Greenock Wanderers RFC


Greenock Wanderers R.F.C. is a rugby union team based in Greenock, Scotland. They currently compete in the.

History

Greenock Wanderers Rugby Football Club is one of the oldest clubs in Scotland, one of its earliest constituents been formed in 1873 as The Wanderers.
The Wanderers started off as a rugby union side, but in 1877 they decided to play association football for the 1877-78 season. The club was struggling with membership numbers and it was no doubt easier to field 11 players for association football for the season than the 15 required for rugby union.

Merger

The Wanderers club remained low on members in 1878; but it did have a 'good field' in Drums Park. It precipiated a merger with Greenock West End; a rugby union club in the town, with many members but no home. The new club took on the colours of Greenock West End: black, red and yellow. A vote was taken on this: and the 50 or so members of West End out-voted the 20 members of The Wanderers. The new club - as Greenock Wanderers - thus began in 1878; and as a result of the superior West End vote was now playing under rugby union rules.

Greenock Wanderers

A new clubhouse was opened in 2008 after extensive work projects, providing top-notch hospitality to home and away supporters. The clubhouse was officially opened by The Princess Royal.

Teams

It consists of 1st XV, 2nd XV, Women's 1st XV, under-18, under-17, under-16, under-15, S2 and S1 plus a complete Mini section; a mini rugby tournament is organised every year. They won the 2009–10 Scottish National League Division Two losing only one game and thus being promoted to the Scottish National League Division One that year.
The 1st XV is once more competing successfully with the top 25% of clubs in Scotland and supported by a flourishing Youth Program spanning ages 7 to 17, they are the envy of many other clubs.
In 2014 a Women's section was formed, who have gone from strength to strength to now compete in the 2nd tier of Women's Rugby in Scotland, the BT National League Division 1. In 2018 the Women's section were BT Women's National Plate Finalists.

Greenock Sevens

The club runs the Greenock Sevens tournament. Established in 1948, entrants play for the Fort Matilda Cup.

Notable former players

British and Irish Lions

Honours