:London Welsh Amateur
{{Short description|Rugby union team}}
{{about|the amateur rugby union team competing as London Welsh|the dissolved former professional club|London Welsh}}
{{Infobox rugby team
| teamname = London Welsh Amateur
| image = File:London welsh badge.png
| imagesize = 200px
| fullname = London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club
| nickname = Exiles, Dragons, Druids
| location = Richmond, London, England
| union = Middlesex RFU, Wales RU
| founded = 1990s
| dissolved =
| ground = Old Deer Park
| capacity = 5,850 (1,000 seats)
| chairman = Danny Griffiths
| coach = Sonny Parker, Cai Griffiths, James Collins-Clarke
| captain = Courtney Maggs-Jones
| top scorer =
| caps =
| most tries =
| league = Regional 1 South Central
| season = 2024–25
| position = 1st (promoted)
| url = www.londonwelshrfc.com
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}}
London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club, previously known as London Welsh Druids{{cite web|author=Neil Metcalfe |url=http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/sport/rugby/win-over-london-welsh-helps-ucsob-move-forward-in-relegation-battle-1-4888513 |title=Win over London Welsh helps UCSOB move forward in relegation battle |work=Hampstead & Highgate Express |date= |accessdate=2018-01-05}} and as of 2017 London Welsh, is an English amateur rugby union club based at Old Deer Park in Richmond, London. They were the amateur team of London Welsh until the professional team's liquidation in 2017. The amateur team continued independently as they were considered a separate club by the Rugby Football Union.{{cite web|url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/14993525.Debt_ridden_London_Welsh_rugby_club_formally_enters_liquidation/ |title=Debt-ridden London Welsh rugby club formally enters liquidation |publisher=Your Local Guardian |date=2016-12-29 |accessdate=2018-01-05}}
History
London Welsh Amateur were founded in the 1990s after London Welsh reached the top of National League 1 and decided to split the club to separate the professional wing from the community club.{{cite web|url=http://www.londonwelshrfc.com/a/about-us-40758.html?page=4 |title=Information |publisher=London Welsh Amateur |date=2015-06-26 |accessdate=2018-01-05}} In 2004, London Welsh Amateur were incorporated as a limited company.{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05044731/filing-history |title=London Welsh Amateur Rugby Football Club Limited |publisher=Companies House |date= |accessdate=2018-01-05}} In 2017, London Welsh were expelled from the RFU Championship and later liquidated due to debt.{{cite web|url=https://www.ruck.co.uk/rfu-refuses-permission-london-welsh-stay-championship/ |title=RFU refuses permission for London Welsh to stay in Championship |publisher=Ruck.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2018-01-05}} When London Welsh were given extra time for a phoenix company to take over the club and fulfill RFU regulations, one of the conditions was that they had to show a clear separation between London Welsh and London Welsh Amateur but were unable to meet the requirements. Despite this decision, it did not affect London Welsh Amateur as they were held as having a separate membership of the RFU and separate voting rights.{{cite web|author=Anthony Woolford |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/london-welsh-cease-exist-professional-12500903 |title=London Welsh cease to exist as a professional club as RFU boots them out of the English Championship |publisher=Wales Online |date=2017-01-24 |accessdate=2018-01-05}}
As a result, London Welsh Amateur became the primary representatives of the London Welsh club. They also stated that they would remain amateur despite inheriting the liquidated professional club's infrastructure. For their first season since London Welsh's liquidation, London Welsh Amateur appointed former Welsh international Sonny Parker as director of rugby.{{cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/15265229.RUGBY_UNION__London_Welsh_target_comeback_but_will_start_at_same_level_as_Oxford/ |title=London Welsh target comeback but will start at same level as Oxford |work=Oxford Mail |date= |accessdate=2018-01-05}} Following the professional side's liquidation, London Welsh Amateur adopted the London Welsh name.{{cite web|url=http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/london-welsh-national-leagues-return/ |title=London Welsh unveils plan to return to professional rugby following RFU expulsion |publisher=Swlondoner.co.uk |date=2017-05-10 |accessdate=2018-01-05}}
At the end of the 2017–18 season they finished as champions of Herts/Middlesex 1 and gained promotion to London 3 North West.{{cite web|author=Anthony Woolford |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/heres-whats-become-london-welsh-13387764 |title=Here's what's become of London Welsh as they prepare to play the Bank of England in ninth tier of English rugby |publisher=Wales Online |date=2017-07-26 |accessdate=2018-01-05}}
After the 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the coronavirus outbreak, London Welsh finished as Champions of London 2 North West and were promoted to London 1 South for 2020–21 season, which was not played due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Following the 31-17 victory away at Wimbledon, London Welsh confirm their 5th promotion in 7 seasons, completing 'Project Reset' and will return to the National Leagues for the first time in 2025-26 following the original club's liquidation in 2017.
Honours
- Herts/Middlesex 1 champions: 2017–18
- London 3 North West champions: 2018–19
- London 2 North West champions: 2019–20
- London 1 South runners-up (promoted): 2021–22
- Regional 1 South Central champions: 2024-25
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Rugby union in England}}
{{Rugby union in Wales}}
Category:Rugby union clubs in London
Category:Welsh diaspora in England
Category:Diaspora sports clubs in the United Kingdom