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Halifax Vandals RUFC

{{Short description|English rugby union club, based in Halifax}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox rugby team

| teamname = Halifax Vandals

| image = Halifax Vandals RUFC logo.jpg

| imagesize =

| union = Yorkshire RFU

| fullname = Halifax Vandals Rugby Union Football Club

| nickname = Vandals, Van

| location = Warley Town, Halifax, England

| region = West Yorkshire

| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1923}}

| ground = Mount Doom{{cite web | url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/burleyrufc/news/second-xv-secure-victory-at-vandals-2810718.html | title=Second Xv Secure Victory at Vandals }}

| capacity =

| chairman = Neil Crossley

| ceo =

| rugby director =

| coach = James Wainright

| captain = Danny Mitchell (1st XV)
Ben Simms (2nd XV)

| caps =

| top scorer =

| most tries =

| league = Counties 2 Yorkshire (1st XV)
AWW/Central/North Merit (2nd XV)

| season = 2023–24

| position = 2nd (promoted)

| url = https://www.halifaxvandals.co.uk

}}

Halifax Vandals RUFC is an amateur rugby union club based in Warley Town, Halifax. They currently run two senior sides. The 1st XV plays in Counties 2 Yorkshire while the 2nd XV plays in the AWW/Central/North Merit League.{{Cite web |title=RFU |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1623&team=9222&season=2021-2022#results |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=www.englandrugby.com}}{{Cite web |title=Halifax Vandals RUFC 2nd XV |url=https://www.halifaxvandals.co.uk/teams/5503 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=www.halifaxvandals.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Yorkshire RFU - AWW/Central/North Merit Table - AWW/Central/North Merit Table Table |url=https://yorkshirerfu.pitchero.com/competitions-329/awwcentralnorth-merit-table-awwcentralnorth-merit-table-10490238/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=yorkshirerfu.pitchero.com |language=en}}

History

= Formation =

Halifax Vandals was formed in November 1923 when a group of college students met under a lamp post on Francis Street in Halifax to form a rugby club. The name "Vandal" is attributed to a warrior tribe who fought against the Roman Empire in 455 AD and came out victorious.{{Cite web |last=Davies |first=Chris |title=Halifax Vandals Centenary Year Newsletter – Edition 4 September 2023 |url=https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/372982821_10168002692065542_687092952419993169_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=4c1e7d&_nc_ohc=P59xlUv1gEAAX_YcN7B&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-2.xx&oh=00_AfD1SDehxGLYHG915SeSQE0Ev3wtfiIkknocZx7bx25LbA&oe=64F8C182 |website=Halifax Vandals}}

= Modern History =

In the early days, their existence was somewhat nomadic, using the facilities in the village pub, The Maypole Inn, before acquiring the former school house opposite. With the formation of the national league system in 1987 Halifax Vandals was one of the original members of Yorkshire 5, being the first ever winners of the competition being promoted to Yorkshire 4.

In the 2003–04 season they were relegated back to Yorkshire 5 however was promoted back in Yorkshire 4 the following season. Once again in the 2007–08 season the Vandals were champions Yorkshire 5, this caused them to have the joint record for titles for the now defunct Yorkshire 5.

In 2015–16 they became champions of Yorkshire 4, and went onto go back to back becoming champions of Yorkshire 3. However they were relegated from Yorkshire 2 after only one season.

= Rivalries =

The Warley-based club have a long-standing rivalry with Old Rishworthians and more recently, with Halifax RUFC. With Halifax RUFC joining the Vandals in Counties 3 Yorkshire for the 2023–24 season then led by former player coach Jamie Bloem the rivalry between the two clubs grew even more.

= Recent Success =

Following promotion is 2023-24 season, Vandals cemented themselves as a club that belonged in Yorkshire 2, and will be joined by the local rivals Halifax RUFC in the 2025-26 season. Many former Vandals now play for Halifax RUFC.

Club honours

= 1st XV =

Season summaries

class="wikitable"

