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Considering that it must now be regarded
as one of the top clubs in Dorset/Wiltshire, Swanage
& Wareham RUFC have progressed from very humble
beginning. Swanage Rugby Club was formed in 1953,
following a meeting between Mike Codling, Rev Peter
Chadwick, Rufus Simpson and Don Fugle. Hence the club
was formed and they asked Lt Col Geoffrey (Tinny)
Dean former Harlequins and England halfback to be
its first President. Swanage team, with star players
of County standard such as Malcolm Van der Pant, John
Le Strange (Captain 1953-58), Ray Graves, Denny Hunt,
Ken Saunders, Pat Gent, Alan Bishop and one outstanding
player, Fred Hicks, who went out to play first class
rugby for Bath. They played at King George's field
and Days Park in Swanage, and used hostelries such
as the Owls Barn (now Tithe Barn), Black Swans and
Royal Victoria as places to entertain their visitors.
They played the likes of Bournemouth, Winchester,
Salisbury, Dorchester and so on, and ran a second
side and eventually fielded three.
Then,
upstarts from Wareham Secondary School started an
Old Boys team in 1961. Based on a school side that
was undefeated for three years from 1956-59. This
was under the tutelage of one Malcolm Van der Pant
- PE Teacher, Swanage player and legend in his own
time. He wanted to use the new club, who played in
white with maroon hoops, as a feeder club for Swanage.
The main founder members of the Old Boys being Don
Fugle (he gets everywhere), Micky White and Jim Woolley.
Jim and Micky are still very much involved with the
running of the present club. Many of their players
such as Les Miller, Don and Mike Fletcher, John and
Tony Speer and Sammy Gover are still around the town
and have vivid memories of those days. However this
feeder scheme never came off as the Old Boys developed
their own ethos and style. According to Swanage sources
the Old Boys "played a different kind of rugby"
and a kind rivalry sprang up between the two clubs.
The Old Boys mainly played against the higher clubs
second XV and enjoyed a successful five years. However,
by 1966 times were changing and the Swanage club were
having difficulty with finding facilities in the town,
and following a meeting at the house of Tinny Dean
the two clubs decided to amalgamate - hence Swanage
& Wareham RUFC. The amalgamation took place while
Ray Graves was club captain, and he continued to lead
the combined club until 1970.
Another local rugby team
sprang around this time, probably in 1964, started
by John Proctor, and his team was called the Purbeck
Colts. These were all under 19 years of age, and the
first captain being Dave "John" Middletown.
They played local teams of similar age, and when Swanage
& Wareham was formed the Purbeck Colts also came
on board in the new set-up.
After the amalgamation
the new club played for one season on John Proctor's
farm, down Bestwall and also on the secondary Modern
School (now Wareham Middle School) field. Eventually
they managed to rent some ground from the Town Council.
Swans moved to their new and present ground at Bestwall
in 1967. It took some time and effort to get the ground
up to playing standard, and there are fond memories
of stone picking parties at the new ground. However
being fortunate to be based on sand and gravel the
field has perfect drainage and have now developped
into probably the best surface to play in the area.
For
several years the club developed, now playing in their
familiar maroon and white colours, with two and then
three senior sides, together with Colts and U16 and
U14 teams based on the local school teams. In 1972
an itinerant Welshman, Stan Jones convinced the committee
that the only way forward was to have a full youth
policy and start a junior section. With Stan's drive
and enthusiasm this junior section then expanded into
the "mini" - now running sides at all age
ranges from under sevens, U9, U10, U12, U13, U14,
U15, U16, and now, Sunday morning at Bestwall is alive
with tots to teens being introduced to the finer arts
of the game by top coaches, and with lots of help
from senior, often first team players - most of whom
have come through the system. Although Swans have
always attracted some outsiders, originally from the
local army camps and people moving to the area to
work, the vast majority of Colts team and senior sides
have always been and still are home grown talent.
With interest increasing Swans now run four senior
teams.
It is good
to report that the founder members through the minis
have produced some notable second-generation Swans
players. In particular, Michael "Buster"
White, who had a successfull rugby carreer with premiership
club WASPS, and is now with London Welsh, John Strange
the younger, like his father was a captain of the
club (1988-90) and current first teamers Mark Woolley
(Jim's boy) and Ray Graves' two sons Gary and Phil
(the present club captain). One other player of the
80's who merits a mention is Dave "Yabble"
Hill who played over 50 games for Dorset/Wilts as
back row forward. What is more in such a close knit
community it goes without saying that some third generation
minis are making their mark.
