Orrell RUFC
| Full name | Orrell Rugby Union Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Anvils, The Black & Ambers |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Location | Orrell, Greater Manchester |
| Ground(s) | St John Rigby (2007-present), Edge Hall Road (1950–2007), JJB Stadium (2003) (Capacity: Unknown) |
| Chairman | Tony Havlin |
| Captain(s) |
 Daniel Huxley esq |
| League(s) | Lancashire (North) |
| 2015-16 | 7th |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union team from Orrell in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester.
The club was founded in 1927, holding a place in the top-tier of rugby union from 1986 to 1997.
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club was founded in 1927 by a group of friends from Orrell and neighbouring Pemberton who travelled daily by train to Liverpool. One of the stops on that journey was at Rainford where some young men from that village joined the train. The talk and banter was often about rugby and eventually a challenge was issued by the men from Rainford, and of course duly taken up. In such circumstances was Orrell Rugby Union Football Club born.
In those early days, the club led a very nomadic existence with grounds in Kitt Green, Orrell Mount, Abbey Lakes, Alma Hill and Up Holland, and men could be seen most Saturdays carrying rugby posts and sawdust to mark out the pitch in one locality or another before they eventually settled at the YMCA cricket ground in Winstanley Road.
The Second World War forced the suspension of the club, but as soon as hostilities ceased Orrell RUFC was re-constituted. With rapid growth in playing membership, new premises were sought and a site at Edge Hall Road was purchased in 1950, an ex-army hut being used as changing accommodation. Orrell soon developed a reputation on the field that was as much respected as it was feared, but improvements in the fixture list were not easily come by as they were told by side after side that they would play, but only if others played them also.
On the field, Orrell began to do very well indeed. Between 1961 and 1966 they played 139 games with only 14 defeats. In September 1968, Orrell became the first club in Lancashire to erect floodlights, enabling the club to play in mid-week. The 1970s saw Orrell's success continue: In the 1970–71 season they played 42 games and only lost 4 of those. In 1971–72 they won the resurrected Lancashire Cup without conceding a point, which also qualified them to take part in the following season's National Knockout Competition. In the second round they defeated the famous Harlequins and received wide press coverage, prompting the famous quote 'beaten by a lay-by off the M6!' With eight teams representing Orrell at various levels in 1973, re-building began to add extra changing rooms, a gym and a kitchen. This work was finished in 1974 being officially opened on 4 April that year by the RFU President Micky Steele-Bodger.
In the 1980s Orrell had some memorable moments, winning the Lancashire cup for the 6th time in 8 years in the 1981–82 season. They finished 2nd in the Northern merit table in 1982–83 and were quarter finalists in the National Knockout Cup in successive seasons. In 1984–85 season they entered the record books setting a new record for the number of points scored in a season by an English club - 1295. Their consistency in the merit tables was recognised and Orrell joined the new Courage League set up in 1986–87 finishing 6th in 1987–88 and 4th in 1988–89. The club continued to go from strength to strength, reaching the Pilkington Cup semi and quarter finals on a number of occasions. They were an ever present in the English First Division until 1997, and finished runners up to Bath in 1991–92, losing the title on the final day of the season following defeat by London Wasps. The club built its strength on its commitment to junior rugby and bringing players up 'through the ranks', many of whom played for the first team and achieved representative honours.
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