Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club or CRUFC ('The Blood & Sand') is an English rugby union club representing the city of Cambridge. Formed in 1923, the club competes in the third tier of the English rugby union system, National League 1, following relegation from Champ Rugby in 2025–26. The club plays its home matches at the 2.200 capacity Grantchester Road ground, in the suburb of Newnham, approximately two kilometres south-west of the city centre. The club runs three senior squads: the national league squad, a development squad, and a social squad. At junior level the club runs one of the oldest mini and youth rugby sections in the country, starting back in the early 1970s, with a colts team for under-18s.

History

Cambridge RUFC was formed in 1923 and was settled in its current ground by the 1950s. In 1993 the club was offered the opportunity to buy the lease on its existing three pitches and to buy adjoining land for a further three pitches from King's College. Floodlights were added to one of these pitches in 2003 so that evening games might be played and the light available for training was improved.

Cambridge RUFC joined the newly formed league structure in 1988 and by 1991 was playing in London 3 North East. After five years in this division, the club was promoted to London 2 North and after four years in this division, was promoted at the end of the 1998–99 season to London 1, which feeds into the National Leagues. In the club's first season in London 1, they achieved 4th place, plus a run to the semi-final of the NPI Cup, falling just one match from Twickenham, after defeat away at Hull by 21–17. London 1 status was secured again for the 2001–02 Season, but the squad led to relegation at the end of that season. However, by the end of the 2003–04 season, a rebuilt side regained promotion to London 1. Cambridge also won the Eastern Counties Cup for the first time and regained the Cambridgeshire Cup from perennial rivals Shelford. This time, the stay in London 1 was to be even shorter; At the end of an exciting season the League championship lay between Worthing and Cambridge at the start of the final round of matches: Worthing at home to Canterbury and Cambridge at home to Basingstoke. The championship would go to the team achieving the greatest points difference. In the event, Cambridge won by 96–15 and Worthing were condemned to the play-offs. Cambridge went on to beat Norwich in the Eastern Counties Cup Final and Shelford in the Cambridgeshire Cup Final — the second successive treble, and promotion to National League rugby for the first time.

In the 2005–06 season Cambridge once again secured promotion after a two horse race. This time with Norfolk & East Anglian Giants North Walsham who had been present in this league for well over a decade. Cambridge squeezed past them with a last day win at Reading while North Walsham failed by 21–20 at Southend. This was all the more lucky as North Walsham had secured the bonus point for four tries but failed with all four conversions. In the 2006–07 season Cambridge managed to consolidate their position in National Division Two with a 9th-place finish. In the 2008–09 season Cambridge finished second in the league and would have been promoted had it not been for the re-organisation of the leagues in mid season.

League history Overall

YearLeaguePositionNotes 1987–88 No league 1988–89 Eastern Counties Division 1 1989–90 London Division 4 North-East 1990–91 London Division 3 North-East 1991–92 London Division 3 North-East 1st 1992–93 London Division 3 North-East 1993–94 London Division 3 North-East 1994–95 London Division 3 North-East 1995–96 London Division 2 North 1996–97 London Division 2 North 4th 1997–98 London Division 2 North 3rd 1998–99 London Division 2 North 1st Promoted to London Division One 1999–2000 London Division 1 4th NPI Cup semi-final 2000–01 London Division 1 8th 2001–02 London Division 1 12th relegated 2002–03 London Division 2 North 4th 2003–04 London Division 2 North 2nd Promoted via play-off; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions 2004–05 London Division 1 1st Promoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions 2005–06 National Division 3 South 1st Promoted; Eastern Counties & Cambridgeshire Cup champions 2006–07 National Division 2 9th 5th round in Powergen National Trophy 2007–08 National Division 2 5th 2008–09 National Division 2 2nd Would have been promoted but for the RFU league structure changes 2009–10 National League 1 4th League renamed 2010–11 National League 1 3rd 2011–12 National League 1 12th 2012–13 National League 1 16th Relegated 2013–14 National League 2 South 7th 2014–15 National League 2 South 6th 2015–16 National League 2 South 1st Promoted to National League 1 2016–17 National League 1 14th 2017–18 National League 1 10th 2018–19 National League 1 13th 2020–21 National League 1 9th 2021–21 National League 1 N/A League games cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic 2021–22 National League 1 4th 2022–23 National League 1 1st Promoted 2023–24 RFU Championship 11th No relegation 2024–25 RFU Championship 12th No relegation 2025–26 Champ Rugby 14th Relegated

Players A number of players have gone on to gain International rugby honours, including Dickie Jeeps (England and British Lions), Andy Hancock (England), Bob Steven (Scotland), Trefor Evans (Wales), Simon Culhane New Zealand, including appearances in the 1995 World Cup Finals, and Alex Goode (England). Many more have earned age grade or England Counties caps. In 2014 Martin Wolfenden represented Zimbabwe in the qualifying competition for the Rugby World Cup.

The club's most capped player is the late Shaun Gadsby who made 505 appearances for the club, his last being in the 2003/04 season aged 40.

Honours Senior team London 3 North East: champions: 1991–92 London Division Two North: 1998–99 Eastern Counties Cup (3): 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06 Cambridgeshire Cup (3): 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06 London 2 (north v south) promotion play-off winner: 2003–04 London Division One: 2004–05 National League 2 South (2): 2005–06, 2015–16 National League 1: champions 2022–23

Youth teams Eastern Counties U-17s Cup (3): 1992, 2002, 2006 Eastern Counties U-19s Cup (3): 1994, 2003, 2004 National U-19 Plate (1): 2002

Current standings

Current squad

The Cambridge squad for the 26/27 National 1 Rugby Season is:

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

References

External links