Oundle Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in Oundle, Northamptonshire. The first XV team currently play in National League 2 East – tier 4 of the English rugby union system – following promotion from Regional 1 South East at the end of the 2024–25 season. The club also run 2nd and 3rd XVs, an Oundle Vets XV, under-18s and a range of junior teams.[1]
The club was formed in 1976 and in the early years of the league system the club played in the lower levels of the East Midlands leagues.[2] The club won promotion from Midlands 4 East (South) in 2014[3] and this saw the start of the club’s rise to the fifth tier of the English rugby union system.
Ground
Oundle have been based at Occupation Road since it’s inception in 1976, offering cricket, bowling and tennis as well as rugby union. Facilities at the ground include a club-house (originally a tea-room transported from Thorney Wildlife Park) and three full size rugby pitches. Ground capacity around the main pitch is around 1,000 (all standing).[2][4]
Current standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bury St Edmunds | 24 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 998 | 610 | +388 | 20 | 4 | 98 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Oundle | 24 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 865 | 651 | +214 | 19 | 1 | 96 | Promotion Play-off |
| 3 | Old Albanian | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 900 | 699 | +201 | 20 | 3 | 91 | |
| 4 | Dorking | 24 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 758 | 521 | +237 | 13 | 6 | 79 | |
| 5 | Barnes | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 671 | 555 | +116 | 13 | 5 | 76 | |
| 6 | Canterbury | 23 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 694 | 580 | +114 | 13 | 5 | 74 | |
| 7 | Westcombe Park | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 730 | 686 | +44 | 17 | 7 | 68 | |
| 8 | Havant | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 792 | 840 | −48 | 18 | 1 | 65 | |
| 9 | Guernsey Raiders | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 657 | 782 | −125 | 13 | 3 | 62 | |
| 10 | London Welsh | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 646 | 819 | −173 | 15 | 8 | 59 | |
| 11 | Esher | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 733 | 776 | −43 | 14 | 5 | 55 | |
| 12 | Henley Hawks | 24 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 608 | 629 | −21 | 10 | 9 | 51 | Relegation Play-off |
| 13 | Sevenoaks | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 661 | 794 | −133 | 11 | 5 | 44 | Relegation place |
| 14 | Oxford Harlequins (R) | 23 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 448 | 1219 | −771 | 9 | 2 | 19 |
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Number of matches drawn
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Honours
- Midlands 3 East (South) champions: 2015–16[6]
- Midlands 2 East play-off winners 2016–17[7]
- Regional 1 South East champions: 2024–25
References
- ^ › teams Club website – teams
- ^ a b “Club History”. Oundle RFC. 22 August 2025.
- ^ “2013-2014 Midlands Division”. England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ “Oundle Rugby Football Club Welcome Pack” (PDF). Oundle RFC. 22 August 2025.
- ^ “National League 2 East”. NCA Rugby.
- ^ “2015-2016 Midlands Division”. England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ “Oundle Make It To Midlands 1!”. Oundle RFC (Pitchero). 29 April 2017.
