A Proud History of Nuneaton R.F.C.
Nuneaton R.F.C. was founded on 5 November 1879 at the town’s Newdegate Arms Hotel, with its first recorded match played against Tamworth on 7 February 1880. In 1893, a 2nd XV was formed following an amalgamation with local side St. Mary’s.

Club Colours & Early Success
Originally donning black shirts with a red sash, the club adopted the iconic red, white, and black hooped design in 1911. By the outbreak of World War I, the “Nuns” had built a strong rugby reputation, facing teams like Leicester, Northampton, Rugby, Bedworth, and Allesley.

The Harry Cleaver Ground Era
Post-WWI, the club temporarily shared grounds with the town’s cricket club in 1919 before purchasing its own ground in 1930, named the Harry Cleaver Ground, where it remained until 30 November 1995.

Liberty Way: A New Era
The move to the current Liberty Way site in December 1995 saw the club expand to 50 acres, ten times larger than the previous ground. This new chapter followed a golden period from 1947 to 1954, highlighted by the memorable 1949-50 season, when the club defeated Coventry, London Irish, Saracens, Leicester, Northampton, and Coventry again in just eight days.

Pioneering Youth Development
In the early 1970s, Nuneaton R.F.C. was ahead of its time, launching a Mini & Junior rugby programme as schools’ rugby declined. Many of these young players progressed to represent the 1st XV, Premiership, and international sides.

League Restructuring & the Professional Era
With the advent of league rugby in 1987, the club was placed in Division Three North. After years of varied fortunes, promotion to National League Two came in 2003, though the club was relegated again just two seasons later.

Promotion Battles & Coaching Changes
Following near misses and tough seasons, the 2005-06 campaign saw a strong resurgence, ending with promotion after a playoff win over North Walsham. Despite managerial changes, including the appointment of Mike Umaga, stability was hard to maintain, and relegation returned in 2007-08.

Return to Form
A dominant 2008-09 season saw the Nuns clinch the National Three North title and promotion to National One. The young, ambitious squad excelled under Umaga, who was named Midlands Coach of the Year. Yet, relegation followed again, and by 2015, the club found itself in National League 3 Midlands.

Recent Times
At the close of the 2016-17 season, the Nuns narrowly missed promotion to National Two North and now compete in the newly formed Midlands Premier League for the 2017-18 season.