Dalziel RFC
Encyclopedia
Dalziel Rugby Football Club, formerly known as Dalziel High School Former Pupils Rugby Club, currently has a playing and social membership hailing from Motherwell, Wishaw
, Bellshill
and other parts of Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. Historically the club was closely associated with Dalziel High School in Motherwell from which it takes its name. A number of current players are former pupils of Dalziel High School
. However, during the 1990s it was felt that the club should drop the "former pupil" tag and be known, in what was felt to be a more inclusive manner, as Dalziel RFC.
The club play in Scottish Premier 3 and have their home playing grounds at Dalziel Park
close to Carfin
, just outside Motherwell. They support 4 senior XVs, Under 18s, Under 17s, Under 16s, Under 15s, S2s and S1s, as well as a large mini rugby section for players of Primary School age.
The inaugural match took place on 5 January against Uddingston 2nd XV
, and Dalziel won by 9-5. By 1926 Dalziel High School had started to play rugby and they shared the facilities of the Rugby Football Club, which were at that time located in Motherwell’s Ladywell Road. By 1931 the developing links between the Rugby Football Club and the High School became formalised with the setting up of the Dalziel High School
Former Pupils’ Rugby Club. The name Dalziel RFC disappeared and the new Club, Dalziel High School Former Pupils was formed. This guaranteed a regular supply of players from the local school whilst giving young men an opportunity to play a competitive team sport.
With the arrival of World War II, the Club ceased its rugby playing activities until it was re-formed in the immediate post war years by the late Harry Morton OBE, who was a longstanding Player, Captain and Honorary President of the Club until his death in 1992. Cleland Estate, now known as Dalziel Park, was purchased by Dalziel High School in 1947 to be set up as a War Memorial to all of the school pupils who had been lost in the two World Wars. Dalziel High School FP Rugby Club then began to use the newly created facilities at Cleland Estate.
In season 1973-74, the Scottish Rugby Union set up competitive leagues and Dalziel HSFP found that that they were slotted into National League Division Five (West). In the first season of competition, the Club obtained promotion to Division Four and by season 1980-81 they were playing in Division Three. By season 1987-88, Dalziel had moved through the Leagues to Division Two and this had confirmed their status as the leading National Club in Lanarkshire, also making them one of the top thirty-five clubs in the country. In the same season, the Club won the Glasgow and District Knock-out Cup for the very first time.
By the mid-1970s, shortly after the commencement of National League Rugby, the ‘F.P’ tag was dropped from the Club name with the Club reflecting modern trends and becoming fully open. Over many years prior to this, a large number of Club Members, who were not school F.P.s had contributed greatly to the Club in many areas. At that time, the Club reverted to its name of Dalziel Rugby Club, although then, as now, the Club maintained very strong links with Dalziel High School.
Dalziel Rugby Club is a progressive, warm and welcoming Club and is eager to introduce new members from all sections of the community to enjoy the great game of rugby football at the tremendous facilities located at Dalziel Park. All new members will be welcomed, whether for P3 or the over 70’s age group!
The present team set up at Dalziel Rugby is as follows:
Over many years, the Club has developed young players and made contributions to the Lanarkshire, Glasgow District and National Rugby Teams with a number of under 18, under 19 and under 20 players gaining International Honours at those levels.
The Club has also produced a number of referees, who are contributing in refereeing games at all levels throughout Scottish Rugby. The Club will also give encouragement to any player who wishes to extend their refereeing skills and contribute to Scottish Rugby in this way.
A more recent development within the Club is the decision to consider forming a Past Players Organisation, which is designed to be pro-active and inform past players of the opportunities for playing, refereeing, spectating, advertising or sponsoring rugby at Dalziel.
