Gloucester Rugby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gloucester Rugby

Full name	Gloucester Rugby
Union	Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)	Cherry and Whites
Founded	1873; 152 years ago (1873)
Location	Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Region	South West England
Ground(s)	Kingsholm Stadium (Capacity: 16,115)
Chairman	Martin St Quinton
CEO	Alex Brown
Director of Rugby	George Skivington
Captain(s)	Lewis Ludlow
Most appearances	Alan Brinn (574)
Top scorer	Ludovic Mercier (1325)
Most tries	James Simpson-Daniel (118)
League(s)	Premiership Rugby
2024–25	5th
Home kit Away kit European kit
Largest win
Gloucester 103–3 Bucuresti (Kingsholm Stadium) 29 October 2005
Largest defeat
Northampton 90–0 Gloucester (Franklin's Gardens) 14 May 2024
Official website

Gloucester Rugby is a professional men's rugby union club from Gloucester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, which is England's top rugby league.

The club started in 1873. Since 1891, they have played their home games at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester. In the 2024–25 season, Gloucester finished 5th. This earned them a spot in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. The current Director of Rugby is George Skivington. He became head coach in 2020 and was promoted to Director of Rugby in 2023.

Gloucester has won 8 major titles. They won the RFU Knockout Cup four times (1972, 1978, 1982, 2003). They also won the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2011 and the Premiership Rugby Cup in 2024. Winning the Premiership Rugby Cup in 2024 made them the first club to win all three versions of England's domestic cup. Outside England, Gloucester has won the EPCR Challenge Cup twice (2006 and 2015). Even though they have never won a league title, Gloucester has finished second four times (1989, 1990, 2003, and 2007).

The club does not have an official nickname. However, fans and media call them the Cherry and Whites. This is because of their cherry and white striped shirts. Games against local rivals Bath and Bristol Bears are known as West Country derbies.

History

How the Club Started

Gloucester Rugby started in 1873. A meeting at the Spread Eagle Hotel led to an announcement in the local newspaper. It said a football club (which was what rugby was called then) had been formed. The first game was played on the current Kingsholm ground.

The club later left their first home, the Spa Ground. This happened after a disagreement with the cricket club they shared it with. In 1891, Gloucester Rugby bought land from the Castle Grim Estate. They have played their home games at this site, known as Kingsholm, ever since.

Successes and Becoming Professional

In 1972, Gloucester RFC won the first-ever National Knock-Out Competition. They beat several strong teams to reach the final. In 1978, they won the first John Player Cup. They defeated Leicester Tigers in a tough final.

Gloucester almost won two major titles in 1989. However, they lost both the league title and the cup final. Rugby became a professional sport in 1995. At first, Gloucester struggled to find big investors. But the club still became a limited company.

The Early Professional Years

Tom Walkinshaw bought the club in 1997. In the 1999–2000 season, Gloucester finished third in the league. This allowed them to play in the Heineken Cup. With strong players, Gloucester reached the semi-finals.

In 2003, Gloucester won their first cup in 25 years. This was under their new coach Nigel Melville. During the 2002–03 season, Gloucester finished first in the league. They were 15 points ahead of the next team. However, they lost the final playoff game to Wasps. This meant they were not crowned English champions.

In 2005, owner Tom Walkinshaw made changes to modernize the club. 'Gloucester Rugby Football Club' became 'Gloucester Rugby'. They also changed their club crest. The 2005–06 season was better for the club. They won the European Challenge Cup, beating London Irish in the final.

Gloucester finished first in the 2006–07 Premiership table. They tied with Leicester in points but won more games. Gloucester beat Saracens in the semi-final. However, they lost to Leicester Tigers in the final.

From 2008 to Today

Martin St Quinton bought 25% of the club in 2008. He became vice chairman. Gloucester Rugby started the 2007–08 season as favorites. They finished first in the league. But they lost the semi-final playoff game to Leicester Tigers. This was their third playoff defeat.

Gloucester reached the EDF Energy Cup Final in 2009. They lost to Cardiff at Twickenham. In June 2009, Bryan Redpath became the new head coach.

