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Senior Club
Training is up and running at Oxford Road on a Tuesday and Thursday evening, sessions between 7.15 and 8.45pm
Junior Club
Bicester mini and Junior Rugby Club began in 1982 when the parents of 5 boys, then playing at Buckingham decide enough was enough and set up the club.
From those humble beginnings the club has thrived producing numerous players who have moved on to play at a high level including Premiership and First Division Club players, Armed Forces players, 7 players who have represented England or England Universities and 2 full internationals - James Forrester and Andy Gomarsall.
One of those founder members Andy Gomarsall returned this year as our guest at the annual presentation evening and despite the success of his own career, he was clearly proud to be asked back to his roots; a sign that we have retained the initial spirit of the club.
The Clubs membership has continued to grow over the years and last season stood at 275 in age groups from Under 7 to Under 16, including 6 girls. Perhaps in the near future we can look forward to the first Bicester Ladies side?
This season has seen the introduction of Regional RFU academies for Elite Player Development Groups, the academy for our area being based at London Wasps in High Wycombe. This year the county has had 5 players selected for the academy, three of them from Bicester.
Coupled with these players and the numerous players in county representative sides the future looks very rosy indeed. Let's hope that in the very near future many of the mini and junior players graduate to the Bicester senior side and continue the clubs long and successful history.
A HISTORY OF BICESTER RUGBY CLUB
Bicester Rugby Club came into being after a conversation between Ken Herman and Roger Smith over a pint of beer in the White Hart pub towards the end of 1947.
The inaugural meeting of the club took place in the Fox Inn on 25th March 1948. Present were Lawrence Lane, Major Malins, Bill Nicholson, Ken Herman and others. Reg Simms was elected chairman with Vernie Malins president. Ken Herman was the first captain and Charles Duke, a deputy bank manager, was, appropriately, treasurer.
The first game was played on Wednesday evening, 19th April, against a combined Army and Air Force XV. In those early years Bicester were often short of good players in the early years and were indebted to both the Army and Air force, who supplied most of the players, whilst the club recruited also from the local farming community and grammar school. The old Bicester Grammar School colours of red, amber and brown were adopted by the club and are still used to this day.
The first headquarters were at the King's Arms, where proprietor Jack Ansell provided a converted stable building with changing rooms and showers.
One of the earliest highlights was to reach the final of the Oxfordshire Open Sevens in 1954. Victorious over Middlesex side Old Paulines in the semi-final, Bicester lost to Moseley 10-3 in the final. Also, Lawrence Nash, Pickford, Harrington and Herman all had the honour of representing Oxfordshire during the 1950s.
Throughout the 1960s players used to assemble for away matches on the Market Square and when they played at home various wives used to share the cooking in the wooden hut at Oxford Road. The current club house building, which has recently been renovated, opened in 1969.
When Haydon Morgan of the famous London Welsh Club was doing his National Service, he asked if he might play for Bicester. Selected to play against Oxford Marathons for the second XV, he wore skipper Ken Haddock's shirt and scored two tries.
He once played for Bicester and Wales on successive Saturdays. Two years after his selection for Bicester second XV, he was playing for the British Lions! Selection policy at Bicester was obviously a lot tougher in those days.
Dick Makepeace, the current Chairman was appointed captain of Bicester 1st XV for the 1969/70 season, when the new clubhouse was opened. The silver jubilee was marked by a special match against an International XV who included Dickie Jeeps, Hayden Morgan and Geoffrey Windsor-Lewis.
Birth of the Colts:
In the 1970s a Colts XV was formed and soon became very successful under the guidance of Roger Smith, club president from 1971 to 1996. In the season 1973 - 74 they were undefeated in all 12 games, scoring 228 points and conceding only 39.
Tim Malins led a Colts side which included Simon Grater, Neil Smith, Colin Vinall, Nick Wilkins, Dave 'Spanner" Spencer and Owen Morris.
The following year, Grater, Vinall and Peter Maton played alongside Clive Woodward, the former England coach for Oxfordshire Colts against Bicester Colts.
In the early 1980s, Mike Inns, who lived at Launton, played Colts and senior rugby for Bicester before emigrating to America where he achieved fame playing for the American Eagles against Canada, Australia and Japan.
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By Road: |
Senior Club:
The Senior Club play their fixtures at the Club Home Ground located at Oxford Road, Bicester. Follow signs to Bicester Village Retail Park
Mini Teams (U7 to U12):
Bicester Mini Rugby is located at the Bicester Sports Association (BSA) Ground on Akeman Street, Chesterton, only 5 minutes from the main Bicester Rugby Ground.
From A34 Oxford heading North:
After passing Oxford on the A34 heading north (and before the M40 junction), take the turning to Weston-on the-Green (B430). Follow the road sign posted to Ardley. Turn Right after the airfield sign posted to Chesterton. Proceed over the motorway and turn immediately right in the Bicester Sport Association entrance.
From A41 Aylesbury to Bicester heading West:
Do not drive into Bicester, but continue over the flyover heading west (past Bicester Village on the right). At the roundabout (opposite is a petrol station) take the first left (towards Oxford and the M40). Take the first main slip road off (not a small exit to a garden centre). Turn right and go over the flyover into Chesterton village. In the village turn left at a T junction (next to the pub called the Red Cow). Proceed along this road for about half a mile, past a golf course on the right. Turn left into the Bicester Sport Association entrance.
From Buckingham to Bicester heading south:
Follow the main through road through Bicester. You will pass a police station and fire station on the right, pass through a set of traffic lights and an exhaust centre on the right. Turn right at the mini roundabout and follow the B4030 from Bicester towards Middleton Stoney. Turn left, sign posted Chesterton. Follow the road straight through the village (do not go round a right hand bend but carry on straight ahead). At the next crossroads (with a golf course on your right) turn right and after 100 yards turn left into the Bicester North Oxford Sport Association entrance
From the M40:
Take the exit for Bicester and proceed north towards Bicester. Take the exit (slip road) to Chesterton. Turn right into Chesterton village. In the village turn left at a T junction (next to the pub called the Red Cow). Proceed along this road for about half a mile, past a golf course on the right. Turn left into the Bicester Sport Association entrance.
Junior Teams (U13 to U17):
The majority of Junior rugby fixtures will be played at the Bicester Rugby Club Ground, located at Oxford Road, Bicester. However, the club is now running 5 Junior sides and it is likely that some junior fixtures will be held at the BSA Akeman Street site, directions for which are noted above. Follow signs to Bicester Village Retail Park.
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