Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C.

Birmingham & Solihull Bees
Full name	Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club
Union	North Midlands RFU
Founded	1989; 35 years ago
Location	Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Ground(s)	Portway
Coach(es)	Clive Chapman
League(s)	Midlands 4 West (South)
2019-2020	Promoted from Birmingham Merit league (1st)
	Team kit
	Team kit
Official website
	www.beesrugby.com

Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club representing Birmingham and Solihull which was formed in 1989 by a merger of the original Birmingham (founded 1911) and Solihull rugby clubs, which were both established over 60 years ago.^[1] They currently play in the Birmingham Merit Leagues, having dropped out of Midlands Premier following their relegation from National League 2 South at the end of the 2018-19 season, becoming an amateur club.^[2]

History

Origins

The club's original name was Birmingham and Solihull RFC, but in 2001 due to the club colours of black, white, red and gold, and the alliteration of the name, the club underwent a large scale rebranding, adopting the alias Pertemps Bees.^[3] The team have since shortened this to Bees.

Birmingham Bees are remembered by many fans for their cup success of 2004, in which they caused the biggest upset in the professional rugby era by beating London Wasps 28–24 in the quarter-final of the Powergen Cup overcoming odds of 250–1, known as "The Greatest Ever Sporting Upset", subsequently playing Newcastle Falcons in the semi-final, live on BBC television. The club however hit rock bottom just two seasons later in 2005–06 when they finished last in National Division One but were saved from relegation because of league expansion.

In October 2006 it was announced that Bees were in the planning stage of building a £60 million super stadium at their training ground known as Portway just off the M42 in Solihull. It would be one of the nation's largest sports villages to rival anything built for the 2012 Olympics. Plans included a regional sports academy, education and conference centre, 12,000 capacity stadium, seven all-weather rugby pitches, archery and shooting ranges and a watersports lake.

In June 2007 Bees coach Steve Williams left the club with one year still left on his contact to become assistant manager at Magners League side Ulster. Williams, a former Northampton and London Irish player, won 29 caps for Wales.

The 2007–08 season began under a split coaching structure in which two former England Sevens internationals had equal control over the squad. Ben Harvey coached the backs and Russell Earnshaw was player/forwards coach. The coaching structure however was widely viewed as unsuccessful and former Bees scrum-half Harvey was sacked shortly before Christmas. On a temporary basis former Rotherham head coach Andre Bester was appointed to take charge of the side before being replaced by former Wales A coach Allan Lewis.

In November 2007 it was announced that Bees would sell their Sharmans Cross Road pitch and play at local football side Solihull Moors Damson Park as part of a ground share arrangement.

On 28 January former Llanelli centre Allan Lewis was announced as the head coach of Bees. Lewis brought experience to the club after previously holding the role of head coach at Celtic Warriors, Moseley, Newport and Bridgend. Lewis had also worked with the Welsh national squad working as selector, backs coach and Wales A head coach at different times throughout his career. However, by 17 April it was reported that Lewis would not remain at the club past the 2007–08 season and would return to his post at Hartpury College.

Bees were relegated to National Division Two at the end of the 2007–08 season finishing in 15th position. Following their relegation they would also end the clubs association with the Pertemps Group losing the moniker of 'Pertemps Bees' and changing back to the original name of 'Birmingham & Solihull'.^[4]

Birmingham and Solihull finished the 2008–09 season as winners of National Division Two and were promoted to the newly formed Championship. Fly half Mark Woodrow finished as top point scorer within the National Leagues and winger Simon Hunt as top try scorer.

A new beginning

Bees' campaign in the 2009–10 season was blighted by administration, a fate which also befell Coventry. Bees finished the main season on negative points, rock bottom of the table. However, with a mini-league of the bottom four teams to be played to decide relegation, all hope was not lost. Unfortunately, due to an administration error back in January, Bees were to start the play-off league on −2 points. The odds were stacked against them. Yet despite all this, on 1 May 2010, Bees turned out at Billesley Common and held on to win 34–38 versus a determined Moseley Side. With the result at Clifton Lane having to go to Rotherham for Bees to stay up, the Moseley announcer did not take too long in letting the waiting crowd know the score. Rotherham had beaten Coventry at Butts Park, and Bees were safe.

However, their stay in English rugby union's second tier was not confirmed until 26 May 2010, when the RFU published a Press Release confirming that Bees had passed an audit of their finances and business plan – and were accepted as full members of the union. The club would finally leave Sharmans Cross Road following relegation from the 2009-10 RFU Championship to start groundsharing with a local football team at Damson Park.^[5]

For the 2012–13 season Bees moved to what had formerly been their training ground, Portway, having been groundsharing for a couple of seasons.^[6]