Sadly, on December 12, 2010, club owner Tom Walkinshaw passed away. His son, Ryan, inherited the club. In 2011, Gloucester won the Anglo-Welsh Cup. They beat Newcastle Falcons 34–7 in the final. They also reached the Premiership play-offs that season.

In 2012, Nigel Davies became the new director of rugby. Gloucester hosted international matches against Fiji in 2012 and Japan in 2013. Gloucester won both games.

After two difficult seasons, Nigel Davies left in 2014. David Humphreys became the new director of rugby. In the 2014–15 season, Gloucester won the European Rugby Challenge Cup. They beat Edinburgh 19–13 in the final.

In 2016, Martin St Quinton became the full owner and chairman of Gloucester Rugby. In 2017, Johan Ackermann became the new head coach. Gloucester reached the final of the European Rugby Challenge Cup twice more, in 2017 and 2018, but lost both times.

In 2020, Johan Ackermann left the club. David Humphreys also left. On June 27, 2020, Gloucester announced George Skivington as their new head coach. Alex Brown was promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

In July 2023, Alex Brown became interim CEO. In September 2023, he was appointed CEO. George Skivington was promoted to Director of Rugby. Gloucester finished the 2024-25 season in 5th place. This earned them a spot in the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Women's Team

Gloucester Rugby and Hartpury College started the Gloucester–Hartpury Women's Rugby Football Club in 2014. This team is part of Gloucester Rugby. Gloucester–Hartpury has won the Women's Championship Midlands 2 once. They have also won Premiership Women's Rugby three times. This is the highest level of women's rugby in England.

Kingsholm Stadium

Gloucester Rugby plays its home games at Kingsholm Stadium. The club moved to Kingsholm in 1891. They bought the land and built their own stadium. The "Sixpenny" stand, later known as the Shed, was opened that year.

The stadium's capacity grew over time. In 1926, a grandstand was added. However, it was destroyed by fire six years later. The Shed, a standing-only area, became famous for its passionate fans. Its low tin roof makes the crowd's cheers sound even louder. This, along with the team's good home record, led to the stadium being nicknamed 'Castle Grim'.

In 2003, Gloucester Rugby planned a big redevelopment called 'Project Kingsholm'. The idea was to make the stadium bigger and better. However, these plans were later stopped. In 2006, the club announced an extension to Kingsholm. This increased the stadium capacity to 16,500.

In 2007, there were plans to change the Shed into an all-seater stand. Many supporters did not want this to happen. A campaign called 'Save Our Shed' (SOS) started. Fans held up posters during games. They wanted the Shed to remain a standing area. In 2008, the chairman confirmed the Shed would stay a terrace.

In 2017, Gloucester Rugby announced plans for a new megastore and even a museum at Kingsholm Stadium.

Club Colours

The Gloucester Rugby crest used from 2005 to 2018

The crest used for the club's 150th anniversary in the 2023–24 season

Gloucester Rugby's traditional colours.

A local story explains how Gloucester Rugby got its famous cherry and white colours. The club's original colour was navy blue. One day, on an away trip, they forgot enough navy blue shirts. They borrowed 15 cherry and white jerseys from Painswick RFC. Gloucester won that game and kept the shirts, adopting the colours as their own. Painswick RFC now calls itself "The Original Cherry and Whites."

For the 2000–01 season, the club changed its shirts. They were mostly red with white sleeves, not the traditional hoops. The hoops returned in 2001–02 with thin white stripes. In 2005–06, the club again moved away from the traditional hoops. The new kit was mostly red with white panels. Fans called it the 'Spiderman' or 'Arsenal' kit. This new kit also changed from navy blue shorts and socks to all red.

Many fans were disappointed with these changes. Local shops started selling unofficial shirts with the classic cherry and white hoops. These shirts became very popular. Later, Gloucester Rugby released its own official supporters' shirt with the classic hooped design. For the 2009–10 season, the first team jersey returned to the cherry and white hoops. In 2018, Gloucester revealed a new club logo.

Kits

Over the years, different companies have made Gloucester's playing kits. These include Cotton Oxford, Cotton Traders, RugbyTech, Kooga, and XBlades. Since the 2019–20 season, Oxen Sports has supplied the kits.

