London South Africa RFC
{{short description|Defunct rugby union club in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby team
| teamname = London South Africa
| country =
| image = File:London South Africa RFC.svg
| image_size = 100px
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| fullname = London South Africa Rugby Football Club
| unions =
| union = Rugby Football Union
| branch = Surrey Rugby Football Union
| nickname = The Boks
| emblem = Springbok
| founded = 2005
| disbanded = 2014
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London South Africa Rugby Football Club was an English rugby union club based initially in Wimbledon, London before moving to Surrey. They were founded in 2005 as a rugby club for South African expatriates in England. They were dissolved in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05550050 |title=London South Africa Rugby Football Club Limited – Overview |publisher=Companies House |date= |accessdate=2018-03-02}}
History
London South Africa was originally envisioned by Jason Smith, a South African sports agent, shortly after the Kolpak ruling. He had representations from ten South Africa national rugby union team players to establish a club in England for the South African expatriate community.{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/consortiums-eye-sa-players-534678 |title=Consortiums eye SA players |publisher=IOL |date=2004-05-03 |accessdate=2018-03-02}} There had previously been a South African expatriate team in England called London Springboks RFC who were founded in 1996 but merged with nearby Sudbury RFC three years later.
Smith's initial plan was to purchase a National League 1 club, rename the club, relocate them to London and earn their way to promotion to the English Premiership. Eventually such a move failed so Smith moved lower down the divisions and started discussions with Wimbledon RFC to purchase the club and take over their position in London 2 South in 2004.{{cite news|author=Andy Colquhoun in Cape Town and Mike Averis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/feb/05/rugbyunion1 |title=Rugby: Springbok side to set up in Wimledon |work=The Guardian |date= 5 February 2004|accessdate=2018-03-02}} However, in light of Smith's publicised plans and a rival operation called London Tribes RFC{{cite web |title=Young Tribes are making a quick impact|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6492972.young-tribes-are-making-a-quick-impact/|publisher=News Shopper|date=31 October 2008}} planning a similar move, Wimbledon rejected the offer and the Rugby Football Union also prohibited the attempt. As such, London South Africa were formed as a new club and made an application to join the Surrey Rugby Football Union.{{cite web|author=Hugh Godwin |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/first-division-clubs-turn-down-south-african-offers-59512.html |title=First Division clubs turn down South African offers |work=The Independent |date= |accessdate=2018-03-02}} Their application was successful and they started playing in the bottom tier of English rugby.{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-167062136.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105850/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-167062136.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-03-03 |title=London's SA rugby tribe are doing it the hard way |work=Sunday Tribune |accessdate=2018-03-02}} They initially started playing in Wimbledon but moved to Imber Court in Esher, Surrey.
The club's name was challenged in court by a man who claimed he owned the trademark to the London South Africa name since 2000. However the claim was denied as there was no evidence of him using the name for a rugby club beyond occasional scratch teams of South Africans for rugby sevens and rugby tens competitions.{{cite web|url=https://www.ipo.gov.uk/t-challenge-decision-results/o23206.pdf |title=Trade Mark Inter Partes Decision (O/232/06) |publisher=Intellectual Property Office |date= |accessdate=2018-03-02}} During their first three years of existence, they won three consecutive promotions.{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-170200829.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105847/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-170200829.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-03-03 |title=Awesome Boks provide lesson |work=Petersfield Post |accessdate=2018-03-02}} In 2009, they sent a team to the international beach rugby championships, finishing fifth.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/london%E2%80%99s-top-sa-rugby-club-is-off-to-italy-2/ |title=London's top SA rugby club is off to Italy |work=The South African |date=2010-07-12 |accessdate=2018-03-02}} Despite early success, the club folded in 2014.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
Category:Rugby clubs established in 2005
Category:Rugby union clubs in London
Category:South African diaspora
Category:Defunct rugby union teams in England
Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 2014
Category:Rugby union clubs in Surrey
Category:Diaspora sports clubs in the United Kingdom