History

Withycombe RFC

About the club....

Formed in 1924, the Club's full name derives from the use of the old Recreation Rooms as changing accommodation until 1964, when the first clubhouse was erected at Raleigh Park. Having played at several venues around the village, the Club made it's permanent home on the former market garden owned by Raleigh Willmot, who turned it into a sports club and in whose honour it is named. 

The ground was sold to Exmouth Urban District Council and leased to the Club. In 1971, with the formation of East Devon District Council, they became the new landlords and have supported the Club superbly over the years, with various loans and grants enabling the present-day superb Clubhouse facilities to be completed during the 1980's.

Always traditionally a family Club, it was denominated by the Willmot, Rowell and Burch families in the early days and
members of the Willmot and Burch families are much in evidence in the involvement in the present-day club.

On the inception of league rugby in 1985, the Club was placed in Devon 2B and remained there until promotion to Devon 1 was achieved with a fine win at Dartmouth in 1993. Four seasons of steady improvement in Devon 1 were completed with promotion to the Devon & Cornwall league in 1997. From here, with organized coaching and a lot of hard work, both on and off the field, the aim of Western Counties rugby was gained with Tom Patterson's epic touchline kick at Sidmouth's Blackmore Ground deep into injury time. To date, four seasons in Western Counties have produced two second places, and two play off positions, in May 2001, Taunton's Priory Ground and May 2003 at Thornbury saw Withycombe edged out of promotion to South West 2.

Perhaps a step too far at present, but who knows?

Watch this space!!