For the 2024–25 season, BiGDUG is the main shirt sponsor. Hartpury is on the shoulders, and Kärcher is on the lower back. For European games, Malvern Tyres replaces BiGDUG as the main sponsor.

In February 2023, Gloucester wore a special limited edition shirt for the first Slater Cup game. £10 from each shirt sold went to the Slater family. This helped Ed with his treatment and home changes after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. The shirt was designed by Ed and his family. It included "4Dad" above the club logo and cherries at the bottom. The number 4, Ed's playing position, was on the front.

Nickname

Fans and media often call Gloucester the Cherry and Whites. This refers to the club's famous colours. While not official, the club uses this nickname in its marketing. The nickname "Red and Whites" was used in the 1920s. It then changed to the "Cherry and Whites" in the 1950s and 60s.

In 2005, the club thought about changing its nickname to 'Lions'. However, no official change was made. Another old nickname for the club was "The Elver Eaters." This name is now mostly remembered by the club's oldest fans.

Season Summaries

Gold background means champions
Silver background means runners-up

* After dropping into the competition from the Champions Cup/Heineken Cup

Club Honours

Gloucester Rugby Major Wins

• Premiership Rugby
  • Runners-up: (4) 1989, 1990, 2003, 2007
• European Challenge Cup
  • Champions: (2) 2006, 2015
  • Runners-up: (3) 2017, 2018, 2024
• RFU Knockout Cup
  • Champions: (4) 1972, 1978, 1982, 2003
  • Runners-up: (1) 1990
• Anglo-Welsh Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2011
  • Runners-up: (2) 2009, 2010
• Premiership Rugby Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2024
• C&G Cup
  • Champions: (2) 1998, 1999

Gloucester United (Development Team)

• Premiership Rugby Shield
  • Runners-up: (1) 2017

Sevens Rugby (Shorter Games)

• Premiership Rugby Sevens Series
  • Champions: (2) 2013, 2014
  • Runners-up: (1) 2012
• Middlesex Sevens
  • Champions: (1) 2005

Current Squad

The Gloucester Rugby squad for the upcoming 2025–26 season includes:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Seb Blake Hooker England Jack Innard Hooker England Jack Singleton Hooker England Jono Benz-Salomon Prop Spain Afolabi Fasogbon Prop England Jamal Ford-Robinson Prop England Kirill Gotovtsev Prop Russia Ciaran Knight Prop England Nepo Laulala Prop New Zealand Archie McArthur Prop England Val Rapava-Ruskin Prop Georgia Matias Alemanno Lock Argentina Hugh Bokenham Lock Australia Arthur Clark Lock England Danny Eite Lock England Cameron Jordan Lock England Freddie Thomas Lock Wales Josh Basham Back row England Jack Clement Back row England Lewis Ludlow Back row England Jack Mann Back row Scotland Harry Taylor Back row England Will Trenholm Back row England James Venter Back row South Africa

Player Position Union Mike Austin Scrum-half England Caolan Englefield Scrum-half England Tomos Williams Scrum-half Wales Charlie Atkinson Fly-half England Ross Byrne Fly-half Ireland Seb Atkinson Centre England Will Butler Centre England Will Joseph Centre England Max Llewellyn Centre Wales Josh Hathaway Wing Wales Ben Loader Wing England Jacob Morris Wing England Rob Russell Wing Ireland Ollie Thorley Wing England George Barton Fullback England Ben Redshaw Fullback England

Academy Squad

The Gloucester Rugby academy squad for the 2025–26 season is:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Kealan Freeman-Price Hooker England George Knowles Hooker England George Alexander Prop England Jonno Balding Lock England Deian Gwynne Back row Wales Olly Allport Back row England Caio James Back row Wales Jayden Wrottesley Back row England

Player Position Union Max Knight Centre England Will Knight Centre England Jack Cotgreave Wing England Josiah Edwards-Giraud Utility back England

Sub Academy Squad

The Gloucester Rugby sub academy squad for the 2025–26 season is:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Harrison Bellamy Prop England Olly Minus Prop England Harry Wright Prop England Freddie Ogden-Metherell Lock England Oscar Rees Lock England Jack Gilbert Back row England Dan O'Reilly Back row England

