Otley R.U.F.C.

Otley Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club representing Otley in the City of Leeds district of West Yorkshire. Founded in 1865 it broke away from the RU in 1895. It restarted as a RU club in 1908.In the 2007/2008 season they won the National Division Two title securing an immediate return to National Division One having been relegated the previous season, however they were immediately relegated again in the 2008/09 season along with fellow promoted side Manchester and three other teams due to the new professionalised format of National Division One (now the RFU Championship). They currently play in the National League 2 North following another relegation in the 2010/11 National League 1 season.

In 1979 Cross Green was the site of a famous victory by the North of England against the mighty All Blacks.^[1] The Wallabies suffered the same fate in October, 1988. Cross Green also hosted a match between the United States and Italy during the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup.

Notable former players

Cross Green, Otley's home ground.

• Alfred "Alf" Bateson England 1930
• Albert Fert, winner of 2007 Nobel Prize for Physics ^[2]
• Arthur Gray (Fullback for England while at Otley RUFC in 1947 against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland)
• Dennis Holmes
• Frank Malir England 1930
• Leslie Manfield Wales 1938
• Nigel Melville

Club honours

• League Champions
  • National Division Two 2007/2008
  • North Division One 1989/90
  • National Division Four (North) 1990/91
  • National League Three 1992/93
  • Jewson National League One 1999/2000
• Yorkshire Challenge Cup Winners 1888/89, 1909/10, 1910/11, 1928/29, 1930/31, 1933/34, 1935/36, 1936/37, 1992/93

External links

• Independent Article about Otley RUFC from 2005
• Guardian article about Otley RUFC by Nigel Melville from 2005
• Fran Cotton reminisces about the defeat of the All Blacks at Cross Green in 1979

References

1. ^ "TV screening of Otley's historic rugby day". Telegraph & Argus. Newsquest Media Group. 16 September 2004. http://archive.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/2004/9/16/97284.html. Retrieved 2009-01-06. 
2. ^ "Former Otley rugby player wins Nobel prize". Wharfedale and Airedale Observer. 15 October 2007. http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/1761662.Former_Otley_rugby_player_wins_Nobel_prize/. Retrieved 2008-01-06. 

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