Blackheath Rugby Club


Click to enlarge/reduce An artist's impression of an early match between England and Scotland


Click to enlarge/reduce An England v Ireland international at the Rectory Field, 1890.

Blackheath - A pioneer of International Rugby

International Rugby was played at Blackheath well before the establishment of England's national ground at Twickenham in 1910. All the home counties played there, together with Australia and the New Zealand Maoris.

Blackheath organised the first-ever international match, against Scotland in Edinburgh on 27th March 1871. The leading Scottish Clubs issued a challenge for a 20-a-side game against England under Rugby School Rules and it was the Club that accepted the challenge. Captain of this, the first ever English international side, was Frederick Stokes of Blackheath, and there were three other Club players on the team. The England side lost by only one goal.


Click to enlarge/reduce England v Wales, Twickenham 1933. The Prince of Wales shaking hands with B.H.Black, captain of Blackheath 1933-34

The first England v Wales Rugby international fixture was played on 19th February 1881 at Richardson's Field, Blackheath. England won by 7 goals to nil, one dropped goal and six tries to nil (in modern terms 82-0!!!). There were four Blackheath players in the side, which was captained by Blackheath's Lennard Stokes. The teams changed at the Princess of Wales public house and walked half a mile to the ground.

A Growing Dominance In A Fast Developing Sport

From the early days following the foundation of the Rugby Football Union in 1871, the Club was all set to become an increasingly dominant force within a fast developing game, with many fine players led by many fine Captains. A few examples will demonstrate the great strength of Blackheath during the periods leading up to the two World Wars:


Click to enlarge/reduce Blackheath v Maoris, 1926

1. During the five seasons from 1876-81 that Lennard Stokes captained the Club, Blackheath won 68 games and lost only 6 out of a total 83 played.

2. No less that 9 Blackheath players were included in the England/Scotland international, played at Richmond in 1895.

3. In the season immediately after the 1914-18 war, Blackheath won 23 from 25 games.

4. Under the captaincy of C.D. Aarvolf, the Club was unbeaten during the 1932-33 season. During this season, the Club gained its first success in the Middlesex Seven-a-Side competition, beating Harlequins 18-10 in the final.

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