Richmond Women

Richmond Women

Union	RFU
Founded	1986

Richmond Women, formally Finchley RFC, is a women's rugby union team based in Richmond, London, England. They were founded in 1986 and played in the Women's Premiership.[1][2][3] They are also the women's team of Richmond F.C.[1]

History

Richmond Women were initially formed in 1986 as part of Finchley RFC. They were one of the first women's rugby union teams established in England. They later became a part of Richmond F.C., because of the financial support[4] that Richmond were able to give and they took on the name of Richmond Women as a result. The club used the name "Women" instead of "Ladies" because of a belief that Ladies would imply that it was not a serious team.[5] The team is one of the oldest and most successful in English women's rugby union with 25 league and cup victories, six National Sevens wins and four European Championship titles.[1] In 2000, they won the Rugby World National Cup after beating Wasps Ladies in the final at Twickenham Stadium in the first women's rugby union match to be played there.[6] between 2010 and 2012, they won three consecutive league titles.[7] They run three teams,[8] with Richmond II playing in Championship 1 South[9] and Richmond Women III playing in Championship 2 South East.[10]

In 1995, they had an honour's board erected in the clubhouse at the Athletic Ground however it was later removed by members of London Scottish, who share the Athletic Ground, claiming that Richmond didn't have permission to put one up.[11]

Notable players

Richmond women have had 118 international players play for them, including 18 in 2001.[5]

• Karen Findlay – coached Richmond and Scotland.[12]
• Amber Reed – played for Richmond and England.[13]
• Emma Croker – played for Richmond and England.[13]
• Rebecca Essex – played for Richmond and England.[13]

World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees

• Mary Forsyth – inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.[14]
• Deborah Griffin – inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.[14]
• Alice Cooper – inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.[14]
• Sue Dorrington – inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.[14]

References

1. "Richmond Ladies". RFU. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
2. Ali Donnelly (2013-09-05). "Women's rugby Premiership preview". BT. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
3. "Women's Premiership: England captain backs revamp". BBC. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
4. Paul Trow (1996-11-24). "Lessons of the sisters in arms". The Independent. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
5. "Scrummy Kyra just loves her big hits". Sunday Mirror. 1998-10-11. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
6. "RFU opens Twickenham gates for England ladies". Wimbledon Guardian. 2003-01-31. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
7. "Richmond take title on a weekend of upsets". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
8. "English Women's Premiership Preview". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
9. Echo, Gloucestershire (2013-01-16). "Tigers tame high-flying Richmond to move joint second in table". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
10. "Richmond III 8, Hammers 42 (24 November 2013)". Fulhamrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
11. "Pressure on Evans grows ever greater". The Times. London. 15 January 1995.
12. Orchard, Sara (2013-02-01). "Police chief Findlay fires up Scotland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
13. "Katy McLean to captain England Women against France". BBC. 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
14. "World Rugby Hall of Fame to recognise pioneering women and recent stars at New Zealand induction". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2022-09-30.