|+Since 1998–99 season

!Season

!League

!Position

!W

!D

!L

!Pts

!Notes

!Captain

1998–99

|Yorkshire 2

|3rd

|11

|2

|5

|24

|

|Tim Helliwell

1999–00

|Yorkshire 2

|4th

|12

|0

|6

|24

|

|Jon Isherwood

2000–01

|Yorkshire 3

|7th

|9

|2

|11

|20

|

|G A Pollard

2001–02

|Yorkshire 3

|7th

|9

|0

|13

|18

|

|Tim Helliwell

2002–03

|Yorkshire 3

|12th

|1

|1

|20

|2

|Relegated to Yorkshire 4

|Jon Isherwood

2003–04

|Yorkshire 4

|11th

|6

|1

|15

|13

|Relegated to Yorkshire 5 North West

|B Holden

2004–05

|Yorkshire 5 North West

|1st

|11

|1

|2

|23

|Champions, promoted to Yorkshire 4

|Jon Isherwood

2005–06

|Yorkshire 4

|12th

|1

|0

|21

|2

|Relegated to Yorkshire 5 North West

|Damian Whiteley

2006–07

|Yorkshire 5 North West

|3rd

|10

|0

|6

|20

|

|Rick Duffy

rowspan="2" |2007–08

|Yorkshire 5A

|1st

|12

|1

|1

|25

| rowspan="2" |Promoted to Yorkshire 4

| rowspan="2" |Andy Lyon

Yorkshire 5C

|2nd

|7

|0

|1

|16

2008–09

|Yorkshire 4

|5th

|13

|1

|8

|27

|Promoted to Yorkshire Division Three

|M Lockwood

2009–10

|Yorkshire Division Three

|8th

|7

|1

|13

|15

|

|Paul Knapping

2010–11

|Yorkshire Division Three

|12th

|4

|1

|17

|23

|

| rowspan="3" |Andrew Murray

2011–12

|Yorkshire Division Three

|14th

|5

|0

|21

|24

|Relegated to Yorkshire Division Four

2012–13

|Yorkshire Division Four

|8th

|9

|0

|13

|42

|

2013–14

|Yorkshire Division Four

|5th

|13

|1

|8

|65

|

| rowspan="5" |Paul Jowett

2014–15

|Yorkshire Division Four

|6th

|12

|1

|9

|58

|

2015–16

|Yorkshire Division Four

|1st

|19

|0

|3

|90

|Promoted to Yorkshire Division Three

2016–17

|Yorkshire Division Three

|1st

|20

|1

|5

|95

|Promoted to Yorkshire Division Two

2017–18

|Yorkshire Division Two

|14th

|3

|1

|22

|21

|Relegated to Yorkshire Division Three

2018–19

|Yorkshire Division Three

|9th

|9

|0

|17

|45

|

|Jamie Richardson

2019–20

|Yorkshire Division Three

|9th

|11

|1

|10

|61

|Play was stopped on the 16/03/20 due to COVID-19

| rowspan="2" |Tony Curtis

2020–21

|Yorkshire Three

|N/A

|0

|0

|0

|0

|No games were played due to the Pandemic

2021–22

|Yorkshire Three

|6th

|13

|1

|12

|64

|

|Paul Jowett

2022–23

|Counties 3 Yorkshire

|6th

|11

|0

|11

|51

|

|Ben Burnside

2023–24

|Counties 3 Yorkshire

|2nd

|20

|0

|2

|96

|Promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire

|Dan Mitchell

2024─25

|Counties 2 Yorkshire

|5th

|13

|1

|8

|67

|

|Reuben Pollard

Notable former players

= Internationals =

  • {{Ruicon|England}} Chris Davies, former England Sevens international also played for Cambridge University and Saracens,{{cite web |title=England squad for Hong Kong |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/35783.html |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=ESPN scrum}}{{cite news |title=Former sevens star Davis lands presidency at Halifax Vandals |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/halifax-courier/20210401/282501481427470 |work=Halifax Courier |access-date=2 September 2023 |via=PressReader}}{{cite web |title=Chris Davis – Halifax Vandals RUFC 1st XV |url=https://www.halifaxvandals.co.uk/teams/5476/coach/chris-davis-1375801/82727 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=www.halifaxvandals.co.uk}}
  • {{Ruicon|RSA}}{{Ruicon|SCO}} Jamie Bloem, former South Africa Rugby League captain as well as playing internationally for Scotland Rugby League. Bloem joined in 2013 as a player coach.{{Cite web |title=Jamie Bloem – Halifax Vandals RUFC 1st XV |url=https://www.halifaxvandals.co.uk/teams/5476/coach/jamiebloem-1266308 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=www.halifaxvandals.co.uk}}
  • {{Ruicon|Pakistan}} Rehan Mansoor, 16 Cap Pakistan international joined Vandals as a player in 2022 and named forwards coach in 2023,{{Cite web |date=4 May 2013 |title=Rugby: Squad finalised for Asian Championship |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/544525/rugby-squad-finalised-for-asian-championship |access-date=31 December 2023 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=RFU |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/player-stats?playerId=693241 |access-date=31 December 2023 |website=www.englandrugby.com}}

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Rugby union teams in England

Category:Rugby clubs established in 1923

Category:Sport in Halifax, West Yorkshire

Category:1923 establishments in England