Taunton Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Taunton, Somerset. The first XV, Taunton Titans, play in National League 1, having achieved promotion in 2020.[1] The second XV (The Warriors) play in the Somerset Premier League and the third XV (The Wanderers) play in Somerset 2 South. The club also operates the full range of junior teams for both boys and girls.[2]
The club was founded in 1875,[3] and play their home matches at Hyde Park, next to the M5 motorway.[4] They moved to Hyde Park in November 2001, having previously played at Priory Park for 66 years. In 2011, they began their partnership with local telecommunications firm, Commsplus. This partnership developed over many years and in October 2017, the Taunton Rugby Club ground at Hyde Park in Taunton was officially renamed the 'Commsplus Stadium'. For the 2019–20 season, the ground will be known as the 'Towergate Stadium' after new sponsors Towergate – an insurance company.[5]
On the evening of 4 November 2011 seven people were killed and fifty one injured in a multi-vehicle accident on the M5 south of the area where Taunton RFC were holding a fireworks display. Police said that they were investigating whether smoke from the event had been a significant factor in the accident.[10] Taunton Rugby Club management committee issued a statement regarding the crash on 7 November 2011.[11] On 13 December 2011, it was reported that the Highways Agency advised that fog warning systems be upgraded 18 months before the crash.[12]
On 19 October 2012, Geoffrey Counsell, the provider of a fireworks display, was charged with seven counts of manslaughter.[13] At the 15 January hearing the manslaughter charges against Counsell were dropped. He will instead face a single charge of failing to ensure the safety of others, under health and safety laws.[14] On 9 April he entered a not guilty plea and was bailed.[15]
On 10 December 2013, Geoffrey Counsell was cleared of the blame for the firework deaths. He had denied the charge of failing to ensure public safety for the Taunton Rugby Club display. A judge at Bristol Crown Court directed the jury to find him not guilty. Speaking outside court, Mr Counsell said he believed the decision to prosecute him was "motivated by a desire to find someone to blame for this terrible accident, simply for the sake of doing so". The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it sought evidence from experts and eyewitnesses before making the decision to charge Mr Counsell. The pile-up involved about 30 cars when they were engulfed by a thick fog on the M5 on 4 November 2011. The court had previously been told the smog was so thick that motorists on the northbound carriageway likened it to having a tin of paint thrown over their windscreens. Mr Justice Simon ruled Mr Counsell had "no case to answer" following an application from the defendant's barrister at the halfway point in the trial. He said the prosecution's case was "heavily weighted" on "hindsight" and there was not sufficient evidence to show that Mr Counsell ought to have foreseen that smoke from the display could have drifted and mixed with fog to create thick smog. "I have therefore concluded that the evidence is such that the jury cannot continue in these circumstances and it is my duty to stop the trial and order an acquittal," he added.
Mr Counsell, who ran Firestorm Pyrotechnics, was the contractor hired by Taunton Rugby Club to run the £3,000 display, which was watched by about 1,000 people. He set off 1,500 shots in 15 minutes – just 200 yards from the motorway.
Referencesedit
^"Team Info — Taunton 1st XV". Taunton RFC. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
^"M5 crash: Firework display is 'major line of inquiry'". BBC News. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
^TAUNTON M5 CRASH: Latest rugby club statement. thisisthewestcountry.co.uk. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
^M5 fog warning ignored in 2010. thisissomerset.co.uk. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
^"BBC M5 crash deaths: Geoffrey Counsell on manslaughter charges". BBC News. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
^"Manslaughter charges dropped in M5 crash case". BBC News. 15 January 2013.
^"M5 crash deaths accused Geoffrey Counsell pleads not guilty". BBC News. 9 April 2013.
External linksedit
Official website
November 27, 2023
taunton, taunton, rugby, football, club, english, rugby, union, club, based, taunton, somerset, first, taunton, titans, play, national, league, having, achieved, promotion, 2020, second, warriors, play, somerset, premier, league, third, wanderers, play, somers. Taunton Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Taunton Somerset The first XV Taunton Titans play in National League 1 having achieved promotion in 2020 1 The second XV The Warriors play in the Somerset Premier League and the third XV The Wanderers play in Somerset 2 South The club also operates the full range of junior teams for both boys and girls 2 TauntonFull nameTaunton Rugby Football ClubUnionSomerset RFUFounded1875 148 years ago 1875 LocationTaunton Somerset EnglandGround s Veritas Park Hyde Lane Capacity 2 000 198 seats ChairmanJohn WreltonPresidentDick MaceyCoach es Tony YappCaptain s Dan LeeTop scorerNick MasonLeague s National League 12022 2311thTeam kitOfficial websitewww wbr tauntonrfc wbr co wbr uk Contents 1 History 2 Current standings 3 Playing record 4 Honours 5 M5 motorway crash 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe club was founded in 1875 3 and play their home matches at Hyde Park next to the M5 motorway 4 They moved to Hyde Park in November 2001 having previously played at Priory Park for 66 years In 2011 they began their partnership with local telecommunications firm Commsplus This partnership developed over many years and in October 2017 the Taunton Rugby Club ground at Hyde Park in Taunton was officially renamed the Commsplus Stadium For the 2019 20 season the ground will be known as the Towergate Stadium after