The advent of the Rugby
Union league system was a boon for Swans advancement,
because although the club was growing it was difficult
to get fixtures against the "better" sides.
Starting in the Dorset/Wilts league, Swans soon gained
promotion to the Southern Counties league where they
started to meet teams from far away like Aylesbury
and Oxford, and they encountered a different style
of rugby. This higher class rubbed off and in 1988/89
Swans won the Dorset/Wilts Cup for the first time.
Learning the system quickly, Swans won the Southern
Counties title in 1992/93 and found themselves in
Southwest 2. More learning to do as Swans began to
meet the West Country boys from Gloucester, Devon
and Cornwall. This experience did not last long as,
unfortunately a re-organisation put the club into
league Southwest 2 (East) and Swans lost the south
west connection. Swans always seem to be the bridesmaid
in this league, having been third and including this
1998/99 have been runners-up three times, never quite
getting the title, and promotion to Southwest 1. Southwest
1, however, is mainly a semi-professional league,
and would also involve much travelling, and although
they would like to compete at that level, Swans are
an amateur club and intend to always remain so.
In the meantime, Swans
have gone on to win the Dorset/Wilts Cup a record
equalling four times in a row in 1996-97-98 and the
final this year (played on May 2nd) they beat Salisbury
for the second year running, this time by 49-16 pts.
This cup winning has now become an important part
of Swans strategy, as it is the doorway into the RFU
Tetley Bitter Cup. This gives a chance to meet some
of the teams from higher leagues, and also helps to
keep the club solvent. Twice Swans have reached round
three, beating national league clubs as Askeans from
London, Berry Hill, and this season would have been
drawn against Leicester in the fourth round should
they have beaten Barking.
Success
has not been limited to our first team. The second
team won the Dorset/Wilts Shield in 1991/92 and 1996/97,
and has won the Southwest 2 Merit Table in 1996/97,
1997/98 and the Dorset/Wilts Merit Table this season.
The Colts won the Dorset/Wilts Cup in 1994/95 and
1995/96.
Much of
the Swans success is due to the camaraderie of the
players who of course know each other for most of
their lives, and their willingness to participate
in the vigorous training the club's coaches have devised.
The club has been very lucky over the years in the
quality of the coaches they have attracted, and that
is ever more true of those currently doing the training.
Since moving
into Bestwall Swans have built a fine clubhouse, which
had several extensions added to accomodate the growing
number of players, and a further addition is to be
started this season, mainly to improve the toilet,
bar, and kitchen facilities. The club has obtained
a second field further down Bestwall and has now four
fine pitches, the envy of many visiting clubs.
Over the
last few years the club has built a relationship with
a club called Balfour, based in the south of the South
Island of New Zealand. There has been a two way exchange
of players for a number of years, and Swans are sending
a party out at their club in May 2000 to take part
in their centannary celebrations. It is hopes they
can reciprocate in 2003 when Swans celebrate their
50th Anniversary.
Many thanks
are due to those people , especially the 110 or so
vice-presidents, firms and organisations in the two
towns, and surrounding area, who over the years have
supported Swans in term of advertising and sponsorship,
for undoubtedly without that assistance Swans would
not have be that successful and thriving club it is
today. Anyone wanting to be part of the club in any
of the above capacities, and to be part of it's success
is welcome to contact the club.
This gives
a potted history of the club, and during the new season
I hope to keep readers informed of the club's progress
with a monthly update.
Ron Butler
- Publicity Secretary |
Key
achievements...
1953 : Foundation
1966:
Amalgamation
1967:
Club move to Bestwall
1972:Creation
of Junior Section
1988/89:
Swans win the Wilts & Dorset Cup for the first
time
1991/1992:
Swans win the Dorset and Wilts Shield
1992/1993:Swans
win Souhtern counties
1996/1997/1998/1999:
Swans win 4 times in a row the Wilts & Dorset
Cup
1999:
Swans qualify for the Third Round of the Tetley Bitter
Cup
1999/2000:
Swans win Southwest 2 (West)
Season
2000/2001: Swans is promoted to SouthWest 1
2001
Swans regain the Wilts and Dorset Cup from Dorchester
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