Halifax Vandals RUFC

Halifax Vandals RUFC is an amateur rugby union club based in Warley Town, Halifax. The currently run two senior sides, the 1st XV play in Counties 3 Yorkshire while the 2nd XV play in the Central And North West Merit league.[1][2]

Halifax Vandals
Full nameHalifax Vandals Rugby Union Football Club
UnionYorkshire RFU
Nickname(s)Vandals, Van
Founded1923 (1923)
LocationWarley Town, Halifax, England
RegionWest Yorkshire
Ground(s)Warley Lane
ChairmanNeil Crossley
Director of RugbyTony Curtis
Coach(es)James Wainright
Captain(s)Danny Mitchell (1st XV)
Ben Simms (2nd XV)
League(s)Counties 3 Yorkshire
2022–236th
Official website
www.halifaxvandals.co.uk

History

Formation

Halifax Vandals was formed in November 1923 when a group of college students met under a lamp post on Francis Street in Halifax to form a rugby club. The name "Vandal" is attributed to a warrior tribe who fought against the Roman Empire in 455 AD and came out victorious.[3]

Modern history

With the formation of the national league system in 1987 Halifax Vandals was one of the original members of Yorkshire 5, being the first ever winners of the competition being promoted to Yorkshire 4.

In the 2003–04 season they were relegated back to Yorkshire 5 however was promoted back in Yorkshire 4 the following season. Once again in the 2007–08 season the Vandals were champions Yorkshire 5, this caused them to have the joint record for titles for the now defunct Yorkshire 5.

In 2015-16 they became champions of Yorkshire 4, and went onto go back to back becoming champions of Yorkshire 3.[4] However they were relegated from Yorkshire 2 after only one season.

Rivalries

The Warley-based club have a long-standing rivalry with Old Rishworthians and more recently, with Halifax RUFC. With Halifax RUFC joining the Vandals in Counties 3 Yorkshire for the 2023–24 season now led by former player coach Jamie Bloem the rivalry between the two clubs grows even more.

Club honours

1st XV

Yorkshire 5 Champions (3): 1987–88, 2004–05, 2007–08

Yorkshire 4 Champions: 2015–16

Yorkshire 3 Champions: 2016–17

Notable former players

Internationals
  • England Chris Davies, former England Sevens international also played for Cambridge University and Saracens,[5][6][7]
  • South Africa / Scotland Jamie Bloem, former South Africa Rugby League captain as well as playing internationally for Scotland Rugby League. Bloem joined in 2013 as a player coach.[8]
  • Pakistan Rehan Manson, 16 Cap Pakistan international joined Vandals as a player in 2022 and named forwards coach in 2023,

References
  1. "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  2. "Halifax Vandals RUFC 2nd XV". www.halifaxvandals.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  3. Davies, Chris. "Halifax Vandals Centenary Year Newsletter - Edition 4 September 2023". Halifax Vandals.
  4. "Bloem staying with champs Vandals". Halifax Courier.
  5. "England squad for Hong Kong". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  6. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/halifax-courier/20210401/282501481427470. Retrieved 2023-09-02 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. "Chris Davis - Halifax Vandals RUFC 1st XV". www.halifaxvandals.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  8. "Jamie Bloem - Halifax Vandals RUFC 1st XV". www.halifaxvandals.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
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