College rugby at Cambridge University
Cambridge University Rugby Football Union (CURFU) is a constituent body (CB) of the RFU that helps organise and manage rugby (non-professional and community-based clubs/schools/universities).
The 35 Constituent Bodies (CBs) of the RFU comprise counties - some individual some combined - the three Armed Forces, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the England Schools Rugby Football Union and England Students. Depending on its number of member clubs, each CB annually elects members to the RFU Council which is the body overseeing the RFU.
Our current CB Council representative is Dick Tyler (Fitzwilliam), a Blue from 1979-81.
Cambridge University Rugby Football Union has a long and illustrious history, with inter-college rugby being played for nearly a century with the first recorded victors of Cuppers being Gonville and Caius College in 1926.
Today, college’s play in a structured, flexible and friendly league programme whilst the much-celebrated Cuppers competition remains a key part of the rugby calendar at Cambridge University each season.
Why play college rugby?
College Rugby at Cambridge exists to offer all students challenge, opportunity, friendship and fun.
College Rugby Programmes at Cambridge is very much built around the RFU’s Core Values of;
- Teamwork
- Respect
- Enjoyment
- Discipline
- Sportsmanship
Men’s College rugby at Cambridge is inclusive, flexible, safe and caters for players of all abilities so whether you want to play regularly, a few matches a year or support your college team off the field, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.
After two disrupted seasons’ due to the pandemic, men’s college rugby returned to the manicured rugby pitches across Cambridge colleges in October 2021. Since the start of the 21/22 season, there have been over 130 college matches played through league, cuppers, friendlies, Old Boys matches and sister college fixtures.
Div 1 league winners
21/22 - Queens/Jesus
22/23 – St John’s
Div 2 league winners
22/23 – CCK (Clare, Corpus and King’s)
Cuppers Results 2023;
- Cuppers - St Johns 19 - 3 Fitzwilliam/SidneySussex
- Plate – St Catharine’s/Homerton 24 - 19 Jesus
- Shield – CCK 5 – 43 Churchill/Magdalene
- Bowl – All Greys 32 – 12 P.E.S.T RFC
Women’s college rugby
Women’s college rugby is still growing at Cambridge but currently we don’t quite have the playing numbers for an intercollege competition. However, there are lots of opportunities to play rugby at Cambridge with CURUFC.
CURUFC is a wholly amateur but professionally run student rugby club representing the University of Cambridge. The Club is made up of both women’s teams (1st, 2nd the Tigers, 3rd the Jaguars) and men’s teams (1st, 2nd the LX Club, 3rd the Centurions).
The women’s team is open to all players, whether you have played a lot or not all! All teams train regularly throughout the season and have strong midweek fixtures against other clubs and universities. There are also ‘taster’/development sessions at the start of each year.
For more information on Women’s rugby at CURUFC please contact admin@curufc.com
Our colleges and men’s teams
For the 23/24 season there will be 12 teams competing the CURFU League programme.
- All Grey's
- CCK
- Churchill / Magdalene
- Downing/Caius
- Fitzwilliam/Sidney Sussex
- P.E.S.T
- Pirton
- Queens'/Jesus
- Robinson
- St Catharine's/Homerton
- St John's
- Trinity Christ's
For more information regarding college rugby please contact
Tom Stokes
College Rugby Manager
crm@curufc.com
07391 163385
Fitzwilliam College
Fitzwilliam College, founded in 1869, has established itself as Cambridge’s top sporting college, dominating Football, Cricket, and Hockey over the past decade. This is now true for Rugby, as the FSCRUFC secured a historic double in 2020 – winning both Division 1 and Cuppers – validating Fitz as Cambridge’s top rugby college. Modern-day successes echo historic ones and FCRUFC alumni includes Alistair Hignell (England), and Eddie Butler (Wales and British Lions) who spoke at the club’s annual ‘Old-Boys’ fixture and AGM.
The club is proudly partnered with Sidney Sussex College, with whom many players have established firm friendships. Closer to home, social events are staged in Fitz’s rugby bar – the only designated College rugby bar in the University – built by members of the college in 1970 to remember alumni who lost their lives in WWI. These include post-game socials, international screenings, and termly Beers. The bar sits with the team’s clubhouse on Oxford Road pitches
In 2021/22 FitzSidney RFC had an outstanding year, led by captain Billy Thomas-Connolly, they narrowly missed out on winning the League and Cuppers titles.
