Falmouth RFC

Falmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Falmouth, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, playing in Counties 2 Cornwall at the eighth tier of the English league system, following relegation from Counties 1 Western West at the end of the 2023–24 season. The club play at the Recreation Ground. They enjoy a rivalry with close neighbours, Penryn.

Falmouth

Full name	Falmouth Rugby Football Club
Union	Cornwall RFU
Nickname(s)	Eagles
Founded	1873; 152 years ago (1873)
Location	Falmouth, Cornwall, England
Ground(s)	The Recreation Ground (Capacity: 3,000)
Chairman	John Bullock
Coach(es)	Josh Lord
Captain(s)	Tom Spiller
League(s)	Counties 1 Western West
2023–24	12th (relegated to Counties 2 Cornwall
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.falmouthrugbyclub.co.uk

History

Founded in 1873, Falmouth have produced two players who have been capped by the England national team: John Jackett and Jim George. Jackett played 13 times for England making his debut on 2 December 1905 against New Zealand at Crystal Palace. He also toured with the British Lions to New Zealand and Australia in 1908.^[1] Jim George made his debut against Scotland on 15 March 1947 and played a further two matches against France and Ireland.^[1] On 24 November 1926, Cornwall played what was considered the best New Zealand Māori rugby union team at Falmouth, with Cornwall winning 6–3.^[2]

During the 1970s the club had a relatively successful spell when they were considered one of the best sides in the county, winning the Cornwall Cup twice as well as finishing top of the Cornwall Merit Table in 1977. When league rugby was introduced in 1987, Falmouth were placed in the Cornwall/Devon League, at tier 8 of the English rugby union system. Following the club's relegation at the end of the 1989–90 season they spent much of the next decade playing in Cornwall League 1. A second promotion from Cornwall League 1 early on in the 21st century, saw Falmouth consolidate its position in the Cornwall/Devon League, with fourteen uninterrupted seasons in tier 8. At the end of the 2017–18 season Falmouth won the Cornwall/Devon league title and with it promotion to Western Counties West, the highest level the club had reached so far.

Season summary

Season	League			National Cup(s)		County Cup(s)
	Competition/Level	Position	Points	Competition	Performance	Competition	Performance
1987–88	Cornwall/Devon (8)	5th	12
1988–89	Cornwall/Devon (8)	3rd	12
1989–90	Cornwall/Devon (8)	(relegated)
1990–91	Cornwall 1 (9)	2nd
1991–92	Cornwall 1 (9)					Cornwall Junior Knockout Plate	Winners
1992–93	Cornwall 1 (9)	2nd
1993–94	Cornwall 1 (9)	2nd
1994–95	Cornwall 1 (9)
1995–96	Cornwall 1 (9)	2nd	16
1996–97	Cornwall 1 (9)	1st (promoted)[3]	34
1997–98	Cornwall/Devon (8)	5th[4]	20
1998–99	Cornwall/Devon (8)	10th (relegated)[5]	-6
1999–00	Cornwall 1 (9)	7th[6]	10
2000–01	Cornwall 1 (9)	4th[7]	16			Cornwall Clubs Cup	[8]
2001–02	Cornwall 1 (9)	7th[9]	12			Cornwall Clubs Cup	Semi-finals[10]
2002–03	Cornwall 1 (9)	1st (promoted)[11]	29	Powergen Junior Vase	5th Round[12][13]	Cornwall Clubs Cup	Winners
2003–04	Cornwall/Devon (8)	8th[14]	16	Powergen Junior Vase[15]	1st Round[16]
2004–05	Cornwall/Devon (8)	9th[17]	16	Powergen Junior Vase	3rd Round[18][19]	Cornwall Cup	1st Round[20]
2005–06	Cornwall/Devon (8)	3rd[21]	31	Powergen Junior Vase[22]	5th Round[23][24]
2006–07	Cornwall/Devon (8)	6th[25]	21	EDF Energy Senior Vase[26]	1st Round[27]	Cornwall Cup	[28]
2007–08	Cornwall/Devon (8)	7th[29]	21	EDF Energy Senior Vase	2nd Round[30][31]	Cornwall Cup	[32]
2008–09	Cornwall/Devon (8)	14th[33][a 1]	2	EDF Energy Senior Vase	1st Round[34]
2009–10	Cornwall/Devon (8)	8th[35]	30			Cornwall Cup	Quarter-finals[36]
2010–11	Cornwall/Devon (8)	6th	70[a 2]			Cornwall Cup	Quarter-finals[37][38]
2011–12	Cornwall/Devon (8)	7th	67
2012–13	Cornwall/Devon (8)	8th[39]	51			Cornwall Cup	1st Round[40]
2013–14	Cornwall/Devon (8)	6th	61
2014–15	Cornwall/Devon (8)	6th[41]	71			Cornwall Cup	1st Round[42][43]
2015–16	Cornwall/Devon (8)	6th[44]	75			Cornwall Cup	1st Round[45]
2016–17	Cornwall/Devon (8)	1st (promoted)[46]	112			Cornwall Cup	Semi-finals[47]
2017–18	Western Counties West (7)	12th[48]	49			Cornwall Cup	Quarter-finals[49]
2018–19	Western Counties West (7)	7th[50]	57			Cornwall Cup	1st Round[51]
2019–20	Western Counties West (7)	10th	43.73[a 3]			Cornwall Cup
2020–21	Western Counties West (7)
Green background stands for either league champions (with promotion) or cup winners. Blue background stands for promotion without winning league or losing cup finalists. Pink background stands for relegation.

The Recreation Ground, home of Falmouth RFC

First team

Season	P	W	D	L	F	A	Ref
1899–1900	28	18	6	4	169	85	[53]

Falmouth Albion Reserves

Season	P	W	D	L	F	A	Ref
1899–1900	19	12	2	5	158	75

Falmouth One and All

Season	P	W	D	L	F	A	Ref
1899–1900	20	19	0	1	340	24

Honours

• Cornwall Club Champions: 1899–1900
• Cornwall Cup winners (2): 1973–74, 1976–77
• CRFU Official Merit Table champions: 1976–77
• Cornwall Clubs Cup winners (2): 1991–92, 2002–03
• Cornwall League 1 champions (2): 1996–97, 2002–03
• Tribute Cornwall/Devon champions: 2016–17

Notes

1. There was no relegation from Cornwall/Devon at the end of 2008–09 season, which meant Falmouth were saved from relegation despite finishing bottom of the table.
2. The 2010–11 season would see the introduction of bonus points into lower league English rugby union (tier 6 and below).
3. The season was postponed and ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom with Falmouth sitting in 8th, having played 22 games and gained 37 points. The remaining games were calculated on a 'best playing record formula', with Falmouth remaining in 10th place with 43.73 points.^[52]

See also

• Cornish rugby