new sponsors Towergate an insurance company 5 Current standings edit2023 24 National League 1 Table vtePlayed Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points1 Rams 11 8 0 3 361 268 93 10 2 442 Chinnor 11 8 0 3 398 188 210 8 2 423 Plymouth Albion 11 8 0 3 325 243 82 7 1 404 Sedgley Park 11 8 0 3 330 317 13 5 1 385 Birmingham Moseley 11 7 0 4 284 273 11 3 2 336 Rosslyn Park 11 6 0 5 344 315 29 6 1 317 Richmond 11 5 0 6 303 310 7 7 3 308 Blackheath 11 5 0 6 289 270 19 4 3 279 Darlington Mowden Park 11 5 0 6 251 310 59 4 1 2511 Bishop s Stortford 11 4 0 7 295 356 61 7 2 2511 Cinderford 11 5 0 6 204 302 98 0 1 2112 Taunton Titans 11 2 0 9 301 386 85 8 3 1913 Leicester Lions 11 3 0 8 229 318 89 3 3 1814 Sale FC 11 3 0 8 195 253 58 2 3 17If teams are level at any stage tiebreakers are applied in the following order Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match then the second and so on until the tie is settledGreen background is the promotion place Pink background are the relegation places Updated 25 November 2023 Source National League 1 RugbyEngland Playing record editThe team s achievements in 2008 09 when they remained unbeaten saw them being named BBC West Team of the Year 6 In the 2009 10 season the Taunton 1st XV were champions of National League 3 South West winning 24 of 26 matches 7 In the 2010 11 season the Taunton 1st XV finished in 7th position in their first season in National League 2 South 8 Honours edit1st team Titans Somerset Senior Cup winners 3 1986 1989 2008 Tribute Western Counties north v west promotion play off winner 2000 01 Western Counties North champions 2004 05 South West 2 West champions 2008 09 9 National League 3 South West champions 2009 10 National League 2 South champions 2019 202nd team Warriors Somerset 2 South champions 2007 08 Somerset Senior Cup winners 20193rd team Wanderers Somerset 3 South champions 2 2007 08 2017 18 Somerset 2 South champions 2018 19Notes M5 motorway crash editMain article 2011 M5 motorway crash On the evening of 4 November 2011 seven people were killed and fifty one injured in a multi vehicle accident on the M5 south of the area where Taunton RFC were holding a fireworks display Police said that they were investigating whether smoke from the event had been a significant factor in the accident 10 Taunton Rugby Club management committee issued a statement regarding the crash on 7 November 2011 11 On 13 December 2011 it was reported that the Highways Agency advised that fog warning systems be upgraded 18 months before the crash 12 On 19 October 2012 Geoffrey Counsell the provider of a fireworks display was charged with seven counts of manslaughter 13 At the 15 January hearing the manslaughter charges against Counsell were dropped He will instead face a single charge of failing to ensure the safety of others under health and safety laws 14 On 9 April he entered a not guilty plea and was bailed 15 On 10 December 2013 Geoffrey Counsell was cleared of the blame for the firework deaths He had denied the charge of failing to ensure public safety for the Taunton Rugby Club display A judge at Bristol Crown Court directed the jury to find him not guilty Speaking outside court Mr Counsell said he believed the decision to prosecute him was motivated by a desire to find someone to blame for this terrible accident simply for the sake of doing so The Crown Prosecution Service CPS said it sought evidence from experts and eyewitnesses before making the decision to charge Mr Counsell The pile up involved about 30 cars when they were engulfed by a thick fog on the M5 on 4 November 2011 The court had previously been told the smog was so thick that motorists on the northbound carriageway likened it to having a tin of paint thrown over their windscreens Mr Justice Simon ruled Mr Counsell had no case to answer following an application from the defendant s barrister at the halfway point in the trial He said the prosecution s case was heavily weighted on hindsight and there was not sufficient evidence to show that Mr Counsell ought to have foreseen that smoke from the display could have drifted and mixed with fog to create thick smog I have therefore concluded that the evidence is such that the jury cannot continue in these circumstances and it is my duty to stop the trial and order an acquittal he added Mr Counsell who ran Firestorm Pyrotechnics was the contractor hired by Taunton Rugby Club to run the 3 000 display which was watched by about 1 000 people He set off 1 500 shots in 15 minutes just 200 yards from the motorway References edit Team Info Taunton 1st XV Taunton RFC Retrieved 14 November 2010 Club website home page Club Contacts Taunton RFC Retrieved 14 November 2010 Address Details Taunton RFC Retrieved 14 November 2010 Taunton Rugby Club ground re named Towergate Stadium Somerset County Gazette 4 September 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2019 Golden girl Millward Powell and Weale win BBC sports awards The Bath Chronicle 7 December 2009 Retrieved 14 November 2010 24 of 26 Archived from the original on 18 March 2012 Retrieved 24 May 2011 Archived copy Archived from the original on 18 March 2012 Retrieved 24 May 2011 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Trelawny s Army Final League Tables 2008 2009 M5 crash Firework display is major line of inquiry BBC News 6 November 2011 Retrieved 7 November 2011 TAUNTON M5 CRASH Latest rugby club statement thisisthewestcountry co uk 7 November 2011 Retrieved 19 December 2011 M5 fog warning ignored in 2010 thisissomerset co uk 13 December 2011 Retrieved 19 December 2011 BBC M5 crash deaths Geoffrey Counsell on manslaughter charges BBC News 19 October 2011 Retrieved 19 October 2012 Manslaughter charges dropped in M5 crash case BBC News 15 January 2013 M5 crash deaths accused Geoffrey Counsell pleads not guilty BBC News 9 April 2013 External links editOfficial website nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Taunton R F C amp oldid 1177077452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
