Stirling County RFC

Stirling County
Full nameStirling County Rugby Football Club
UnionSRU
Nickname(s)County
Founded1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Ground(s)Bridgehaugh (Capacity: 4,000)
PresidentJohn Gibson
Coach(es)Eddie Pollock
Captain(s)Reyner Kennedy
League(s) Men:  Super 6
 Women:  Scottish Womens Premiership
2021–22 Men:  Super 6, 4th of 6 (4th in Playoff)
 Women:  Scottish Womens Premiership, 4th of 6
Team kit
Official website
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_County_RFC

Stirling County RFC is a Scottish rugby union club based in Stirling. The club plays its home games at Bridgehaugh. It runs a number of sides. The men's side competes in the Scottish National Division 1, the women's side competes in the Scottish Womens Premiership.

History

During the season of 2004–05, Stirling County celebrated its centenary. Rugby has its origins in the town in the 1870s, resulting in the formation of Stirling HSFP in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The F.P. club joined the Scottish Rugby Union in 1904, hence the celebration of the centenary this season. In 1925, Bridge of Allan Rugby Club was founded with both clubs uniting in 1946 to form Stirling County.

While the team of 1959–60 went undefeated, it was not until the formation of the national leagues in the 1970s that Stirling had a springboard to success. Another vital factor was the creation of a strong and vibrant youth section at this time. In 1995, County achieved the unique distinction of being the first club to rise through the ranks from the depths of the seventh division and win the Scottish Championship.

Uniquely, the club played against the Barbarians at Stirling Albion F.C. home, Forthbank Stadium in 1995. The club has been prolific in producing a large number of age-group internationalists while senior internationalists who have worn County's colours include George Graham, Ally Hogg, Ian Jardine, Alastair Kellock, Kenny Logan, Kevin McKenzie, James McLaren, Grant Gilchrist, Adam Ashe, Nick Grigg Jamie Bhatti and Finn Russell.

In 2012–13, County recorded their highest league finish for 16 years, third place in RBS Premier One, and qualified for the cross-border British & Irish Cup competition for the second consecutive year.

Stirling County also has the most successful youth set-up, winning the Scottish National Youth League Cup more times than any other team,

Stirling County RFC compete in the Scottish Rugby Super Series as Stirling Wolves and represent Caledonia District in the competition.[1] In 2023, they became the last ever winners of the FOSROC Super Series Championship, defeating the Ayrshire Bulls in the final.

Stirling County 1st XV compete in National League Division 2 while the Wolves Second XV play in West Reserve League Division 1.

Stirling County's Women's play in the top-flight BT Women's Premier League.

Current squad

Stirling Wolves Super Series Championship squad 2023:

Props

  • Scotland George Breese
  • Scotland Lliam Quarm
  • Scotland Adam Wood
  • Lithuania Marius Tamosaitis
  • Scotland Lewis Skinner
  • Scotland Moby Ogunlaja

Hookers

  • Scotland Reyner Kennedy (c)
  • Scotland Gregor Hiddleston

Locks

  • Scotland James Pow
  • Scotland Hamish Ferguson
  • Scotland Tom Smith

Back row

  • England Ed Hasdell
  • Scotland Ruaridh Knott
  • England Ed Timpson
  • Scotland Connor Gordon^
  • Scotland Shaun McDonald

Scrum halves

  • Scotland Ben Afshar
  • Scotland Eric Davey
  • Scotland Kyle Mcghie

Fly halves

  • Scotland Craig Jackson
  • Cyprus Marcus Holden

Centres

  • South Africa Ryan Southern
  • Scotland Mikey Heron
  • Scotland Cameron Scott^
  • Scotland Craig Jardine

Wings

  • New Zealand Korie Winters
  • Scotland Samuel Rockley
  • Scotland Stevie Hamilton
  • Scotland Ross Mcknight

Fullbacks

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Scotland on residency or dual nationality.

Glasgow Warriors players drafted:

Table

2023–24 Super Series Table view · watch · edit · discuss
Team P W D L PF PA PD TBP LBP PTS
1 Heriot's Rugby 12 10 1 1 478 238 +240 10 0 52
2 Ayrshire Bulls (RU) 12 9 0 3 372 211 +151 8 0 47
3 Watsonians 12 9 0 3 265 231 +34 2 0 40
4 Stirling Wolves (CH) 12 6 0 6 422 286 +136 3 2 33
5 Southern Knights 12 4 1 7 282 369 -87 2 1 27
6 Boroughmuir Bears 12 3 0 9 252 389 -137 1 0 17
7 Future XV 12 0 0 12 206 543 -337 0 3 3

Yellow background indicates qualification for the final.
Green background indicates semi-finalists.

(CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up.

Sevens

The club run the Stirling Sevens tournament. Teams play for the Dr. Welsh Cup. The tournament began in 1948, two years after the County side was created.[2]

Honours

Men

  • Stirling Sevens[2]
    • Champions (12): 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 2013
  • Scottish Premiership
    • Champions (1): 1994-95
  • Hawick Wanderers & PSA Sevens[3]
    • Champions (1): 1990
  • Lochaber Sevens[4]
    • Champions (1): 1994
  • Highland Sevens[5]
    • Champions (5): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1993, 1996
  • Arran Sevens[6]
    • Champion (2): 1994, 1996
  • Mull Sevens[7]
    • Champions (7): 1991, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011
  • Alloa Sevens[8]
    • Champions (2): 1990, 1995
  • Strathendrick Sevens[9]
    • Champions (2): 1994, 1998
  • Glenrothes Sevens[10]
    • Champions (1): 1983
  • Earlston Sevens[11]
    • Champions (1): 1995
  • Ayr Sevens[12]
    • Champions (1): 1987
  • Kirkcaldy Sevens[13]
    • Champions (1): 1984
  • Currie Sevens[14]
    • Champions (1): 1993
  • Greenock Sevens[15]
    • Champions (1): 1991
  • Crieff Sevens[16]
    • Champions (2): 2010, 2011

Women

  • Mull Sevens[7]
    • Champions (2): 2014, 2015

References

  1. ^ https://stirlingcounty-rfc.co.uk/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Stirling Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  3. ^ "Hawick Wanderers & PSA Sevens". June 29, 2019.
  4. ^ "Lochaber Sevens". June 11, 2019.
  5. ^ "Highland Sevens". June 10, 2019.
  6. ^ "Arran Sevens". 10 June 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Mull Sevens". June 8, 2019.
  8. ^ "Alloa Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Strathendrick Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "Glenrothes Sevens". 7 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Earlston Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  12. ^ "Ayr Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  13. ^ "Kirkcaldy Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  14. ^ "Currie Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  15. ^ "Greenock Sevens". June 7, 2019.
  16. ^ "Crieff Sevens". 7 June 2019.