Wasps RFC facts for kids
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| Full name | Wasps Rugby Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1866 (as "Hampstead Football Club" ) 1867 (as "Wasps FC") |
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| Location | tbc | ||
| Ground(s) | tbc (Capacity: tbc) | ||
| Chairman | Christopher Holland | ||
| CEO | Vacant | ||
| Most caps | Simon Shaw (355) | ||
| Top scorer | Jimmy Gopperth (1,152) | ||
| Most tries | Christian Wade (82) | ||
| League(s) | tbc | ||
| 2022–23 | Premiership (Relegated due to administration) | ||
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| Official website | |||
Wasps Rugby Football Club was a professional rugby union team from England. Rugby union is a sport where two teams try to score points by carrying, passing, or kicking an oval ball. Wasps last played in Premiership Rugby, which is the top league for English rugby teams.
The team was suspended on 12 October 2022. A few days later, on 17 October 2022, the club went into administration. This meant they were removed from the league and all their staff lost their jobs. The club officially left administration on 16 December 2022.
Wasps Rugby Football Club started in 1867 as Wasps Football Club. For many years, from 1923 to 1996, they were based in Sudbury, London. They then moved to Loftus Road in London (1996–2002) and Adams Park in High Wycombe (2002–2014). From 2014 to 2022, their home was the Coventry Building Society Arena in Coventry. The club has not yet announced a permanent home ground since leaving administration.
Wasps won 12 major trophies during their history. They were European Champions twice, in 2004 and 2007. They also won six English Championships, including three in a row from 2003 to 2005. The team also won three Anglo-Welsh Cups and the European Rugby Challenge Cup in 2003. Their last major trophy was the Premiership title in 2008.
In their last full season, 2021–22 Premiership Rugby, Wasps finished in 9th place. Lee Blackett was their head coach from February 2020 until the club's financial problems. In October 2023, the club's owners shared plans to bring the team back. They hoped to find a permanent home in Kent and possibly play from Sixways Stadium in Worcester. The club aimed to be part of the professional rugby game in England again from 2025.
Contents
Club History
Early Years: 1866–1995
The club's story began in 1866 with Hampstead Football Club. Some members of this club later formed two new teams: Harlequin F.C. and Wasps. Wasps Football Club officially started in 1867 in North London. It was common back then to name sports clubs after insects or animals.
In 1871, a meeting was held to create the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which sets the rules for rugby. Wasps were supposed to be there, but their representative went to the wrong place! Because of this mix-up, Wasps were not officially listed as a founding member.
Wasps first played in Finchley Road, London. They moved to different rented grounds before finding a permanent home in Sudbury, Middlesex, in 1923. They eventually bought this ground. The team became very strong in the 1930s, even going unbeaten in the 1930–31 English season. Famous players like Ted Woodward and Richard Sharp played for England while at Wasps.
In 1967, Wasps celebrated their 100th birthday. They played special matches against the Barbarian F.C. and Harlequins at the Rugby school, where the game of rugby began.
Wasps reached the final of the John Player Cup in 1986 and 1987, but lost both times to Bath. In 1990, with Rob Andrew as captain, Wasps won their first ever Courage League title, becoming English champions. They reached another cup final in 1995, the Pilkington Cup, but again lost to Bath.
In 1995–96, many top players left Wasps to join other professional teams. Despite this, under their new captain Lawrence Dallaglio, the club managed to finish fourth. This earned them a spot in the Heineken Cup for the first time.
Becoming Professional: 1996–1999
The 1996–97 season was a big one for Wasps. They won their second league championship, becoming the first English champions in the new professional era of rugby. The club also split into two parts: a professional team and an amateur team. The professional team became part of Loftus Road Holdings PLC, which also owned Queens Park Rangers F.C.. This meant Wasps moved from Sudbury to share QPR's Loftus Road stadium.
Wasps continued their success in cup competitions. They reached the final of the Tetley's Bitter Cup in 1998 but lost to Saracens. However, they won the cup in 1999 by beating Newcastle Falcons, and then again in 2000 by defeating Northampton Saints.