The Annual Festival of Youth Rugby, masterminded annually by Past President Alan Calder, has been running since 1991. With some 800 Players, Coaches and Officials visiting Dalziel Park on the third Saturday in April each year, Dalziel Rugby Club has now firmly plotted its name on the Scottish Rugby Map as a Club which caters for the whole range of participants seeking to play the Game.
in the Scottish Bowl Final where they lost 18-10 to Preston Lodge RFC
. The following season the club appointed a new coach and were much improved from previous seasons, but ultimately finishing third behind promoted Dumfries and Howe of Fife. The club's Second XV, however, won their League securing promotion to the National Reserve League, where they would be pitted against the second teams of many Premier One and Premier Two clubs.
Season 2009/10 saw the club go undefeated in the league, winning all 22 games to secure promotion to the Premier Leagues. After Orkney RFC's defeat to Strathmore on the 9th May, Dalziel remained the only undefeated team in the Scottish League for that season. Reinforcing the club's first team were strong performances by the Second and Third teams who finished in the credible positions of 5th and 3rd in their respective Leagues.
National League Division 2 (level 5)
National League Division 3 (level 3)
National League Division 4 (level 4)
National League Division 5 (West) (level 5)
Glasgow & District Cup:
Scottish Bowl:
Division 4 (West):
Division 6:
Division 7:
Wishaw
Wishaw is a large town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles south-east of Glasgow....
, Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
and other parts of Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Historically the club was closely associated with Dalziel High School in Motherwell from which it takes its name. A number of current players are former pupils of Dalziel High School
Dalziel High School
Dalziel High School is a non-denominational secondary school that is based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The current rector of the school is Levi toi.1.-Overview:...
. However, during the 1990s it was felt that the club should drop the "former pupil" tag and be known, in what was felt to be a more inclusive manner, as Dalziel RFC.
The club play in Scottish Premier 3 and have their home playing grounds at Dalziel Park
Dalziel Park
Dalziel Park is an area located between the small villages of Cleland, Carfin and Newarthill in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Other nearby settlements include the large town of Motherwell and the new town of Ravenscraig. The area consists of an estate, a sports facility , a golf course and a clubhouse...
close to Carfin
Carfin
Carfin is a small village to the north-east of Motherwell, Scotland on the road to Newarthill.-Local facilities:The closest secondary school is Taylor High School in nearby New Stevenston...
, just outside Motherwell. They support 4 senior XVs, Under 18s, Under 17s, Under 16s, Under 15s, S2s and S1s, as well as a large mini rugby section for players of Primary School age.
History
The story of Dalziel Rugby Club began in the year 1924 when the first ever game was played.The inaugural match took place on 5 January against Uddingston 2nd XV
Uddingston RFC
Uddingston Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team, based in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The Club plays its home matches at Bothwell Castle Policies in Uddingston...
, and Dalziel won by 9-5. By 1926 Dalziel High School had started to play rugby and they shared the facilities of the Rugby Football Club, which were at that time located in Motherwell’s Ladywell Road. By 1931 the developing links between the Rugby Football Club and the High School became formalised with the setting up of the Dalziel High School
Dalziel High School
Dalziel High School is a non-denominational secondary school that is based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The current rector of the school is Levi toi.1.-Overview:...
Former Pupils’ Rugby Club. The name Dalziel RFC disappeared and the new Club, Dalziel High School Former Pupils was formed. This guaranteed a regular supply of players from the local school whilst giving young men an opportunity to play a competitive team sport.
With the arrival of World War II, the Club ceased its rugby playing activities until it was re-formed in the immediate post war years by the late Harry Morton OBE, who was a longstanding Player, Captain and Honorary President of the Club until his death in 1992. Cleland Estate, now known as Dalziel Park, was purchased by Dalziel High School in 1947 to be set up as a War Memorial to all of the school pupils who had been lost in the two World Wars. Dalziel High School FP Rugby Club then began to use the newly created facilities at Cleland Estate.
