – level 5 - 1st promoted

Ladies current seasons results

Men's current standings

2024–25 National League 2 East table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Tonbridge Juddians	14	13	0	1	519	290	+229	12	0	64	Promotion place
2	Dorking	13	11	0	2	485	319	+166	11	1	56
3	Barnes	14	10	0	4	416	260	+156	9	4	53
4	Canterbury	14	10	0	4	494	339	+155	10	1	51
5	Guernsey Raiders	12	8	0	4	374	294	+80	9	2	43
6	Bury St Edmunds	14	7	0	7	446	436	+10	10	4	42
7	Westcombe Park	14	8	0	6	381	384	−3	8	1	41
8	Henley Hawks	14	8	1	5	304	333	−29	5	1	40
9	Havant	14	6	1	7	409	431	−22	6	3	35
10	Old Albanian	14	5	0	9	395	425	−30	8	4	32
11	Sevenoaks	14	4	0	10	320	411	−91	5	3	24
12	Oxford Harlequins	14	2	1	11	346	540	−194	7	2	19
13	Colchester	13	1	1	11	263	442	−179	6	3	15	Relegation place
14	Worthing Raiders	14	1	0	13	311	559	−248	7	4	15

Updated to match(es) played on 21 December 2024. Source: National League Rugby [16]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

1. Number of matches won
2. Difference between points for and against
3. Total number of points for
4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Honours

Men's

• Siam Cup champions (15 times)
• Hampshire Bowl winners: 2002
• Level 8 Hampshire 1 champions: 2003–04,[17] promoted to level 7
• Level 7 London Division 2 South West champions: 2010–11,[17] promoted to level 6
• Level 6 London Division 1 South champions: 2011–12, promoted to level 5
• LSE Premier v SW Premier promotion play-off winners: 2017–18, promoted to level 4[18][2]

Women's

• Level 5 Women's National Challenge South East South 2 champions: 2014–15, promoted to level 4
• Level 4 Women's National Challenge South East South 1 champions: 2016–17, promoted to level 3

Notable players

• Luke Jones – originally played for Guernsey before moving to English Premiership team, Leicester Tigers and the Cornish Pirates.[19]

See also

• English rugby union system
• Rugby Football Union for Women

References

1. "Guernsey worried by Jersey pros". BBC Sport. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
2. "Guernsey RFC coach Jordan Reynolds seeks further progress". BBC Sport. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
3. Club website history page
4. Club website
5. "Guernsey RFC first team rebrand as the Raiders". Guernsey Press. 25 August 2015.
6. "Preview to Guernsey (a) 05.05.12". Jersey RFC. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
7. Offshore Travel Fund (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
8. "Guernsey graced by Royalty - Guernsey News from ITV Channel Television". Channel Television. 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
9. "Guernsey boss Jordan Reynolds has National Three confidence". BBC Sport. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
10. "Back by popular demand Guernsey RFC to hold another Ladies Day". Isle News. 24 September 2012. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
11. "Jersey won't fall into Siam Cup trap". This is Jersey. 4 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
12. "Guernsey rugby player avoids prison after assault". BBC News. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
13. "Siam Cup 2016: Only eight Jersey professionals will play against Guernsey". BBC. 16 March 2016.
14. "Guernsey women's rugby team barred from English league". BBC Sport. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
15. "Guernsey Ladies prove that they are 'Simply the Best'". Guernsey Press. 20 March 2017.
16. "National League 2 East". NCA Rugby.
17. "Statistics".
18. "Reynolds' half-time blast does the trick". Guernsey Press. 30 April 2018.
19. "Jones earns his stripes as he turns out for Tigers". This is Guernsey. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013.^[permanent dead link‍]

External links

• Official website