Old Swinford Hospital RFC is the rugby union football club of Old Swinford Hospital School in Stourbridge. The school has been considered as one of the top rugby schools in the country, holding a highly successful playing record and with many players playing at regional level and an increasing number going on to play professionally and internationally.
Rugby at the school starts at Under-12 level and is played in individual year groups until Under-16 level where the players enter the senior rugby system, where there are four senior XV's for players to play in.
The school's 1st XV and U15 teams both compete in the Daily Mail Cup and it is not uncommon for the teams to reach the late stages of the competition, in the 2011/2012 season the 1st XV made it to the final of the U18 cup at Twickenham, unfortunately losing to Dulwich College 15–8. However Swinford scored the only try through Cass Brookes. Also, in the 2016/2017 season the 1XV managed to play at Sixways Stadium, Home of the Worcester Warriors to compete in the Natwest Bowl, which they won 25–13. This has led to a large following by members of the school both past and present. On many occasions a 1st XV match will attract a large proportion of the school community to the sidelines.
Unusual Matches
In the late 1970s a game of rugby was being played on Top Field, which concealed the old World War II air raid shelters, long since closed up. During the game a maul was formed and the roof of the air raid shelter collapsed leading to the pile of players falling through the hole. After that the field was not declared playable until the shelters had been filled and reinforced.
1st XV Captains Dates Name Notes 1986-1987 M Evans 1987-1988 T Vaughan 1988-1989 A Bradley 1989–1990 W Coles 1990-1991 J Simpson 1991–1992 R Greasley 1992-1993 G England 1993-1994 A Driver 1994–1995 J Hyatt 1995–1996 B Corfield 1996-1997 A Gibson 1997–1998 J Shaw 1998–1999 D Quinn 1999–2000 D Burr 2000–2001 T Daplyn 2001–2002 A Cambridge 2002–2003 R Harding 2003–2004 J Pette 2004-2005 C Pennell 2005–2006 H Southall 2006–2008 D Willis 2008-2009 S Sutherland 2009-2010 A Nixon 2010-2011 R Williamson 2011-2012 E Taylor 2012-2013 R Williams 2013-2014 H Taylor2018-2019 A Shaw2019-2020 B Meakin 2020-2021 N Sinandima 2021-2022 W Webb 2022-2023 T Miller
Coaches Dates Name 1989–2002 Peter Jones 2000-2002 Peter Jones & Nick Tisdale 2002-2008 Nick Tisdale & Andrew Coalter 2008–2018 Andrew Coalter & Simon Daws 2008–Present Andrew Coalter & Shaun Perry
Notable players Richard West Joe Shaw James Tideswell George Robson James Collins Chris Pennell Rhys Crane Daniel Willis (Ex Worcester Warriors player. Retired at age 19 due to a knee injury) Max Stelling (Worcester Warriors) Ed Taylor (Bedford Blues Rugby) Sam Smith (England U17, England U18) Huw Taylor (England U17, England U18) George Trimmer (Ex Nottingham Rugby & Worcester Warriors. Retired aged 21 due to Knee Injury)
Tours YearToCaptainWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints Against1991 CanadaJ Simpson1993 CanadaG England1996 South AfricaB Corfield1998 South AmericaJ Shaw2000 AustraliaD Burr2002 South AfricaA Cambridge204431142004 New Zealand and The Cook IslandsJ Pette302110642006 Australia and FijiH Southall401189202008 South Africa and NamibiaD Vermont500207642010 Australia and MalaysiaA Nixon500N/AN/A
1st XV Playing Record
Daily Mail Cup 2007/2008
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
5th Round
6th Round
Quarter Final
2006/2007
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
5th Round
2005/2006
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round: Bye
3rd Round
4th Round
5th Round
6th Round
Quarter Final
2004/2005
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
5th Round
6th Round
Quarter Final
Semi-Final
2003/2004
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
2002/2003
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
5th Round
6th Round
Quarter Final
2001/2002
1st Round: Bye
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
2000/2001
1st Round
2nd Round
3rd Round
4th Round
The National Schools 7's 2009/2010 TeamPldWDLPFPA Old Swinford Hospital440011651 Ysgol Gyfun Morgannwg420210967 John Fisher School42029279 Wisbech Grammar School42027783 Worthing College400428142
Final 16
Quarter Final
2007/2008 TeamPldWDLPFPA Kirkham Grammar School440012624 Old Swinford Hospital430115519 Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr42027960 Bury Grammar School410336139 Medina High School400421175
2006/2007 TeamPldWDLPFPA Old Swinford Hospital440017933 Llandovery College430112626 Ysgol Gyfun Llanari4202102116 Isleworth and Syon Boys' School410373101 Uxbridge School40040204
Final 16
Quarter Final
Semi-Final
2005/2006 TeamPldWDLPFPA The Manchester Grammar School33009934 Old Swinford Hospital32019032 Greenhill School31026472 Emanuel School300310125
2004/2005 TeamPldWDLPFPA Old Swinford Hospital330010933 Adams Grammar School32019443 Coleg Gwent, Crosskeys College31024742 Chew Valley School30030132
Final 32
Final 16
2003/2004 TeamPldWDLPFPA Old Swinford Hospital33005820 Colston's School32016936 Latymer Upper School31024657 St Benedicts School, Ealing30030132
Final 32
See also Old Swinford Hospital Daily Mail Cup The National Schools 7's
References
External links Old Swinford Hospital Old Swinford on Schools Rugby