Old Northamptonians RFC

Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in Northampton, Northamptonshire. The first XV was promoted in 2022–23 and currently play in Regional 1 South East, a fifth tier league in the English rugby union system.^[1].

In the 2025–26 season, the club entered a second team into the RFU leagues for the first time, playing at level 9, Counties 3 Midlands East (South) league, winning 14 of 15 matches to finish top and win promotion to level 8.

In April 2026, the third team were the subject of an article^[2] in The Times newspaper when rugby reporter, Alex Lowe, followed the team on an end of season "tour" to Old Wheatleyans RFC in Coventry. On observing a great day of friendly rugby, the camaraderie of the team and RFU's core values in practise, he concluded that in grassroots clubs, "this is where rugby’s heart and soul still lives".

In the 2025–26 season, the Old Northamptonians Ladies celebrated their 10 year anniversary, and competed in the Women's NC 2 Midlands (Central) league. A very successful social media campaign, coupled with the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025 including matches at Franklin's Gardens in Northampton, and rising numbers of participation^[3] in the ladies rugby have led to a bid to run two ladies league teams in 2026-27.

History

Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club was founded in 1922–23 by W.C.C. Cooke, who was the headmaster of Northampton Grammar School. The Old Northamptonians Association had been created in 1919 to commemorate those ex-pupils and teachers who were killed in World War I, but the first rugby match played was on 11th November 1922, Armistice Day, between Old Northamptonians and Heathens.^[4]

The Old Northamptonians played a fixture on Boxing Day 1922 on Northampton Racecourse against a Northampton Alliance team; the fixture was advertised in the local newspaper,^[5] but the result is not recorded. The fixture was planned to be replayed during the club's centenary season, on Boxing Day 2022, this time at the home ground at Billing Road.

In the early years, ONRFC did not have their own home ground and played their fixtures at Northampton Racecourse. However in November 1936 the Old Northamptonians Association secured the lease of 17½ acres of previously agricultural land adjoining Billing Road and Park Avenue South, to provide two rugby pitches and one cricket pitch.^[6] At the time the club had rugby two teams, and with the establishment of a home ground, aspired to running four rugby teams. By the end of the 1949–50 season, the club was indeed running four teams, and the Town Planning Committee had approved plans for a clubhouse to be built.^[7]

The club has played an important role in developing players who have gone on to play for Northampton Saints, including Tom Collins and James Grayson. One of the club's most famous former players is Bob Taylor who gained 16 caps for England and 2 caps for the British Lions, as well as becoming President of the RFU in 2007.^[8][9][10]

Honours

• Regional 2 East Midlands champions: 2022–23
• Midlands 3 East (South) champions: 2008–09
• East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 champions: 1992–93
• East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 champions: 1993–94
• East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 champions: 1994–95
• Midlands 1 (east v west) play-off winners (2): 2009–10, 2014–15^[11][12]

Old Northamptonians have won the Northampton & District Alliance Cup 23 times, including a run of 14 consecutive titles from 2004 to 2017. The club regained the title in 2022,^[13] and also won the Lewis Shield and Oceanic Trophy competitions, the first time this "treble" has been achieved.^[14] ONs regained all three trophies in the 2025-26 season, completing the "hat trick" across the competitions for the second time.^[15]

In the centenary season 2022–23, in addition to winning the league, ONs retained the Oceanic Trophy and the Lewis Shield.^[16] Having lost the centenary Alliance Cup Final against rivals Northampton Old Scouts 12-67, ONs went on to win the inaugural Regional 2 Championship of the Papa John's Community Cup at Twickenham.^[17]

Cup competition wins

References

1. ^ "RFU Future Competition Structure". England Rugby. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
2. ^ Correspondent, Alex Lowe, Rugby (2026-04-27). "My day with ‘Dad’s Army’ — where rugby’s heart and soul still lives". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
3. ^ Rendell, Sarah (2025-12-20). "Red Roses and Lionesses made 2025 a watershed year for women’s sport in England". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-05-17.
4. ^ "Northampton Mercury - 10th November 1922"
5. ^ "Northampton Chronicle and Echo - Friday 22 December 1922". The British Newspaper Archive
6. ^ "Playing fields at Abington". Northampton Mercury - 27 November 1936. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
7. ^ "Entertained Opponents". Northampton Chronicle & Echo - 8 July 1950. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
8. ^ "HISTORY". RFU. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
9. ^ "Old Northamptonians Rugby Football Club". Northamptonshire Sport. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
10. ^ "From Saints to RFU President". BBC. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
11. ^ "Midlands Division Play-Offs 2009–10". England Rugby. 1 May 2010. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
12. ^ "PLAY OFF WIN FOR THE ONS". Old Northamptonians RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
13. ^ "ONs regain the Alliance Cup". Old Northamptonians RFC. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
14. ^ "List of Past Winners". Northampton & District Rugby Alliance. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
15. ^ "It's the hat-trick for ON's". Northampton & District Rugby Alliance. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
16. ^ "ONS DOUBLE UP ON FIRST FINALS NIGHT". Northampton & District Alliance. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
17. ^ "WINNERS AT TWICKENHAM IN COMMUNITY CUP FINALS". England Rugby. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.