The London Wasps Era: 1999–2014
In 1999, the professional team changed its name to London Wasps. This helped people tell the difference between the professional team and the amateur Wasps FC. They also got a new logo.
In 2001, Shaun Edwards, a famous rugby league player, joined as a coach. He helped create Wasps' strong "Blitz Defence," which was key to their success. London Wasps moved from Loftus Road to Adams Park in High Wycombe in 2002. They were very successful at their new home and decided to stay there.
The 2002–03 season was fantastic. Wasps won the European Challenge Cup by beating Bath. They also won their first English title since 1997, defeating Gloucester in the final at Twickenham.
In 2004, Wasps won their first Heineken Cup, a major European competition. They beat French team Toulouse in the final at Twickenham. The very next week, they won the English title again, beating Bath. This was a huge achievement, winning both the European and English titles. They won the English title for a third time in a row in 2005, beating Leicester Tigers.
Ian McGeechan became the new Director of Rugby in 2005. Wasps won the Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2006. In 2007, Wasps made history when three of their players – James Haskell, Joe Worsley, and Tom Rees – played together in England's back row against Wales.
Wasps had another amazing season in 2006–07. They won the Heineken Cup again, beating their rivals Leicester Tigers in the final. This was their second European title. In the 2007–08 season, Wasps climbed from 10th place to win the Guinness Premiership Final, beating Leicester Tigers once more. This was a perfect send-off for their retiring captain, Lawrence Dallaglio. Wasps had now won six league titles.
The 2008–09 season was tougher for Wasps after Dallaglio retired. They finished 7th and didn't reach the knockout stages of the European cups. Ian McGeechan stepped down, and Tony Hanks became the new Director of Rugby. Many key players left the club in 2009–10.
In 2011, Shaun Edwards left the club. The 2011–12 season was difficult, with many players getting injured. Wasps finished 11th, just avoiding being moved down to a lower league. New players like Andrea Masi and Stephen Jones joined the team, and former Wasps Tom Palmer and James Haskell returned. In 2013, Wasps set a new record for their highest European score, winning 90–17 against Viadana.
Moving to the West Midlands: 2014–2022
On 30 June 2014, the club announced they were dropping "London" from their name and would simply be called Wasps again. In September 2014, news spread that Wasps were planning to move permanently to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. In October 2014, Wasps confirmed they would play their home games there from December 2014. On 14 November 2014, Wasps bought the remaining shares in the stadium, becoming its full owners.
Their first game as stadium owners was a 48–16 win against London Irish on 21 December 2014. In the 2014–15 season, Wasps finished 6th. Andy Goode was the top scorer in the Premiership with 240 points.
Wasps improved in the 2015–16 season, finishing 3rd in the league. They lost in the play-off semi-final to Exeter Chiefs. In the 2016–17 season, Wasps finished 1st in the regular season. However, they lost to Exeter Chiefs again in the play-off final. The 2017–18 season marked 150 years since the club was founded, celebrated with a special game against Bath Rugby. Wasps finished 3rd that season but lost to Saracens in the semi-final.
The 2018–19 season saw Wasps finish 8th. However, they made a big improvement in the 2019–20 season, finishing 2nd. They beat Bristol Bears in the semi-final to reach the Gallagher Premiership Final. In a repeat of the 2017 final, Wasps were defeated by Exeter Chiefs, with a score of 19–13. The 2020–21 season saw Wasps drop to 8th place.
In May 2021, Wasps' home stadium was renamed the Coventry Building Society Arena. In July 2021, Wasps announced a new logo to unite all their teams, including the Netball team and amateur rugby sides.
Financial Challenges and Administration: 2022
On 15 May 2022, Wasps could not repay a £35 million loan they had taken out in 2015. They hoped to get new funding by 13 August, but this did not happen.
