History


The ONRFC was founded in 1922/23 by W.C.C.Cooke who at that time was Headmaster of Northampton Grammar School.The aim was to give former pupils of the School the opportunity to play rugby when they left school.

All players were either pupils or ex pupils or masters at the School until the Club went open in the 70s. We still have very close links with the School which is now Northampton School for Boys and many of the current players were educated "over the road".

Over the years since 1923 the Club has been very successful and produced many players who have gone on to play for the Northampton Saints and also for England at both Senior and Schoolboy level and at least two British Lions, including former RFU President R.B Bob Taylor.

The Rugby Section is part of the Old Northamptonians Association which also includes Football and Cricket sections. Each section is responsible for their own management but all pay a contribution to the Association which along with bar profits goes towards the upkeep of the Clubhouse and playing surfaces.

The Association was very grateful to receive funding from the Cripps Foundation and the result is the new Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion, opened in September 2005.

In the 1990s the ONs won promotion four times and the Alliance Cup on three successive occasions. In the 2003-4 season promotion was gained to Midlands East 2 - at that time the highest league that the Club has played in and higher than any other local Club (apart from the Saints!).

The Northampton & District Alliance Cup was again won in 2004 and has since been retained for a record 8 seasons in succession from 2005 to 2012.

2009-10 saw promotion to Level 5 National 3 (Midlands), the highest ever for the club. The first season we finished a very creditable 8th, achieving a notable double over the eventual Champions Bromsgrove. However the second season was less successful, being relegated after a long hard battle. So in 2012-13 we return to level 6 to battle it out in the very tough Midlands 2 (East) League.

After two earlier unsuccessful attempts the Mini and Junior Section was established in 1990 and from the 20 or so young lads at that time, this part of the Club has grown to over 350 registered players, and is now without doubt the leading Mini & Junior Section in the Region.

As the players moved through the age groups to 17 and 18 a Colts side was formed and over the past few years this team has dominated East Midlands Colts rugby. 2005-6 was probably one of the Colts most successful winning the Northampton Alliance Oceanic Cup, both the East Midlands Referees Cup & League, East Midlands Colts 7s and were losing finalists in the National Colts Knock Out Cup.

The ONRFC Academy was formed at the beginning of the 2009-10 Season in order to help the Player Pathway from Junior to Senior rugby. The first season proved to be remarkably successful with both the Under 19s Colts and Under 17s reaching their respective Finals of the National Plate competitions. In the 2010-11 season the Under 19s reached the last 32 of the National Competition then went even further last season being knocked out on the last play of the Cup Quarter Final. The Under 18s also in 2011-12 retained the East Midlands Referees Cup & Sevens trophies.