Player Position Union Rhys Price Scrum-half England George Dufty Wing England

Club Staff

Coaching Team

• George Skivington — Director of Rugby
• Dominic Waldouck – Rugby Strategy & Defence Coach
• Trevor Woodman – Scrum & Assistant Forwards Coach
• James Lightfoot Brown — Attack Coach
• Tim Taylor – Skills & Backs Transition Coach
• T. Rhys Thomas – Forwards Transition Coach

Academy Staff

• Wayne Thompson - Head of Academy
• Gareth Delve - Academy Manager
• Declan Danaher - Pathway Academy Head Coach / Breakdown Skills Coach
• Stuart Bradfield - Academy Pathway Manager
• George Edwards - Academy Analyst
• Conor Gallagher - Junior Academy Physiotherapist
• Tom Jameson - Education Officer
• Jordan Murton - Lead Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach
• Matt Teague – Academy Head Coach U17 / 18s
• James Wild - Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach

Famous Former Players

Here are some well-known players who have played for Gloucester Rugby:

Lions Players

These Gloucester players were chosen for the Lions tours while playing for the club:

• Walter Jesse Jackson (1891)
• Frank Stout (1899 & 1903)
• Tom Voyce (1924)
• John Gordon A'Bear (1936)
• Peter Hordern (1936)
• Don Rutherford (1966)
• Mike Burton (1974)
• Phil Blakeway (1980)
• Steve Boyle (1983)
• Mike Teague (1989 & 1993)
• Phil Vickery (2001)
• Billy Twelvetrees (2013)
• Ross Moriarty (2017)
• Greig Laidlaw (2017)
• Chris Harris (2021)
• Louis Rees-Zammit (2021)
• Tomos Williams (2025)

Rugby World Cup Players

The following players represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for Gloucester:

Tournament	Players selected	England players	Other national team players
1991	1	Mike Teague	N/A
1995	2	Richard West	Ian Smith
1999	4	Neil McCarthy, Phil Vickery	Junior Paramore, Terry Fanolua
2003	6	Phil Vickery, Trevor Woodman, Andy Gomarsall	Rodrigo Roncero , Thinus Delport , Terry Fanolua
2007	5	N/A	Will James, Gareth Cooper , Marco Bortolami (c) , Rory Lawson, Chris Paterson
2011	7	Mike Tindall	Scott Lawson, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, Rory Lawson , Akapusi Qera , Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu
2015	8	Ben Morgan, Jonny May	Ross Moriarty, James Hook , Greig Laidlaw (c) , Mariano Galarza , Sione Kalamafoni, David Halaifonua
2019	6	Willi Heinz, Jonny May	Chris Harris , Jake Polledri, Callum Braley , Franco Mostert
2023	8	Jonny May	Stephen Varney , Louis Rees-Zammit , Albert Tuisue , Chris Harris , Matías Alemanno, Santiago Carreras, Mayco Vivas

Hall of Fame

In 2023, for the club's 150th anniversary, 15 players from the professional era and 13 from the amateur era were added to a Hall of Fame.

Professional Era Hall of Fame

The following professional players are in the Gloucester Rugby Hall of Fame:

Player	Position	Years at club	Caps
Olivier Azam	Hooker	2000–2003 2004–2011	240
Nick Wood	Prop	2003–2016	277
Phil Vickery	Prop	1996–2006	155
Alex Brown	Lock	2003–2012	233
Dave Sims	Lock	1988–1999	256
Jake Boer	Flanker	2000–2007 2009–2010	190
Andy Hazell	Flanker	1997–2013	263
James Forrester	Number eight	2001–2007	136
Andy Gomarsall	Scrum-half	2000–2005	130
Ludovic Mercier	Fly-half	2001–2003 2005–2007	105
Mike Tindall	Centre	2005–2013	179
Billy Twelvetrees	Centre	2012–2023	273
Charlie Sharples	Wing	2008–2021	273
James Simpson-Daniel	Wing	2000–2013	272
Olly Morgan	Full-back	2005–2012	131

Amateur Era Hall of Fame

A group chose 13 players from before rugby became professional for the Hall of Fame. Only one player from each decade could be picked. The following players were chosen:

See also

In Spanish: Gloucester Rugby para niños