Southwark
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Southwark
RUGBY CLUB
S
ituated next to one of Europe’s biggest housing estates and within view of the
Shard lies Southwark Rugby Club. Surrounded by Peckham, Bermondsey
and Walworth and a short walk from Elephant & Castle it isn’t your archetypal
rugby club.
Founded in 2008 it is still a club that is
very much in its infancy and transitioning
from a group of rugby playing friends
into a well run organisation that is
attractive to all potential players.
Chairman and founder Chris
Callaway explains that a few friends
were interested in playing rugby
together but had no allegiance to other
clubs, “I contacted the RFU who put
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me in touch with Vernon Neve-Dunn
who had founded a junior team 10 years
previously in Southwark.
“We were totally sold on the idea of
bringing rugby and all its values into an
area that was devoid of any exposure to
rugby and entered the Kent Metropolitan
merit leagues in the 2008-9 season. Rapid
promotion followed until we reached
our current position in Kent 1”.
Being one of only a handful of
inner London rugby clubs has distinct
advantages, new players are always
moving into the area and it is able to field
three men’s teams. However, Southwark
and Lambeth are highly transient
places with a constant flow of economic
migrants moving in and out all the time.
The majority of the club’s players
fall into this category and it is therefore