The Surrey County Rugby Football Union is the union responsible for rugby union in the county of Surrey, England, and parts of London. It is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having been formed in 1879.
History Early years of County representative team The earliest recorded game played by a team purporting to represent Surrey under rugby union auspices was played before the Surrey County Club has been formed. This was played on 21 February 1878 against Middlesex and won by Surrey with a try scored by AS Trevor.Rugby in Surrey at Old Cranleighan Rugby Club Official site
Formation of the County Club On 22 December 1879, a meeting was held at the York Hotel, on Waterloo Road, South London (then in Surrey), at which the County Club was formed. Two fixtures were played that season. The first was against Middlesex which turned out to be an easy win for Surrey. However, their confidence was put into check when they were soundly beaten by Yorkshire. Another match with Middlesex was played at Old Deer Park on 6 December 1880 with the result of each fifteen scoring one goal, in what was described as a ″splendidly-contested game″.
County side
Honours County Championship finals (2 wins);
Year Winners Home team Score Away team Venue Notes 1896 Yorkshire Surrey 4 – 16 Yorkshire Richmond 1938 Lancashire Lancashire 24 – 12 Surrey Blundellsands 1960 Warwickshire Warwickshire 9 – 6 Surrey Coundon Road, Coventry 1967 (replay) Surrey 14 – 14 Durham County Twickenham Durham County 0 – 0 Surrey Hartlepool title shared after a drawn replay 1971 Surrey Gloucestershire 3 – 14 Surrey Kingsholm
County Championship Shield finals (4 wins);
Year Winners Score Runners-up Notes 2005 Surrey 29 - 18 Somerset 2011 Dorset & Wilts 43 – 22 Surrey 2012 Surrey 43 – 12 Leicestershire 2013 Surrey 21 – 16 Cumbria 2014 Surrey 39 – 12 Leicestershire
County Championship Plate finals (1 win);
Year Winners Score Runners-up Notes 2015 Surrey 17 – 3 Eastern Counties
Notable players for the County side
Many notable players have represented Surrey. The most appearances in County Championship games for the Surrey side have been by:
Bob Hiller (Harlequins) – 68 Bob Lloyd (Harlequins) – 46 Stanley Couchman (Old Cranleighans) – 45 Ted Priest (Old Alleynians) – 39
Other famous players include: George Doherty (former captain of Ireland) Jonny Wilkinson Fraser Gore
Presidents
2025-2026 Mrs J Fisher (Chobham) 2024-2025 J Pownall (Farnham) 2023-2024 D Doonan (Barnes) 2022-2023 G Ashburn (Mitcham & Carshalton) 2020-2021 T Long (London Irish Amateur) 2019-2020 N Heslop (Chobham) 2018-2019 D Druckman (KCS Old Boys) 2017-2018 Mrs J Anastasi (Richmond) 2016-2017 J Collins (Warlingham) 2015-2016 T Sokell (Effingham & Leatherhead) 2014-2015 J Raywood (Sutton & Epsom) 2013-2014 K Heal (Egham Hollowegians) 2012-2013 I Thirlwall (Chipstead) 2011-2012 P A Agate (Warlingham) 2009-2011 F U Batchelor (Old Freemens) 2008-2009 J N Vale (Sutton & Epsom) 2007-2008 G Hunt (Chobham) 2006-2007 E C S Ivens (Dorking) 2005-2006 E J StJ Thomas (Sutton & Epsom) 2003-2005 J E Douglas (Dorking) 2001-2003 Dr J D Carroll (Guildford) 1999-2001 J D E Hamilton (KCS Old Boys) 1997-1999 R N Chamberlain (Camberley) 1995-1997 J G Kemp (Wasps) 1993-1995 B P Miles (University Vandals) 1991-1993 C M Herridge (Cobham and Harlequins) 1989-1991 J P Collis (Old Whitfitians) 1987-1989 E G Lovering (Bec Old Boys) 1985-1987 D S Straw (Old Whitgiftians) 1983-1985 D E Wood (Streatham-Croydon) 1981-1983 R M Bartlett (Harlequins) 1979-1981 B Utting (Streatham-Croydon) 1978-1979 M F Turner (Old Whitgiftians) 1977-1978 R C Finch (Old Rustlishians) 1975-1977 A T T Street (Guildford & Godalming) 1973-1975 M F Turner (Old Whitgiftians) 1971-1973 D K Brooks (Harlequins) 1968-1971 D H Frankford (Old Alleynians) 1967-1968 F J Monkhouse (University Vandals) 1964-1967 J H S Howard (Streatham-Croydon) 1962-1964 B E Nicholson (Old Whitgiftians) 1961-1962 T E Priest (Old Alleynians) 1958-1961 S R Couchman (Old Cranleighans) 1957-1958 H A Brashier (Blackheath and Esher) 1955-1957 E C P Whitely (Old Alleynians) 1950-1955 H R Frisby (Streatham) 1948-1950 A J Trollope (Croydon) 1920-1948 A D Stoop (Harlequins) 1913-1920 R A Sawyer (Lennox) 1911-1913 C T Mabey (Streatham) 1909-1911 H J Barclay (Sutton) 1907-1909 M F Waters (Old Merchant Taylors) 1905-1907 H E Steed (Lennox) 1903-1905 T S T Tregallas (Lennox) 1901-1903 L Mortimer (Richmond)
Affiliated clubs There are currently 70 full member mens adult clubs affiliated with the Surrey RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level and are based in Surrey and parts of London. Many of the London-based sides are also members of the Middlesex RFU.
Barnes Battersea Ironsides Bec Old Boys Camberley Chipstead Chobham Cobham Cranleigh RFC Croydon Dorking Economicals Effingham & Leatherhead Egham Hollowegians Esher Farnham Guildford Guildfordians Harlequins Amateurs Haslemere KCS Old Boys Kew Occasionals Kingston Kingston University Law Society Lightwater London Exiles London Irish Wild Geese Merton Met Police Mitcham & Carshalton Old Alleynians Old Blues Old Caterhamians Old Cranleighans Old Emanuel Old Freemen's Old Georgians Old Haileyburians Old Johnian Old Oundelians Old Pauline Old Reigatian Old Rutlishians Old Suttonians Old Tiffinians Old Walcountians Old Whitgiftian Old Wimbledonians Purley John Fisher Raynes Park Reeds Weybridge Reigate & Horley Richmond Rosslyn Park Royal Holloway University South London Stags Southwark Tigers Streatham-Croydon Surbiton Decca Sutton & Epsom Teddington Trailfinders Trinity Wandsworthians Warlingham Weybridge Vandals Wimbledon Woking Worth Old Boys
Defunct clubs Airoch Crusaders RFC Horley Lennox London Irish Old Tonbridgians OR Serpents South Godstone Old Wellingtonians
County club competitions The Surrey RFU currently runs the following club competitions for club sides based in Surrey and parts of London:
Leagues Post the 2022 Adult Competition Review
Counties 1 Surrey / Sussex – league ranked at tier 7 of the English rugby union system Counties 2 Surrey – league ranked at tier 8 Counties 3 Surrey – league ranked at tier 9 Counties 4 Surrey – league ranked at tier 10 Counties 5 Surrey – league ranked at tier 11
Prior to the 2022 Adult Competition Review
Surrey 1 – league ranked at tier 9 of the English rugby union system Surrey 2 – tier 10 league Surrey 3 – tier 11 league Surrey 4 – tier 12 league Surrey 5 – tier 13 league that ran between 1989 and 1992 Cups Surrey Cup – founded in 1890, for local clubs at tier 5 of the English rugby union system Surrey Trophy – founded in 2009, for clubs at tiers 6–8 Surrey Shield – founded in 1998, for clubs at tiers 9–10 Surrey Bowl – founded in 2006, for clubs at tiers 11–12
See also London & SE Division English rugby union system
Notes
References
External links