Falmouth RFC

Falmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Falmouth, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, playing in Western Counties West at the seventh tier of the English league system, following promotion from the Tribute Cornwall/Devon league at the end of the 2016–17 season. The club play at the Recreation Ground. They enjoy a rivalry with close neighbours, Penryn.

Falmouth

Full name	Falmouth Rugby Football Club
Union	Cornwall RFU
Nickname(s)	Eagles
Founded	1873; 150 years ago (1873)
Location	Falmouth, Cornwall, England
Ground(s)	The Recreation Ground (Capacity: 3,000)
Chairman	John Bullock
Coach(es)	Josh Lord
Captain(s)	Tom Spiller
League(s)	Western Counties West
2019–20	10th
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.falmouthrugbyclub.co.uk

The Recreation Ground, home of Falmouth RFC

History

Founded in 1873, Falmouth have produced two players who have been capped by the England national team: E J "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 ever 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 the county, 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 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 in its history.

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

Current season

• See Western Counties West

Notes

1. 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.
2. The 2010–11 season would see the introduction of bonus points into lower league English rugby union (tier 6 and below).
3. 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]

See also

• Cornish rugby

References

1. Cornwall Rugby Football Union Official Handbook and Byelaws 1996–97. Cornwall RFU. 1996.
2. Salmon, Tom (1983). The First Hundred Years. Illogan: Cornwall RFU. p. 150. ISBN 0 946664 01 3.
3. "FINAL LEAGUE TABLES, 1996-97". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
4. "Final League Tables 1997–98". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
5. "Final League Tables 1998–99". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
6. "Final League Tables 1999–2000". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
7. "Final League Tables 2000–2001". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
8. "Camels end Falmouth's cup hopes". South West Farmer. 28 February 2001.
9. "Final League Tables 2001–2002". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
10. "Falmouth let it slip". South West Farmer. 15 February 2002.
11. "Final League Tables 2002–2003". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
12. "Underdogs put up excellent display". South West Farmer. 5 December 2002.
13. "Sport in Brief". The Telegraph. 24 December 2002.
14. "Final League Tables 2003–2004". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
15. "Powergen Draws". ESPN. 12 July 2003.
16. "Falmouth enjoy perfect away day". South West Farmer. 21 November 2003.
17. "Final League Tables 2004–2005". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
18. "Vase glory disappears". South West Farmer. 11 November 2004.
19. "Gordano tester awaits Swindon". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 21 October 2004.
20. "Borough home to Falmouth in cup clash". South West Farmer. 25 November 2004.
21. "Final League Tables 2005–2006". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
22. "Powergen Cup Draws". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 17 August 2005.
23. "Three Games From Twickenham". Royal Navy Rugby Union. 23 December 2005.
24. "Falmouth go down in the rain". South West Farmer. 7 December 2005.
25. "Final League Tables 2006–2007". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
26. "Swindon face trip to Devon". The Swindon Advertiser. 21 September 2006.
27. "THE SENIOR LEAGUES 2006-2007". Trelawny's Army. 7 October 2006.
28. "Open rugby pays dividends". South West Farmer. 20 December 2006.
29. "Final League Tables 2007–2008". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
30. "Falmouth's poor display is 'bitter pill to swallow'". South West Farmer. 10 October 2007.
31. "EDF Senior Vase". Old Brodleians RUFC. 12 January 2008.
32. "Falmouth celebrate rare win". South West Farmer. 1 January 2008.
33. "Final League Tables 2008–2009". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
34. "Falmouth swept aside". South West Farmer. 10 September 2008.
35. "Final League Tables 2009–2010". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
36. "St Ives book their place in semi-finals at Falmouth's expense". South West Farmer. 3 March 2010.
37. "Falmouth and Penryn to meet in RFU Cornwall Cup". South West Farmer. 12 January 2011.
38. "Cornwall Cup semi final game OFF". Retrieved 26 October 2018.
39. "Final League Tables 2012–13". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
40. "Falmouth v St Austell". St Austell RFC (Pitchero). 16 August 2012.
41. "Tribute Cornwall/Devon 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
42. "RUGBY: Falmouth to meet Truro in Tribute Cup". South West Farmer. 18 July 2014.
43. "RUGBY: Camborne make third Cornwall Cup Final in a row". South West Farmer. 17 March 2015.
44. "Tribute Cornwall/Devon 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
45. "Update on the draw for the Tribute Cornwall Cup". St Austell RFC (Pitchero). 9 October 2015.
46. "Tribute Cornwall/Devon 2016–2017". England Rugby. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
47. "Saints through to the County Final!". St Austell RFC (Pitchero). 18 March 2017.
48. "Tribute Western Counties West 2017–2018". England Rugby. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
49. "Falmouth 16 v Wadebridge Camels 26". Wadebridge Camels RFC (Pitchero). 30 December 2017.
50. "Tribute Western Counties West 2018–2019". England Rugby. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
51. "Cornwall RFU Tribute Cup: Saltash 32-31 Falmouth". Falmouth Packet. 15 October 2018.
52. "RFU confirms league positions". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
53. "Falmouth And Penryn Clubs". Lake's Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser. No. 2336. 28 April 1900. p. 5.

External links

• Official club website