Our History

Hartridge HSOB RFC were formed in 1983, when a group of players from Ringland, who had been playing for Whitehead RFC for a number of seasons, decided to form a team.

The initial response from other local players that were playing at other Clubs, also would be commitee men was overhelming. Through the hard work and fundraising put in by the group to establish the Club the name was decided. After negoitions with Hartridge High School to use the pitches and changing rooms, as the majority of players attended the school, it was agreed that the newly born Club would be named, "Hartridge High School Old Boys RFC". The Club was based at the The Friendship Inn for a few seasons, but with the Clubs increasing popularity and number of teams playing. The Old Boys moved on to The Ringland Workmens Club.

So, Hartridge RFC was born - but even the most ambitious of members could not have envisaged the success story that would follow.

Indeed, with enough players recruited to form three teams on a regular basis. In the first season the club lost only 4 games and amassed over 1000pts., conceding only 200.

Over the course of the following 14 seasons Hartridge dominated the Newport District region. Winning the Newport & District Cup on no fewer than nine occassions....... EIGHT CONSECUTIVELY....

Hartridge also established themselves in the National Welsh Brewers Cup, appearing in the final a record equalling four times, winning the prestigious cup, once. Futhermore, a unique club achievement was gained in the 1989/90 season when both 1st and 2nd XV's won three respective leagues and cup competitions. In that season Hartridge also won the Newport Council Team of the year award. Season 1989/90 is famously known as the "Grand Slam" season.

Indivdual Honours followed on a regular basis, notably when eleven players represented Newport in a Howells Cup game, with another two players on the bench. Also, seven players represnted the Welsh Districts in one game, a record at the time.

The progress of the Club had only been held back by the lack of not having its own faclities and owning its own Clubhouse, without this the WRU would not grant the Club the status required to progress and compete with other local teams. This coupled with the introduction of professionalism stripped the club of many of its leading players, in turn this led to its ultimate demise. The Club struggled on but disbanded in 1998, and "like a shooting star, Hartridge had blazed a trail across the heavens, before disappearing from sight.