About us
Senior Club
Randalstown Rugby Football Club (RRFC) celebrated its 75-year anniversary recently in 2022, the club having been founded in 1947. In those early years with just one side the club enjoyed successive promotion over the 5 following years.
The founding of RRFC can be considered in 3 parts, as described by its founder member the Rev. William Hanna, M.A., writing in 1949 (rather like a sermon as he himself remarked!).
The first stage took place in the month of May 1945, when somewhere along the main street of Randalstown a conversation took place between the Rev. Hanna and a well-known exponent of centre half play on the soccer field – Jimmy Hume. As a result of this conversation a challenge was issued to Ballymena Academy 1st XV to play a rugby match. Hearing that a well-known cruiserweight champion Alec Woods was taking the field for Randalstown, Academy duly took all precautions, and so including in their side all available games masters in order to strengthen their team. As it turned out, these precautions were unnecessary as Randalstown were well beaten. An old silver cup was unearthed and donated for the game and so was born the Hume Cup, which was keenly contested up until only a few years ago.
The second part of the club’s history is very brief but vital. According to the Rev. Hanna, it may be significant that religion at this point in time entered the reckoning and played a part. A challenge was issued by a Drummaul Parish Church XV to ‘all and sundry Presbyterians’. The game, watched by the entire village, was billed as the ‘greatest battle since the Boyne’, but a surprising amount of good rugby was played and from this confrontation phase three emerged.
A village team was selected from these 2 XV’s and played against the RAF at Aldergrove. Following this a meeting was held in the Parochial Hall and Randalstown Rugby Football Club was born.
The club has since had its ups and downs. In the fifties and early sixties, it made its mark on the Ulster rugby scene, being one of the most successful junior clubs – at that time playing against teams that have since achieved senior status.
At present the club has 3 senior teams and a very strong youth set up, so who knows what the future holds.
Ladies Rugby
Current team since 2015
Previous team details / pics?
Suzanne Fleming Cup final
Rejenerate Shield winners back in 2018
Youth Rugby
Mini Rugby was established at Randalstown in 1998. Whilst small in numbers during these early years, it continued to grow. As the mini players got older a need for Youth Rugby was created, which was founded in 2001.
The Mini and Youth Sections have evolved into what we now know as Randalstown Youth Rugby, with approximately 160 players representing all age groups. Our teams play numerous tournaments and matches, home and away to teams across the province of Ulster.
In 2015 the Youth section branched out and started two women’s teams – U18 and Senior. The teams are playing within the Ulster Development League which allows the teams to gain experience and grow.
Success has been achieved by our teams in winning both League and Cup competitions at various levels. These growing achievements have accumulated with our players representing both Ulster and Ireland for Youth Rugby. A large number of our players have also progressed to playing for our senior teams. This form of continuity is seen as a core value within our Club, which will lead to many more years of success.
Currently there are three Youth Teams – U14s, U16s and U18s, which train on Wednesday nights from 7.00pm to 8.30pm, training will also be held on a Saturday where there are no matches. Mini rugby – P1 to Maxi (U12’s), train each Saturday from 9.30am to 11.00am. Anyone wishing to join Randalstown Youth Rugby is more than welcome to attend the training sessions and experience expert coaching in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.
We actively encourage parents to also participate in our success by either helping with coaching or becoming involved in the ‘day to day’ running of Randalstown Youth Rugby. All help is greatly appreciated. Randalstown Rugby Club is a family orientated club, with many long-lasting friendships having been made in this way.
