The Raiders return

At the time of writing, the Rugby landscape is currently being dominated by the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa, under the leadership of former Wales and New Zealand Coach Warren Gatland. The Lions tours are one of the most prestigious events in world rugby and only happen every four years. The team combines internationals from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and heads to the southern hemisphere for a three Test series.

The last Lions tour in New Zealand, when Gatland was also Head Coach, ended in a 1-1 draw, with the third Test ending in a nail-biting 15-15 draw after England’s Owen Farrell converted a 77th minute penalty to draw the Lions level.

However, enough about the Lions, this is a Sussex magazine and I thought it would be more pertinent to profile the best men’s side in the County. Worthing Raiders, who are celebrating their centenary, having been formed on the 10 September 1920, ply their trade in National Division Two South, and who in the 2012-13 season, after gaining promotion, became the first club from Sussex to play in the third tier of English rugby. 

So, how did it all start? Back to the summer of 1920, a group of men who had a shared passion for rugby met at York House in Worthing and concluded that the town was in need of a Rugby Football Club. Initially they had no equipment and no ground, but after managing to play at various local grounds over the coming years, including a farmer’s field, the Club moved to Castle Road where they played for 30 years. As their development in Junior and mini rugby expanded, so did their need for larger premises and eventually the Raiders settled at their current location at Roundstone Lane in Angmering in 1977, with the ground being officially opened two years later. 

Originally the team played in green and white stripes but because this was the colour also used by Guildford, this was changed in 1927 to what you see today, royal blue with chocolate and gold hoops. These colours were chosen as an amalgamation of the colours of the schools where many of the team had played, namely Cranleigh, Mill Hill and Dulwich. 

Like all teams across the UK, rugby has been severely affected by the worldwide pandemic but with last month finally allowing full contact rugby, clubs have been able to reinstate scrums and mauls. Exciting times ahead then and with the 2021/22 season due to be underway in September, the Raiders plan to celebrate with a 1920s themed day at their first home league game on 11 September with the British Army Red Devils Parachute Display Team delivering the match ball prior to kick off. 

I can’t wait! See you there.