Havant RFC
Mick Chalk Stand, Havant RFC
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| Full name | Havant Rugby Football Club |
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| Union | English RFU |
| Nickname(s) | Hav |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Location | Havant, Hampshire, England |
| Ground(s) | Hook's Lane, Bedhampton, Havant (Capacity: 1,500 (500 seated)) |
| Chairman | Jon Mangnall |
| President | Nigel Campkin |
| Director of Rugby | Rob Matthews |
| Coach(es) | Will Knight |
| Captain(s) | Joel Knight |
| League(s) | London 1 South |
| Official website | |
| www |
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Havant RFC is an English rugby union club, playing in the RFU's London 1 South, and is a member of the Hampshire RFU.
Havant currently run four senior men's teams – 1st XV, 2nd XV (Dolphins) – who play in the Solent League, 3rd XV ('A' XV) – who play in Solent League 2 and a veteran's side (The Mariners). In addition to the senior men's teams there is an Academy team (under 19s) – who play in Hampshire Colts League Division 1 – and a Ladies' team who are playing in the RFUW's Women's National Championship South 2 League for the 2016–17 season. Additionally Havant Minis and Juniors run sides covering every age from infant school to sixth form.
Havant RFC, 'Hav', was founded in April 1951 and came to their present home, at Hook's Lane, Bedhampton, two years later. The clubhouse, which was built by members of the club, was opened in 1955 by the Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth.
Ten years after its founding, HRFC was running five sides. In 1962 the colts were started and there were further extensions to the clubhouse. A new clubhouse was opened at the end of 1975 and in 1993 there were further extensions including the addition of an all-seater grandstand.
Early milestones in the club's playing history were the winning of the Hampshire Cup for the first time in 1974–75 and then, in 1975–76, becoming the first Junior Club to get through to the last 16 of the John Player Cup. HRFC have now won the Hampshire Cup 17 times, most recently in the 2014–15 season and have appeared in the final 25 times in the period from 1970 to 2015.
The highlights of the league campaigns were gaining promotion to National League 3 at the end of 1991–92, and then finishing joint top of that division the following season, missing promotion on points difference after surprisingly losing their last match at Aspatria which, had they succeeded, would have made the club one of the top twenty clubs in the country. After a difficult period in the second half of the 1990s (concurrent with the advent of professionalism), the club halted their slide in 2000–01 and fought their way back into the National Leagues the following season. They were immediately relegated, but bounced straight back at the end of the next season, and in 2004–05 managed a top half of the table finish to establish themselves at this level.
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