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Bristol Bisons Rugby Football Club
UnionGloucestershire RFU
Nickname(s)Bisons
Founded2005 (2005)
LocationCribbs Causeway, South Gloucestershire, England
Ground(s)Clifton RFC
ChairmanJamie White
Coach(es)Sasha Acheson
Captain(s)Daryn McCombe
League(s)UKIGRC
Official website
www.bisonsrfc.co.uk
Bristol Bisons RFC Feb 2023

Bristol Bisons RFC is an inclusive English rugby union club based in Bristol. Founded in 2005 as the south west’s first inclusive rugby team, the Bisons have welcomed players (and supporters) of all abilities, backgrounds and sexualities from Bristol, Somerset, South Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas since that time.

Club history

The Bristol Bisons RFC (Bisons) were established in 2005,[1] following a visit to the Bingham Cup gay rugby tournament in the summer of 2004 in London.[2] The founders felt that it would be good to spread the messages of an inclusive rugby team in the south west.

Training for the newly formed club started early in 2005 with its first match seeing the Bisons vs. a Barbarians side of players from Manchester and Bristol. By 2009, following a quiet spell, it was decided to relaunch the club with new kit and promotional material.

The club has had an active presence at Bristol Pride since 2010 and in July 2011, the team were chosen as hosts for the Union Cup 2013 European Gay rugby tournament, welcoming over 20 clubs to Bristol.[3]

Since 2016, the Bisons have been hosted by and train every Monday and Thursday between 7-9pm at Clifton RFC.

In 2023, after finishing top of the UK IGR Southern Development League, the Bisons were named IGR Southern Development League Champions, going on to become IGR UK Development League Champions, after playing at the UK IGR Grand Finals Day in Swansea, Wales.

As of 2023, the club now has over 70 active players and supporters, with current sponsorship and support from First Bus in the West of England, Event Exchange, Bristol Bear Bar,, Top to Toe Physiotherapy, Valesco Fitness, Fire & Evacuation Services, Hawkland Construction and the Queenshilling nightclub.

Bristol Bisons RFC vs. Reading Renegades RFC Nov 2022

Tournaments

The following is a list of tournaments held by or attended by the team.

Tournaments hosted

Tournaments attended

Union Cup

Bingham Cup

Memberships and affiliations

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b Beacham, Rhiannon (14 May 2013). "Gay rugby Union Cup 2013 hosted by Bristol Bisons". BBC News. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  2. ^ "The Union Cup". Gay Rugby Clubs. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Bristol Bisons to host the Union Cup 2013". Everything Rugby. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Members". International Gay Rugby Association and Board. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  5. ^ Quirke, Jeni. "Bristol Bisons join Rugby Football Union". Pink Paper. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2015.

External links

Inclusive Rugby Clubs
Categories