Clifton Rugby

{{Short description|English rugby union club based in Bristol}} {{Use British English|date=June 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox rugby team | teamname = Clifton RFC | image = Clifton rfc logo.png | imagesize = 200 | countryflag = ENG | union = Gloucestershire RFU | fullname = Clifton Rugby Football Club | nickname = Lavender And Blacks | shortname = | founded = {{Start date and age|1872}} | location = Cribbs Causeway, Bristol,BS10 7TB England | region = | ground = Station Road | capacity = 2,200 (200 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=135|chapter=Clifton R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref>  | chairman = Aftab Hamid | president = John Raine | top try scorer = | caps = | coach = Luke Cozens | url = {{URL|https://www.cliftonrugby.co.uk/| cliftonrugby.co.uk}} | league = National League 1 | season = 2025–26 | position = 12th (relegated to National League 2 West)  | pattern_la1 = _purpleborder | pattern_b1 = _blackhoops | pattern_ra1 = _purpleborder | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = 000000 | body1 = B288DC | rightarm1 = 000000 | shorts1 = 000000 | socks1 = 000000 |rugby director=Matt Salter|captain=Mitchell Spencer }}

'''Clifton Rugby Football Club''' is an English rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway. Clifton RFC currently play in National League 2 West in the fourth tier of the English rugby union system following their relegation from the 2025–26 National League 1.

==History== thumb|left|The first ever photograph of a Clifton RFC team (1873) Clifton RFC is Bristol's oldest club, and one of the oldest in the world.<ref name="cliftonrugby">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrugby.co.uk/ |title=Clifton Rugby Club – Information at club website |publisher=cliftonrugby.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref> Clifton Rugby Club was formed on 27 September 1872 at the Kings Arms on Blackboy Hill in Clifton, Bristol. The pub still stands, although it was rebuilt in 1902, and refurbished in the late 1990s. Clifton is the 32nd oldest club in the United Kingdom, the 21st oldest in England, the 2nd oldest in the South West (Bath Rugby older by seven years) and the oldest in Bristol.<ref name="cliftonrfchistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/ |title=Clifton Rugby Football Club History|publisher=cliftonrfchistory.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref> In 1909 a combined Bristol and Clifton RFC team, captained by Percy Down, lost to Australia 11–3.

Clifton's Cribbs Causeway ground also hosted the Bristol Packers American football team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/BristolPackers.htm |title=Bristol Packers |work=Britball Now |access-date=17 October 2015}}</ref>

==Honours== * Bass South West Merit Table champions: 1979–80 * South West Division 1 champions: 1988–89 * Area League South runner-up: 1989–90 (promoted) * Courage League Division 4 champions: 1993–94 * London 1 v South West 1 promotion play-off winner: 2005–06 * South West Division 1 champions: 2008–09 * Bristol Combination Cup winners (5): 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 * National League 2 West champions: 2024–25

<ref name="cliftonrfchistory2">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/1970s/1970s.htm|title=Clifton RFC History 1970-1980|publisher=cliftonrfchistory.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="cliftonrfchistory3">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/1980s/1980s.htm|title=Clifton RFC History 1980-1990|publisher=cliftonrfchistory.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="cliftonrfchistory4">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/1990s/1990s.htm|title=Clifton RFC History 1990-2000|publisher=cliftonrfchistory.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="cliftonrfchistory5">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/2000s/2000s.htm|title=Clifton RFC History 2000-2010|publisher=cliftonrfchistory.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="bristolpost2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Clifton-beat-Dings-lift-Combination-Cup/story-21076405-detail/story.html|title=Clifton beat Dings to lift Combination Cup | Bristol Post|publisher=bristolpost.co.uk|access-date=2 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923222143/http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Clifton-beat-Dings-lift-Combination-Cup/story-21076405-detail/story.html|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="pitchero">{{cite web|url=http://bristolcombination.pitchero.com/page/history/combination-cup/winners-2844/|title=History - Combination Cup - Winners|publisher=bristolcombination.pitchero.com|access-date=2 August 2016}}</ref>

==League table== {{#section:2025–26 National League 1|Table}}

==Notable former players== '''Internationals''' thumb|The Clifton RFC team for the 1874–75 season * Billy Meakes (Australia) * Ellis Genge (England) * Callum Braley (Italy) * Olly Kohn * Henry Arthur Broomfield * Rhys Oakley both (Wales)

'''British & Irish Lions''' * Mako Vunipola (England) * Mark Regan (England) * Frederick Belson (England)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website}}

Category:Rugby union teams in England Category:Rugby clubs established in 1872 Category:Rugby union in Bristol Category:Clifton, Bristol