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Taunton R.F.C.

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Taunton
Full nameTaunton Rugby Football Club
UnionSomerset RFU
Founded1875; 149 years ago (1875)
LocationTaunton, Somerset, England
Ground(s)Towergate Stadium, Hyde Park (Capacity: 2,000 (198 seats))
ChairmanJohn Wrelton
PresidentDick Macey
Coach(es)Tony Yapp
Captain(s)Dan Lee
Top scorerNick Mason
League(s)National League 2 South
2019–20Champions (promoted to 2020–21 National League 1)
Team kit
Official website
www.tauntonrfc.co.uk

Taunton Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Taunton, Somerset. The first XV, Taunton Titans, play in National League 2 South, having achieved back-to-back promotions in 2009 and 2010.[1] The second XV (The Warriors) play in the Somerset Premier League and the third XV (The Wanderers) play in Somerset 2 South. The club also operates the full range of junior teams for both boys and girls.[2]

History

The club was founded in 1875,[3] and play their home matches at Hyde Park, next to the M5 motorway.[4] They moved to Hyde Park in November 2001, having previously played at Priory Park for 66 years. In 2011, they began their partnership with local telecommunications firm, Commsplus. This partnership developed over many years and in October 2017, the Taunton Rugby Club ground at Hyde Park in Taunton was officially renamed the 'Commsplus Stadium'.

For the 2019–20 season, the ground will be known as the 'Towergate Stadium' after new sponsors Towergate - an insurance company.[5]

Playing record

The team's achievements in 2008–09, when they remained unbeaten, saw them rewarded by being named 'BBC West Team of the Year'.[6]

In the 2009–10 season, the Taunton 1st XV were champions of National League 3 South West, winning [7] matches.

In the 2010–11 season, the Taunton 1st XV finished in 7th position [8] in their first season in National League 2 South.

Honours

1st team (Titans):

2nd team (Warriors):

3rd team (Wanderers):

Current squad

The Taunton Titans squad for the 2017–18 season is:

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Alex Spurdle Hooker England England
Andrew Hamilton Hooker England England
Chris Francis Hooker England England
Paul Davis Hooker England England
Aaron Wilman Prop England England
Isaac Dalton Prop England England
Connor Baker Prop England England
James Kenny Prop England England
Charlie Tribble Prop England England
Dave Edwards Prop England England
Stuart Persey Lock England England
Blake Lugg Lock England England
Brett Harvey Lock England England
Will Hopkinson Lock England England
Milo Reynalds Lock England England
Andrew England Lock England England
Jamie Fleming Flanker England England
Ratu Vakalutukali Flanker Fiji Fiji
Dan Frost Flanker England England
Charlie Samways Flanker England England
Charlie Walker-Blair Number 8 England England
Sam Prior Number 8 England England
Ben Oliphant-Thompson Number 8 England England
Player Position Union
Lewis Webb Scrum-half England England
Connor Banks Scrum-half England England
Connor Littlewood Scrum-half England England
Toby East Fly-half England England
Oliver Carter Centre England England
Nick Mason Centre England England
Freddy Fraser Centre South Africa South Africa
Tom Popham Centre England England
Rob Allen Centre England England
Jack Claydon Wing England England
Ollie Rice Wing England England
Aron Struminski Wing Poland Poland
Jordan Paul Wing England England
Gary Kingdom Fullback England England
  • Notes:

Current standings

Template:2019–20 National League 2 South

M5 motorway crash

Main article: 2011 M5 motorway crash

On the evening of 4 November 2011 seven people were killed and fifty one injured in a multi-vehicle accident on the M5 south of the area where Taunton RFC were holding a fireworks display. Police said that they were investigating whether smoke from the event had been a significant factor in the accident.[10] Taunton Rugby Club management committee issued a statement regarding the crash on 7 November 2011.[11] On 13 December 2011, it was reported that the Highways Agency advised that fog warning systems be upgraded 18 months before the crash.[12]

On 19 October 2012, Geoffrey Counsell, the provider of a fireworks display, was charged with seven counts of manslaughter.[13] At the 15 January hearing the manslaughter charges against Counsell were dropped. He will instead face a single charge of failing to ensure the safety of others, under health and safety laws.[14] On 9 April he entered a not guilty plea and was bailed.[15]

On 10 December 2013, Geoffrey Counsell was cleared of the blame for the firework deaths. He had denied the charge of failing to ensure public safety for the Taunton Rugby Club display. A judge at Bristol Crown Court directed the jury to find him not guilty.

The pile-up involved about 30 cars when they were engulfed by a thick fog on the M5 on 4 November 2011.

Speaking outside court, Mr Counsell said he believed the decision to prosecute him was "motivated by a desire to find someone to blame for this terrible accident, simply for the sake of doing so".

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it sought evidence from experts and eyewitnesses before making the decision to charge Mr Counsell.

The court had previously been told the smog was so thick that motorists on the northbound carriageway likened it to having a tin of paint thrown over their windscreens.

Mr Justice Simon ruled Mr Counsell had "no case to answer" following an application from the defendant's barrister at the halfway point in the trial.

He said the prosecution's case was "heavily weighted" on "hindsight" and there was not sufficient evidence to show that Mr Counsell ought to have foreseen that smoke from the display could have drifted and mixed with fog to create thick smog.

"I have therefore concluded that the evidence is such that the jury cannot continue in these circumstances and it is my duty to stop the trial and order an acquittal," he added.

Mr Counsell, who ran Firestorm Pyrotechnics, was the contractor hired by Taunton Rugby Club to run the £3,000 display, which was watched by about 1,000 people.

He set off 1,500 shots in 15 minutes – just 200 yards from the motorway.

References

  1. ^ "Team Info — Taunton 1st XV". Taunton RFC. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  2. ^ Club website home page
  3. ^ "Club Contacts". Taunton RFC. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Address Details:". Taunton RFC. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  5. ^ "Taunton Rugby Club ground re-named Towergate Stadium". Somerset County Gazette. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Golden girl Millward, Powell and Weale win BBC sports awards". The Bath Chronicle. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  7. ^ 24 of 26
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ http://www.trelawnys-army.org.uk/ta/tables089.html
  10. ^ "M5 crash: Firework display is 'major line of inquiry'". BBC News. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  11. ^ TAUNTON M5 CRASH: Latest rugby club statement. thisisthewestcountry.co.uk. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  12. ^ M5 fog warning ignored in 2010. thisissomerset.co.uk. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  13. ^ "BBC M5 crash deaths: Geoffrey Counsell on manslaughter charges". BBC News. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  14. ^ "Manslaughter charges dropped in M5 crash case". BBC News. 15 January 2013.
  15. ^ "M5 crash deaths accused Geoffrey Counsell pleads not guilty". BBC News. 9 April 2013.
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