Burgess Hill RFC

50°57′29″N 0°09′11″W / 50.958°N 0.153°W / 50.958; -0.153

Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club
UnionSussex RFU
Nickname(s)Sussex All Blacks
Founded1962
LocationBurgess Hill, West Sussex, England
Ground(s)Southway Recreation Ground
League(s)Sussex 1
2019–204th
Team kit
Official website
www.bhrfc.co.uk

Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club or BHRFC, known as the Sussex All Blacks,[1] is a rugby union club in Sussex, England.[2][3] The team currently fields a 1st XV in the Sussex Spitfire 1 league,[4] and a 2nd XV in the Sussex 'Oranjeboom' 2 West league.[5]

The team is based at the Southway Recreation ground, on Poveys Close, Burgess Hill, which is owned and managed by Mid Sussex District Council.[6]

History

[edit]

The club was formed in late 1961 and the first game was played towards the end of the 1961–2 season away to Hove Yeoman (3rd XV), winning the game 28–0. The first matches were played in a white and blue kit, but at the end of the season the club voted to move to an all black strip.[7]

The first full season was in 1962-3 and the team was based at the Fairfield recreation ground, with social aspects being undertaken at the Kings Head public house. The social venue moved on to the Potters and then to the Junction Inn until a permanent club house was built in 1970 at the Southway recreation ground, where the club is based to this day.[7]

Performance

[edit]

The team has consistently played in the Sussex RFU leagues, posting its highest ever league finish in the 2010–11 season, coming second in the Sussex Division 1, although missing out on promotion in the playoff against Sheppey Rugby Football Club.[8][9] In the same year the team won the knockout Sussex Shield competition[9][10] and the Maastrich International 10s tournament.[11]

Club honours

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1st Team:

2nd Team:

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "Councillors agree strategy for new Burgess Hill homes". Mid Sussex Times. 22 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Twickenham dream is still alive for three Sussex clubs". The Argus. 12 December 2006.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Sports Clubs". Burgess Hill Town Council.
  4. ^ "Match by Division: Sussex Spitfire 1". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  5. ^ "Two West Table" (PDF). Sussex Rugby Football Union. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2012.
  6. ^ "Southway Recreation Ground". Mid Sussex District Council. Archived from the original on 15 August 2007.
  7. ^ a b "Club History". Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  8. ^ "Playoff ends a successful season but Sheppey just a bridge too far". Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Sussex All Blacks muscled out in their big finish to the season". Mid Sussex Times.
  10. ^ "Burgess Hill WIN Sussex Shield". Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  11. ^ "BHRFC win the Maastrich International 10's Tournament". Burgess Hill Rugby Football Club. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2012.