Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C.

Darlington Mowden Park is a professional rugby union club, based in Darlington, County Durham, England. They currently compete in National League 1, the third division of the Rugby Football Union domestic league competition pyramid, having achieved promotion on 3 May 2014, after defeating Ampthill in the 2013–14 play-off. The club's former name, Darlington Grammar School Old Boys, was changed when they moved to Yiewsley Drive, which was located in Mowden. They relocated to The Darlington Arena, a 25,000 all-seater stadium in Darlington, purchasing the previously-vacated ground for £2 million; Yiewsley Drive had previously been sold to a housing estate company, and the Arena was previously owned by Darlington Football Club. They played their first game at the arena on 2 February 2013, in front of a crowd of over 1,000, comprehensively defeating Bromsgrove 62–7 in a National League 2 North league game.[1]

Darlington Mowden Park
Full nameDarlington Mowden Park Rugby Football Club
UnionDurham County RFU
Founded1945 (1945)
LocationDarlington, County Durham, England
Ground(s)The Darlington Arena (Capacity: 25,500)
Coach(es)Danny Brown
Mark Luffman
Garry Law
League(s)National League 1
2019–207th
Team kit
Official website
www.pitchero.com/clubs/darlingtonmowdenparkrfc/

History

The club emerged in the post World War 2 period and was constituted in 1950 as Darlington Grammar School Old Boys.

In 1970–71 the Old Boys, with growing numbers of players and supporters, decided to buy land and build their own clubhouse and pitches. Mowden was chosen to be the new official home of the rapidly growing Old Boys club. It was deemed appropriate, not least because the club was no longer an "Old Boys Club", to change its name to Mowden Park RFC.

In the 1990s and 2000s Mowden Park (DMPRFC) experienced great success. Mowden rapidly went through the league system until they reached National Three North (now National league Two North), in which they spent many years. Mowden also had several years of excellent Tetley Bitter Cup runs. The Tetley Bitter Cup, the old LV Cup, included every English Rugby Union club. In 2000, while in the old North East 1, Mowden reached the 5th round (quarter-finals) of the Tetley Bitter cup after beating the prestigious London club Rosslyn Park in the 4th round in front of a home crowd of around 2,000+. In the fifth round they faced premiership opponents in the form of Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop. The following years also saw further adventures in the National Cup. In 2001 Mowden once again defied league position and reached the 4th round of cup, only to narrowly lose to Birmingham & Solihull who, at the time, were in Allied-Dunbar Premiership 2. In 2002 they, once again, managed to get to the 4th round, only to narrowly lose at home to Manchester, who were in the old Allied Dunbar Premiership 2. Mowden 'legends' of this era included the likes of Tuihana, Keeligan, Brown, Lowe, Irwin, Mckinnon, Sinclair, Oliphant, Mitchell, Sanderson, Kent and Mattison. A newer cohort of legends include the Connon brothers, Zylon McGaffin, Alan 'Swags' Jones, Chris 'China' Peace, and Josh Waldin - who was later bestowed the honour of best looking man to ever play for the North East club.

Players in the upper echelons of the game to have graced Yiewlsey Drive and worn the Mowden Shirt, if but for a few games, include Toby Flood (England) and Craig Newby (New Zealand All Blacks) (both Leicester Tigers RFC), Alex Tait (Newcastle Falcons RFC), Peter Browne (Harlequins RFC), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints RFC), Tim Visser (Edinburgh RFC + Scotland) and Richard Arnold (Newcastle Falcons RFC). Epi Taione (Newcastle, Sale Sharks and Racing Metro) put in some social appearances for the club. The club has also had mini and juniors go on to play in the Guinness Premiership – Ross Batty (Bath Rugby), Tom Catterick (Newcastle Falcons) and Alex Gray (London Irish). These lads also have represented England and will hopefully go on to gain full caps.

They played in National League 2 North in the 2013–14 season. Having finished as runners-up,[2] they qualified for the promotion playoff against 2013–14 National League 2 South runners-up, Ampthill.[3] The game was played on 3 May 2014 at the Northern Echo Area. The game finished 25–25 after normal time, so went to two 10-minute periods of extra time. The game was won with a try scored in the 3rd minute of added on time. As a result, they will play in National League 1 in the 2014–15 season, the highest league Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C. have reached in their history.[4]]

Club information

Rivalries

Mowden are part of the rich fabric of rugby union in the North East. Rugby union is the North East's second sport, behind the round-ball code, with cricket also popular. Mowden have enjoyed many good local rivalries over the years. The club's traditional rivals are Darlington RFC. Another traditional rivalry was with Darlington Railway Athletic RUFC, however Darlington RA RUFC finished operations in the 1990s.

