Newton Abbot RFC

The rugby club of the Newton Rifle Volunteers, commonly known as Newton Rifles, changed its name to Newton Abbot RFC in 1886. That year's annual supper recalled how the club had been formed after Rev George Townsend Warner had invited the volunteers to play football after the annual shooting matches.[2] This earlier event took place on 18 November 1878.[3] The club was the third in Newton after Newton College (who changed from Association to Rugby in 1875) and the recently formed GWR club. The Volunteers' first reported match against another club took place on 25 January 1879.[4] During the early years of the club the kit changed from green and red hoops to red, white and amber in 1897, before settling with an all white kit in 1903, thus earning the nickname of 'All Whites'. This period is also notable for the two Newton players who gained international caps for England while at the club, full-back Henry Tristram who was capped in 1887 and forward Denys Dobson who was capped in 1902.[5][6] To date these are the only Newton Abbot players who have received international caps with England.

Prior to World War II the club had the distinction of hosting some of the top international sides on their tours of the country, including the New Zealand All Blacks in 1905, 1924 and 1935, the South African Springboks in 1907, and Australia in 1908. Indeed, it was during their time at Newton Abbot that the Australian team gave themselves the nickname of the 'Wallabies' following questioning from a local reporter. On the pitch the 1920s were one of the most successful in the club's history, winning the Devon Senior Cup for the first time in 1923, reclaiming it in 1924 before going on to claim a third title in 1927. The reserve side also did well, winning the Devon Junior Cup in 1921 and 1925.[7] Although the club had some good seasons in the 1950s and 1960s the glory years were behind them and by the advent of league rugby the club was on the decline.[8]

The advent of league rugby in 1987 saw Newton Abbot placed in Cornwall/Devon – a tier 8 league in the English rugby union system. Their debut season in the leagues was one to forget as the club finished in bottom spot with 10 losses from 10 games played and were relegated to Devon League 1.[9] Although relegation was disappointing, the club started to rebuild and by 1990 they had won their first county silverware since the 1920s, claiming the Havill Plate.[7] Newton spent the next decade in Devon League 1, until after three seasons spent as runners up the club finally gained promotion as champions at the end of 1997–98.[10][11][12][13]

Success was quick to follow the very next season as Newton made it two promotions in a row at the end of 1998–99, this time winning Cornwall/Devon ahead of runners-up Withycombe and gaining promotion to Western Counties West.[14] In 2004 the club won their first Devon Senior Cup since 1927, defeating Brixham 33–31 in an exciting final at Astley Park.[7][15] The 2005–06 season saw Newton finish second in the league behind Torquay Athletic, qualifying for a promotion playoff against the runners up from Tribute Western Counties North.[16] Due to a stronger league performance, Newton Abbot were granted home advantage, and they made it count by sealing a 24–12 victory over Walcot at Rackerhayes.[17] Also of interest during this period was the formation in Newton Abbot of rugby league side Devon Sharks in 2005. The Sharks played home games at Rackerhayes until 2008 when they moved to a purpose-built ground in Torquay.[18]

The 2008–09 season saw Newton Abbot once more compete for promotion, fighting their way to a second-place finish, some way adrift of champions Taunton Titans who won all their games. As runners up the club found themselves with a second stab at promotion, heading east to take on South West 2 East runners-up, Reading, but ultimately ending up disappointed as they went down 10–16 at Holme Park.[19] The following season Newton Abbot were once more in with a shout with promotion in what had been re-branded Tribute South West 1 after the RFU had re-organized the league structure. As with the previous season the club once again finished well behind the league champions, this time in the form of Hartpury College, who like Taunton finished unbeaten, winning all their games.[20][21] Despite finishing 10 points behind Hartpury, Newton still did enough to secure home advantage for the promotion play-off. Once again Rackerhayes was the scene of a second home victory in the play-offs as Newton went on to beat High Wycombe 23–14 to seal promotion to National League 3 South West – the highest level the club had reached in its history.[22][23]