In season 1973-74, the Scottish Rugby Union set up competitive leagues and Dalziel HSFP found that that they were slotted into National League Division Five (West). In the first season of competition, the Club obtained promotion to Division Four and by season 1980-81 they were playing in Division Three. By season 1987-88, Dalziel had moved through the Leagues to Division Two and this had confirmed their status as the leading National Club in Lanarkshire, also making them one of the top thirty-five clubs in the country. In the same season, the Club won the Glasgow and District Knock-out Cup for the very first time.
By the mid-1970s, shortly after the commencement of National League Rugby, the ‘F.P’ tag was dropped from the Club name with the Club reflecting modern trends and becoming fully open. Over many years prior to this, a large number of Club Members, who were not school F.P.s had contributed greatly to the Club in many areas. At that time, the Club reverted to its name of Dalziel Rugby Club, although then, as now, the Club maintained very strong links with Dalziel High School.
Dalziel Rugby Club is a progressive, warm and welcoming Club and is eager to introduce new members from all sections of the community to enjoy the great game of rugby football at the tremendous facilities located at Dalziel Park. All new members will be welcomed, whether for P3 or the over 70’s age group!
The present team set up at Dalziel Rugby is as follows:
- Mini Section (meet Saturday mornings), comprising teams from Primary 1 to Primary 7.
- Midi Section, comprising S1, S2, S3, under-16, under-17 and under-18 teams (meet Sunday afternoons with the exception of Under-18s).
- Senior Section, comprising 4XVs.
Over many years, the Club has developed young players and made contributions to the Lanarkshire, Glasgow District and National Rugby Teams with a number of under 18, under 19 and under 20 players gaining International Honours at those levels.
The Club has also produced a number of referees, who are contributing in refereeing games at all levels throughout Scottish Rugby. The Club will also give encouragement to any player who wishes to extend their refereeing skills and contribute to Scottish Rugby in this way.
A more recent development within the Club is the decision to consider forming a Past Players Organisation, which is designed to be pro-active and inform past players of the opportunities for playing, refereeing, spectating, advertising or sponsoring rugby at Dalziel.
The Annual Festival of Youth Rugby, masterminded annually by Past President Alan Calder, has been running since 1991. With some 800 Players, Coaches and Officials visiting Dalziel Park on the third Saturday in April each year, Dalziel Rugby Club has now firmly plotted its name on the Scottish Rugby Map as a Club which caters for the whole range of participants seeking to play the Game.
Recent Seasons
Season 2007/08, while disappointing with respect to the league, culminated in the club's first appearance at MurrayfieldMurrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
in the Scottish Bowl Final where they lost 18-10 to Preston Lodge RFC
Preston Lodge RFC
Preston Lodge Former Pupil Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side based in Prestonpans in East Lothian, Scotland. Formed in 1929, they currently play in Scottish Hydro National League Division 2...
. The following season the club appointed a new coach and were much improved from previous seasons, but ultimately finishing third behind promoted Dumfries and Howe of Fife. The club's Second XV, however, won their League securing promotion to the National Reserve League, where they would be pitted against the second teams of many Premier One and Premier Two clubs.
Season 2009/10 saw the club go undefeated in the league, winning all 22 games to secure promotion to the Premier Leagues. After Orkney RFC's defeat to Strathmore on the 9th May, Dalziel remained the only undefeated team in the Scottish League for that season. Reinforcing the club's first team were strong performances by the Second and Third teams who finished in the credible positions of 5th and 3rd in their respective Leagues.
1st XV
National League Division 1 (level 4)- Winners: 2009/10
National League Division 2 (level 5)
- Runners-up: 2002/03
National League Division 3 (level 3)
- Runners-up: 1987/88
National League Division 4 (level 4)
- Winners: 1980/81
National League Division 5 (West) (level 5)
- Winners: 1973/74
Glasgow & District Cup:
- Winners: 1987/88
Scottish Bowl:
- Runners-up: 2007/08
2nd XV
Scottish Division 2- Winners: 1980/81
Division 4 (West):
- Winners: 2008/09
- Runners-up: 2005/06
Division 6:
- Winners: 1997/98
Division 7:
- Winners: 1996/97