Aberdeenshire RFC
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby team
| teamname = Aberdeenshire Mens RFC
| image =
| imagesize =
| fullname = Aberdeenshire Rugby Football Club
| nickname = Shire
| shortname = ARFC
| founded = 1875
| location = Woodside, Aberdeen, Scotland
| ground = Woodside Sports Complex "The Fortress"
| url = https://www.aberdeenshirerfc.com/
| President = Michael MacLugash
| Coach = Paul Harrow
| Captain(s) = Connor MacFarlane and Paul Harrow
| League = Caledonia Region League Division 1 (Men's)
Caledonia North One (Women's)
| Season = 2023-24
| position = 3rd of 16
| pattern_la1 = _red_hoops
| pattern_b1 = _blackred stripes
| pattern_ra1 = _red_hoops
| pattern_sh1 =
| pattern_so1 = _hoops_black
| leftarm1 = 000000
| body1 = 000000
| rightarm1 = 000000
| shorts1 = 000000
| socks1 = FF0000
}}
Aberdeenshire RFC is a rugby union club based in Woodside, Aberdeen, Scotland. The Men's team currently plays in Caledonia Region League Division 1. The Women's team currently plays in Caledonia North Regional League Division 1.
History
Aberdeenshire RFC was founded in 1875.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoffsideline.com/aberdeenshire-resurgence/|title=Roving Reporter: Aberdeenshire's resurgence is good news for North East rugby|date=February 25, 2019|website=The Offside Line}}
Aberdeenshire were early pioneers of Youth Rugby in the North East of Scotland. They were the first club in the area to establish a youth rugby team, in the 1960s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/sport/local-sport/aberdeens-sports-awards/revitalised-club-nominated-for-sports-awards/|title=Aberdeen's Sports Awards 2019: Revitalised city rugby club nominated for prize|first=Ryan|last=Cryle|website=Eveningexpress.co.uk}}
The club has played in local and national level league structures, and has had up to three men's teams competing. The highest league position they have reached is National Two. They experienced a drop down in the leagues in 2017 following some managerial and financial difficulties. They have since recovered; so much so that they were nominated for Aberdeen Sports Club of the year in 2019, after winning the treble that season. This consisted of; winning the league, winning the regional bowl competition, and winning the national bowl competition with the final match held at Murrayfield.
Sides
The club runs a men's side, a women's side known as Aberdeenshire Quines, a mixed touch rugby side known as Aberdeenshire Leopards {{Cite web|url=https://www.leopardstouch.org/|title=Leopards Touch Rugby Club|website=Leopardstouch.org}} and a youth team.
Aberdeenshire Sevens
The club runs the Aberdeenshire Sevens tournament. Sides play for the W. Wilson Robertson Trophy.{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/aberdeenshire-sevens/|title = Aberdeenshire Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date = 9 July 2021}}
Honours
- Caledonia North League Three{{Cite web|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/sport/other-sports/sense-of-what-might-have-been-for-aberdeenshire-rfc-with-season-declared-null-and-void/|title=Sense of what might have been for Aberdeenshire RFC with season declared null and void|first=Jack|last=Nixon|website=Eveningexpress.co.uk}}
- Champions (1): 2018–19
- Caledonia North Bowl Competition
- Champions (1): 2018–19
- National Bowl Competition
- Champions (1): 2018–19
- Dundee HSFP Sevens{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/dundee-hsfp-sevens/|title=Dundee HSFP Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date=June 9, 2019}}
- Champions (1): 1906
- Orkney Sevens{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/orkney-sevens/|title=Orkney Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date=June 8, 2019}}
- Champions (1): 1975
- Caithness Sevens{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/caithness-sevens/|title=Caithness Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date=June 7, 2019}}
- Champions (1): 1977
- Garioch Sevens{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/garioch-sevens/|title=Garioch Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date=June 7, 2019}}
- Champions (3): 1978, 1991, 2016
- Banff Sevens{{Cite web|url=https://scottishsevens.sport.blog/banff-sevens/|title=Banff Sevens|website=Scottishsevens.sport.blog|date=June 29, 2019}}
- Champions (2): 1999, 2015
Notable former players
=Scotland=
The following former Aberdeenshire players have represented Scotland at international level.
| style="width:100%;" |
| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| {{flagicon|SCO}} Ken Scotland
| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Gregor Sharp | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| |
=North and Midlands=
The following former Aberdeenshire players have represented North and Midlands at provincial level.
| style="width:100%;" |
| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| {{flagicon|SCO}} Ken Scotland
| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| {{flagicon|SCO}} I. L. Robb{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GjpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XFkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5619,60176|title=The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search|website=News.google.com}} | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| {{flagicon|SCO}} J. E. Snape{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IZVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2212,1637659|title=The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search|website=News.google.com|access-date=28 May 2022}} | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| | style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| |
Former rugby commentator Bill McLaren also played for the club.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Rugby union in Aberdeen}}
{{SRU Caledonia Leagues}}
Category:Rugby union in Aberdeen
Category:Rugby union teams in Scotland
Category:Rugby clubs established in 1875