Women's team

Darlington Mowden Park Sharks are a successful women's team. They currently, 2013–14 season, play in the RFU Women's top-level Premiership against clubs such as Bristol, Wasps, Saracens and Richmond.[5] Several of the women are internationally capped such as Tamara Taylor and Katy McLean for England, and Lindsay Wheeler for Scotland. McLean was named captain of the England Elite squad on 18 January 2011, succeeding Catherine Spencer after she stepped down. DMP Sharks play on a Sunday and attract a good crowd due the women playing at the highest of club levels. They recently finished 3rd in the 2009/10 RFUW Premiership after promotion earlier that year.

Development squads

DMPRFC currently have three senior teams and a sevens team:

  • the first team operates on a professional basis in National League 1
  • the second team play in the North Eastern CANDY League Division 1[6]
  • the third team also play in a local North Eastern league
  • NCMP7 (Newitts Centurians Mowden Park 7s). During the off season, Mowden enter several 7s competitions, having teamed up with Newitts Centurions, with 1st XV players and guests normally making up the teams.

DMPRFC provide rugby union at every level. DMPRFC have teams at every level from under-7s to under-12s. Boys and girls play together in these teams.

DMPRFC have a boys team at every level from under-13s to under-18s. Many of the boys go on to represent county and above at their respective age groups. Once junior level has finished most will move on to the colts or one of the senior teams.

DMPRFC also provides separate junior girls teams once mini rugby has finished. The under-18s and under-15s are very successful teams within the North. There is also the prospect of playing in the Women's Premiership with the Darlington Mowden Park Sharks.

Club colours

Home: The traditional colours are a royal blue and white hoops shirt, royal blue shorts and royal blue socks with white.

Away: Pink and blue hooped shirt with white shorts and pink and blue socks.

Stadia

DMP play at The Darlington Arena, a 25,000 seat stadium in the town. The stadium is now called the Northern Echo Arena[7] as it sponsored by the Northern Echo news and media company.

The New Zealand All Blacks used the stadium as a base during the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Current standings
2019–20 National League 1 Table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Richmond (C)25200574134739412597
2Rosslyn Park25181672847225612490
3Rams25190668052115916289[lower-alpha 1]
4Chinnor25162763150212913485
5Blackheath25161862151111012482
6Plymouth Albion25132106986178114575
7Darlington Mowden Park251311179651727914674
8Old Elthamians25131115745017310468
9Cambridge25122115715601111467
10Cinderford2313010526452747665
11Sale FC25120136216021910664
12Bishop's Stortford249213599595412961
13Birmingham Moseley258017505649−1444844
14Rotherham Titans (R)256118490727−2377740
15Canterbury (R)252023357824−4672616
16Hull Ionians (R)2411223301071-7413211
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 14 March 2020
Source: "National League 1". NCA Rugby.

Current squad

2017–18 Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Chris Wood Hooker England
Ralph Appleby Prop England
Ignas Darkintis Prop Lithuania
Darren Fearn Prop England
Jack Payne Prop Australia
Alfie Barron Prop England
Jake Brady Lock England
Talite Vaioleti Lock Tonga
Joe Craggs Lock England
Dan Preston-Routledge Lock England
Rory Duff Flanker England
Dave Fisher Flanker South Africa
Matt Heaton Flanker Canada
Franco Lamanna Flanker Uruguay
Lewis Wilson Flanker England
Simon Uzokwe Flanker England
Elijah Joseph Number 8 England
Ollie Hodgson Number 8 England
Player Position Union
Euan McKirdy Scrum-half Scotland
Maia Gibbs Scrum-half New Zealand
Warren Seals Fly-half South Africa
Garry Law Fly-half Scotland
Chris Auld Centre Scotland
Ben Frankland Centre England
Chris McTurk Wing England
Shaun McCartney Wing England
Callum Mackenzie Wing England
Brandon Asher-Wood Wing South Africa
Adam Radwan Wing England
Grant Connon Fullback England
Jack Blakeney-Edwards Fullback England

Honours

Notes
  1. Rams deducted 5 points due to an issue with their Payment of Players declaration during the 2018–19 National League 2 South season.[8]
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References
  1. "Darlington Mowden Park make dream start at Northern Echo Arena". The Northern Echo. 2 February 2013.
  2. "SSE National League 2 North". RFU. 28 April 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. "SSE National League 2 South". RFU. 26 April 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  4. Craggs, Andy (3 May 2014). "DMPRFC 30 – Ampthill RFC 28". DMP. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  5. "Women's Premiership League Table". Rugby Football Union. 22 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  6. "Table". UBS CANDY League. Archived from the original on 7 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  7. "Location". Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  8. "RAMS DEDUCTED 5 POINTS". Rams RFC (Pitchero). 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
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