2022/23 Fitzwilliam Rugby Captain is Tom Ryan tr452@cam.ac.uk
@fitzsportsandsocs
http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/
Girton College
'The college was established on 16th October 1869 as the pioneering and therefore first residential College for women in England. The college became mixed in 1977 with the arrival of the first male Fellows, and male undergraduates have been admitted since 1979. The equal balance between the numbers of men and women, amongst both the Fellowship and the students, is matched by no other College. Girton occupies spacious grounds to the northwest of the centre of Cambridge.
Boasting its own pitches and gym on site, the college thrives on the sports field. The rugby club, normally featuring in one of the top two divisions, aims to encourage new players to join but equally often fields strong sides with several university players
In recent year Girton has almalgmated with Pembroke College to form ‘Pirton RFC’
2022/23 Girton Rugby Captain is Evan Hall eh693@cam.ac.uk
@pirtonrfc
http://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/
Homerton College
The newest Cambridge college having gained our Royal Charter in 2010 but have participated in College and University rugby for many years. With around 580 undergraduates and a postgraduate community of c. 350 doing Masters, PHDs and PGCE, Homerton has more students than any other Cambridge college. The College was founded in Homerton High Street, London, in 1768, and moved to Cambridge in 1894.
Until 2001 it only admitted Education Studies students whereas now it offers all subjects. Homerton has a wide range of thriving student clubs and societies, including a Boat club, Music Society, and a resident drama society, HATS. It is the only College with a paid sabbatical JCR President.
Last year, Homerton College, in partnership with St Mary’s School, opened up a brand new state of the art sports facility – including a full size, floodlit 3G rugby pitch
Homerton College Rugby Captain is Tomas Miller tm742@cam.ac.uk
@homertoncollegerfc
http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/
Selwyn College
Situated on the Western side of Cambridge, next to the Grange Road pitches, Selwyn College was founded in 1882 in memory of George Augustus Selwyn, the first Archbishop of New Zealand. Selwyn has been home to many notable alumni, including the comedian and actor Hugh Laurie, the author Robert Harris, and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu.
Due to the college’s smaller size, rugby is run in conjunction with Peterhouse but despite this, Selwyn Peterhouse have a reputation for fielding strong teams, winning the cuppers plate in 2017 and bowl in 2020. Selwyn Peterhouse offers an opportunity for new players whilst also feeding players into the university teams.
2022/23 Selwyn Peterhouse Rugby Captain is Adrian Biddle ajb366@cam.ac.uk
@selwynpeterhouse
http://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/
Sidney Sussex College
Founded in 1594 by Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex, Sidney Sussex College is the newest of the ‘old colleges’ in Cambridge. Known for having the fortunate positron of being placed across the road from Sainsburys, it seems Lady Sidney must have had some sort of foresight regarding the needs of her future students. Notable alumni include the TV personality Carol Vordeman and the military and political leader Oliver Cromwell.
The club is proudly partnered with Fitzwilliam College, with whom many players have established firm friendships.
In 2021/22 FitzSidney RFC had an outstanding year, led by captain Billy Thomas-Connolly, they narrowly missed out on winning the League and Cuppers titles.
2022/23 Fitzwilliam/Sidney Sussex Rugby Captain is Tom Ryan tr452@cam.ac.uk
http://www.sid.cam.ac.uk/
St Edmund's College
Eddies have been a side predominantly made up of post graduate Blues and post graduate academics with no rugby experience. Always an entertaining side that has won cuppers on occasions the last time being in 2012.
St Edmund's College received its Royal Charter in 1996. St Edmund's is one of four Cambridge colleges oriented to mature students, only accepting those reading for either Masters or Doctorate degrees, or undergraduate degrees if they are aged 21 or older (two other colleges cater to graduate students only). Over three-quarters of St Edmund's students are studying towards higher degrees, usually the PhD, MPhil or LLM degrees.
St Edmunds, along with Darwin, Wolfson College, Hughes Hall have amalgamated to form the All Greys RFC – in reference to their ‘seniority’ and possible grey hairs!?
If you attend St Edmunds and want to play College Rugby for the All Greys, please contact Min Kyoo- Kim - mkk44@cam.ac.uk or Stefan Nixon ssn34@cam.ac.uk
http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/