Valladolid RAC

Valladolid Rugby Asociación Club is a professional Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1986 and currently competes in the División de Honor de Rugby competition, the highest level of Spanish club rugby. The club are based in Valladolid in central Spain. VRAC play in blue and white colours. The team have in the past won both the Spanish League and the Copa del Rey de Rugby. They play at Estadio Pepe Rojo.

Honours División de Honor: 13 (record) Champions: 1998–99, 2000–01, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 Copa del Rey: 7 Champions: 1997–98, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2022–23, 2024–25 Supercopa de España: 8 (record) Champions: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 Copa Ibérica de Rugby: 8 (record) Champions: 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024

European rugby Valladolid RAC's first foray into Europe was in the 2001–02 European Challenge Cup. Playing in a pool with London Irish (England), Dax (France) and L'Aquila (Italy), they lost all six games.

The 2003–04 season saw a change in format in the European Challenge Cup. Teams played in a knockout format, over two legs, in each round. First round losing teams then played in a new, third tier, Shield competition. Having lost heavily home and away to England's Newcastle Falcons in Round 1 of the 2003–04 European Challenge Cup, they dropped into the European Shield. Here their performance against Italy's Overmach Parma was better, but nevertheless they again lost home and away.

The 2004–05 season was a close repeat of 2003–04: heavy losses home and away to Italy's Viadana in the Challenge Cup was followed by even heavier defeats at the hands of England's Leeds in the Shield.

As the winners of the 2011–12 División de Honor de Rugby and the championship playoff, Valladolid RAC qualified to play in the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup but turned down the opportunity due to economic factors. Gernika RT took their place and represented Spain.

As the winners of the 2013–14 División de Honor championship, VRAC qualified to play the Iberian Rugby Cup against CDUL of Lisbon, winning the game and the title.

In 2015/16 season, Valladolid RAC as the champion of the 2014/15 División de Honor championship, represented Spain at the Qualifying Competition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup. In this competition VRAC won two games, against Royal Kituro Rugby Club (Belgium) and Mogliano Rugby (Italy) but lost against Grupo Desportivo Direito (Portugal) and Timișoara Saracens (Romania).

Summary Season Played Won Drew Lost PF PA PD 2001–02 Challenge Cup 6 0 0 6 53 307 −254 2003–04 Challenge Cup 2 0 0 2 37 137 −100 2003–04 Shield 2 0 0 2 19 42 −23 2004–05 Challenge Cup 2 0 0 2 10 147 −137 2004–05 Shield 2 0 0 2 11 174 −163 2015/16 European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition 4 2 0 2 114 68 46 Summary 18 2 0 16 234 875 −641

International honours Víctor Acevedo Fernando de la Calle Aníbal Fernando Bonan Benjamín Pardo Nacho Müller Glen Rolls Nacho Molina

Other notable players Sgt. Adam Newton (English Armed Services XV, England U18) Gareth Griffiths (former player from Bath, international England U18, U19) Mike Davis (International New Zealand Sevens) Lisandro Arbizu (Player/Coach 2012-2014, Argentina international 1990-2005 Cpt 1992-1999)

Season to season SeasonTierDivisionPos.Notes1987–882 División de Honor B9th 1988–892 División de Honor B8th 1989–902 División de Honor B2nd 1990–912 División de Honor B1stPromoted1991–921 División de Honor10th 1992–931 División de Honor10th 1993–941 División de Honor4th 1994–951 División de Honor3rd 1995–961 División de Honor7th 1996–971 División de Honor4th 1997–981 División de Honor4thCup champion1998–991 División de Honor1stLeague champion1999–001 División de Honor5th 2000–011 División de Honor1stLeague champion2001–021 División de Honor5th 2002–031 División de Honor3rd 2003–041 División de Honor3rd 2004–051 División de Honor4th 2005–061 División de Honor6th 2006–071 División de Honor4th 2007–081 División de Honor4th 2008–091 División de Honor4th SeasonTierDivisionPos.Notes2009–101 División de Honor4thCup champion2010–111 División de Honor5th 2011–121 División de Honor / League champion2012–131 División de Honor / League champion2013–141 División de Honor / League/Cup champion2014–151 División de Honor / League/Cup champion2015–161 División de Honor / 2016–171 División de Honor / League champion2017–181 División de Honor / League/Cup champion2018–191 División de Honor / League champion2019–201 División de HonorLeague champion2020–211 División de Honor / League champion2021–221 División de Honor2022–231 División de Honor / League champion2023–241 División de Honor / League champion2024–251 División de Honor -

34 seasons in División de Honor

Valladolid RAC

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