Old Laurentian RFC
Like many clubs, Old Laurentians was formed after a meeting in a pub. It was created by Old Boys of Lawrence Sheriff School in 1919 and up to the late 60’s only old boys could play for the club. If one was to kick a ball from The Close, where William Webb Ellis reputedly created the game we all love, it could quite easily land in the grounds of Lawrence Sheriff School.
Old Laurentians are one of the leading junior clubs within Rugby & District RFU, an association which sees nine clubs under its umbrella and looks after the interests of over 400 adults playing rugby each Saturday within a 10 mile radius of the town which gave us the game.
In the early days the club played at Hart Field, the school's current sports facility, moving to its present ground, Fenley Field, just after the Second World War. The ground is named after Lol Fenley, one of the great stalwarts of the club and Warwickshire RFU for over 50 years. The ground was opened in 1946, when Old Newtonians were the visitors. Exactly 50 years on, an anniversary game was played against the same club, although the personnel had changed somewhat in the meantime!
Over the years the club supplied a steady stream of players to Rugby Lions, one of the premier sides in England up to the sixties. Since the introduction of leagues, a number of players have appeared for Warwickshire - on one occasion four players turned out in a county game. ‘Pop’ Dunkley, after joining and captaining Harlequins, and Stan Purdy in 1963, were Old Laurentians who went on to play for England.
After missing out on promotion three times the club achieved its ambition in the 2003/04 season with promotion to Midlands I (now National 3 Midlands), finishing the season as champions of Midlands 2 West.
Twice before we had finished third, when two teams were promoted; and in the 2002/03 season we lost the final game of the season to champions Bromsgrove, finishing second; and then were beaten in the East v West promotion playoff.
The club lasted for just one season in Midlands 1 as we were unable to compete with clubs who had more lofty ambitions than ours and we returned to Midlands 2 for the next two season, suffering relegation at the end of season 2005/06. Bidding for an early return to what was then Midlands 2 we led the table for much of the following season, finally missing out on the promotion playoff game by the agonisingly narrow margin of five in our points difference.
The next two seasons saw us again come very close to promotion until, in 2009/10, we finished second in Midlands 2 West (South) and won the play-off to finally clinch promotion to Midlands One (West).
Success in the league has been matched by success in the Warwickshire County Cup. After losing the final to Broadstreet in 1998 we eventually won the county cup in 2001-02, beating Stratford in the final. Our Second XV has had even more success, winning the County Cup three times, including 2001-02, when the club held both county trophies.
While league success is much sought after, the club is equally focused on providing a regular game for players of all abilities and ambitions. At the same time it does not neglect the social side for which the club has always been well known. OLs are keen tourists and over the last twenty years and more have built strong links with Metropolis RFC, in Minneapolis, and the next USA tour is planned for spring 2011.
Any player who enjoys his rugby will be made welcome at the Old Laurentians, no matter what skill level or ambition he may have. Please contact the club through this web site, call the clubhouse on 01788 810 855 between 7pm and 9pm on Mondays and Thursdays, or call Colin Wiles, Playing Chairman, on 07920 250 544.
