Changing Lives Through Rugby

We achieved many successes on the pitch and at our peak, we were regularly fielding five senior teams and a Colts team.

During the 1990s, a drastic drop in players left many local teams, including ourselves, struggling to stay afloat. The final nail in the coffin for us was an act of arson in 2003, resulting in the loss of the clubhouse. With the membership numbers being too low, we were unable to recover and the club subsequently folded.

Thanks to a local parent with a passion for the game, we opened our doors once again in 2016. What started as a small group of coaching quickly became the catalyst to the resurrection of our rugby club.

Interest grew rapidly and by the start of the 2017/18 season, we had a growing youth section, fielding two age grade teams, and unexpectedly, a senior men’s team.

We moved back to our old ground of Spring Lane Playing Fields, which further fuelled our growth. We then began adding more age grade teams and increasing senior player numbers.

Our club saw a major development in 2019. The committee noticed the positive impact rugby was having in the local community, which supported its long-held view that the sport’s unique qualities could help improve society as a whole.

As a result, we launched our ‘Changing Lives Through Rugby’ campaign in north Birmingham, to help keep youngsters, some with known behaviour issues, off the streets. We work with Erdington Rugby Club to offer free coaching for under 18s, a hot meal, which the team enjoys together, and transport for those who need it.

Our campaign is endorsed by Birmingham Erdington MP, Jack Dromey, West Midlands mayor, Andy Street and West Midlands police and crime commissioner, David Jamieson.