TODAYS OPPOSITION

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TODAYS OPPOSITION HUDDERSFIELD

The town of Huddersfield has a long and proud rugby tradition. Early records show that the game was first played in the town in 1869 with matches first played on the Rifle Field on Trinity Street. Later, in 1879, the club amalgamated with St.John’s Cricket Club and moved to new grounds at Fartown.

In 1895 the town was the place where the famous rugby ‘split’ took place. Following a dispute between the RFU and the senior teams from Yorkshire and Lancashire twenty clubs resigned their membership of the RFU and formed the new ‘Northern Rugby Football Union’. Several clubs affected by the breakaway re-formed subsequently and retained the original date of their formation. Not so Huddersfield. a break of 14 years elapsed before a new amateur rugby union club was formed. HRUFC was re-born in 1909 and the club quickly established itself as one of the best in the county. Following the First World War the club played briefly at Salendine Nook before moving to new grounds at Waterloo which would be home to the club for the next 87 years. New colours of white jersey, with a claret and gold band were adopted and the club grew in strength. Improvements to the grounds at Waterloo were continually made, and the committee also had the foresight to purchase the grounds when the opportunity presented itself which was to prove hugely beneficial! As the century neared its end the club was once again in search of more extensive grounds and better facilities to meet the demands of the modern age. The old junior fields were sold to fund the present club at Lockwood Park, officially opened in 1997 by Sir John Harman the Mayor of Kirklees. Today HRUFC thrives as a multi-sport institution. Three senior rugby teams are run along with a full complement of age grade teams from Under 6’s to Senior Academy. After the departure of former South Africa International, Andre Snyman, shortly after the start of the covid pandemic, Huddersfield have recruited Neil Ryan as the new backs and attack coach. Ahead of the 2021/22 season Huddersfield have made many new signings including former Loughborough Students player Jonny Mason. In July, Lewis Bradley was announced as the new captain of the side and Tom Hodson as vice-captain.