Falmouth RFC
Rugby union club, based in Cornwall
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Falmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Falmouth, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, playing in Counties 2 Cornwall at the eighth tier of the English league system, following relegation from Counties 1 Western West at the end of the 2023–24 season. The club play at the Recreation Ground. They enjoy a rivalry with close neighbours, Penryn.
| |||
| Full name | Falmouth Rugby Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Cornwall RFU | ||
| Nickname | Eagles | ||
| Founded | 1873 | ||
| Location | Falmouth, Cornwall, England | ||
| Ground | The Recreation Ground (Capacity: 3,000) | ||
| Chairman | John Bullock | ||
| Coach | Josh Lord | ||
| Captain | Tom Spiller | ||
| League | Counties 2 Cornwall | ||
| 2024–25 | 3rd | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| www | |||
History
Founded in 1873, Falmouth have produced two players who have been capped by the England national team: John Jackett and Jim George. Jackett played thirteen times for England making his debut on 2 December 1905 against New Zealand at Crystal Palace. He also toured with the British Lions to New Zealand and Australia in 1908.[1] Jim George made his debut against Scotland on 15 March 1947 and played a further two matches against France and Ireland.[1] On 24 November 1926, Cornwall played what was considered the best New Zealand Māori rugby union team at Falmouth, with Cornwall winning 6–3.[2]
During the 1970s the club had a relatively successful spell when they were considered one of the best sides in Cornwall, winning the Cornwall Cup twice as well as finishing top of the Cornwall Merit Table in 1977. When league rugby was introduced in 1987, Falmouth were placed in the Cornwall/Devon League, at tier 8 of the English rugby union system. Following the club's relegation at the end of the 1989–90 season they spent much of the next decade playing in Cornwall League 1. A second promotion from Cornwall League 1 early on in the 21st century, saw Falmouth consolidate its position in the Cornwall/Devon League, with fourteen uninterrupted seasons in tier 8. At the end of the 2017–18 season Falmouth won the Cornwall/Devon league title and with it promotion to Western Counties West, the highest level the club had reached so far.
Season summary
| Season | League | National Cup(s) | County Cup(s) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition/Level | Position | Points | Competition | Performance | Competition | Performance | ||||||||
| 1987–88 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 5th | 12 | |||||||||||
| 1988–89 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 3rd | 12 | |||||||||||
| 1989–90 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | (relegated) | ||||||||||||
| 1990–91 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 2nd | ||||||||||||
| 1991–92 | Cornwall 1 (9) | Cornwall Junior Knockout Plate | Winners | |||||||||||
| 1992–93 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 2nd | ||||||||||||
| 1993–94 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 2nd | ||||||||||||
| 1994–95 | Cornwall 1 (9) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–96 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 2nd | 16 | |||||||||||
| 1996–97 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 1st (promoted)[3] | 34 | |||||||||||
| 1997–98 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 5th[4] | 20 | |||||||||||
| 1998–99 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 10th (relegated)[5] | -6 | |||||||||||
| 1999–00 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 7th[6] | 10 | |||||||||||
| 2000–01 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 4th[7] | 16 | Cornwall Clubs Cup | [8] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 7th[9] | 12 | Cornwall Clubs Cup | Semi-finals[10] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | Cornwall 1 (9) | 1st (promoted)[11] | 29 | Powergen Junior Vase | 5th Round[12][13] | Cornwall Clubs Cup | Winners | |||||||
| 2003–04 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 8th[14] | 16 | Powergen Junior Vase[15] | 1st Round[16] | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 9th[17] | 16 | Powergen Junior Vase | 3rd Round[18][19] | Cornwall Cup | 1st Round[20] | |||||||
| 2005–06 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 3rd[21] | 31 | Powergen Junior Vase[22] | 5th Round[23][24] | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 6th[25] | 21 | EDF Energy Senior Vase[26] | 1st Round[27] | Cornwall Cup | [28] | |||||||
| 2007–08 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 7th[29] | 21 | EDF Energy Senior Vase | 2nd Round[30][31] | Cornwall Cup | [32] | |||||||
| 2008–09 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 14th[33][a 1] | 2 | EDF Energy Senior Vase | 1st Round[34] | |||||||||
| 2009–10 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 8th[35] | 30 | Cornwall Cup | Quarter-finals[36] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 6th | 70[a 2] | Cornwall Cup | Quarter-finals[37][38] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 7th | 67 | |||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 8th[39] | 51 | Cornwall Cup | 1st Round[40] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 6th | 61 | |||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 6th[41] | 71 | Cornwall Cup | 1st Round[42][43] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 6th[44] | 75 | Cornwall Cup | 1st Round[45] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | Cornwall/Devon (8) | 1st (promoted)[46] | 112 | Cornwall Cup | Semi-finals[47] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | Western Counties West (7) | 12th[48] | 49 | Cornwall Cup | Quarter-finals[49] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | Western Counties West (7) | 7th[50] | 57 | Cornwall Cup | 1st Round[51] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | Western Counties West (7) | 10th | 43.73[a 3] | Cornwall Cup | ||||||||||
| 2020–21 | Western Counties West (7) | |||||||||||||
| Green background stands for either league champions (with promotion) or cup winners. Blue background stands for promotion without winning league or losing cup finalists. Pink background stands for relegation. | ||||||||||||||
- First team
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899–1900 | 28 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 169 | 85 | [53] |
- Falmouth Albion Reserves
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899–1900 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 158 | 75 | |
- Falmouth One and All
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899–1900 | 20 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 340 | 24 | |
Honours
- Cornwall Club Champions: 1899–1900
- Cornwall Cup winners (2): 1973–74, 1976–77
- CRFU Official Merit Table champions: 1976–77
- Cornwall Clubs Cup winners (2): 1991–92, 2002–03
- Cornwall League 1 champions (2): 1996–97, 2002–03
- Tribute Cornwall/Devon champions: 2016–17
Notes
- There was no relegation from Cornwall/Devon at the end of 2008–09 season, which meant Falmouth were saved from relegation despite finishing bottom of the table.
- The 2010–11 season would see the introduction of bonus points into lower league English rugby union (tier 6 and below).
- The season was postponed and ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom with Falmouth sitting in 8th, having played 22 games and gained 37 points. The remaining games were calculated on a 'best playing record formula', with Falmouth remaining in 10th place with 43.73 points.[52]