On 21 September 2022, Wasps Holdings announced they planned to go into administration due to financial difficulties. After another notice on 4 October, the club was suspended from all tournaments on 12 October because they couldn't put a team on the field. Wasps Holdings officially went into administration on 17 October 2022, and all their players and coaches lost their jobs. The team's results from that season were removed, and they were moved down to the RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby. The club had debts of £95 million.
On 30 October, it was confirmed that a group had offered to buy the club. On 16 December, the club announced it had been successfully sold and was no longer in administration. They also met the requirements to join the Championship for the 2023–24 season. However, on 18 May 2023, this decision was changed. Wasps had not met certain deadlines, so they were placed "at the bottom of the playing pyramid in tier ten" of the English rugby union system.
Future Plans in Kent
In 2023, it was reported that Wasps, now owned by Christopher Holland, were thinking about building a new stadium and training facilities in Swanley, Kent.
Club Rivalries
Wasps' main rival was Harlequins from London. Both clubs actually started from the same original club, Hampstead Football Club, before they split in 1867.
After Wasps moved to Coventry, they tried to create new rivalries with other teams in the Midlands, like Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints. However, some rugby experts felt these games didn't have the long history that true rivalries usually have.
Wasps Netball
In 2016, Wasps started a netball team called Wasps Netball. They played their home games at the Indoor Arena within the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Wasps Netball was very successful, finishing in first place in the Netball Superleague in 2018 and 2019. They won their second and third consecutive titles in those years.
Like the rugby team, Wasps Netball also went into administration on 17 October 2022, and all their players and staff were made redundant. On 10 November 2022, England Netball announced that Wasps Netball would no longer be able to compete in the Netball Super League.
Home Grounds
Wasps first played in Finchley Road, North London. For many years, they rented different grounds in London. In 1923, they moved to a permanent home at Repton Avenue in Sudbury, Middlesex, and eventually bought the land.
Loftus Road
In 1996, Wasps moved to Queens Park Rangers' home ground, Loftus Road, in West London. The old ground in Sudbury was later used for housing, but the original clubhouse is still there and used as a community center.
Adams Park
Wasps moved again in 2002, this time about 30 miles (48 km) west of London, to Wycombe Wanderers F.C.'s ground, Adams Park, in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. More fans came to watch their games after this move. Between 2004 and 2015, Wasps also played some home games at Twickenham as part of the London Double Header event.
In 2007, Wasps, Wycombe Wanderers, and the local council planned to build a new stadium in High Wycombe. The preferred location was Wycombe Air Park. The new stadium was planned to hold 16,000–17,000 people. However, these plans were eventually turned down. In April 2013, Derek Richardson became the main owner of Wasps.
Coventry Building Society Arena
Wasps first used the Ricoh Arena in Coventry for a home game in the 2007–08 Heineken Cup against Munster on 10 November 2007. They used it because it was a bigger stadium. While many fans traveled a long way, Wasps won the game 24–23 in front of a large crowd.
On 7 October 2014, Wasps bought 50% of the company that ran the Ricoh Arena, planning to move there. After buying 100% of the company on 14 November 2014, Wasps played their first game in Coventry as owners on 21 December 2014, winning 48–16 against London Irish. At first, only the main team played there, but the whole club moved to Coventry before the 2016–17 season.
After the team went into administration in 2022, the Coventry Building Society Arena was bought by the Frasers Group on 17 November 2022. Wasps no longer used it as their home ground.
Club Honours
Wasps RFC
'Champions: (6) 1989–90*, 1996–97, 2002–03^, 2003–04^, 2004–05^, 2007–08^ Runners-up: (6) 1987–88*, 1990–91*, 1992–93*, 2000–01^, 2016–17**, 2019–20
- European Rugby Champions Cup
- Champions: (2) 2003–04^, 2006–07^
- European Challenge Cup
- Champions: (1) 2002–03^
- Anglo-Welsh Cup
'Champions: (3) 1998–99, 1999–2000^, 2005–06^ Runners-up: (4) 1985–86*, 1986–87*, 1994–95*, 1997–98
- Middlesex Senior Cup
- Champions: (8) 1973–74*, 1974–75*, 1976–77*, 1977–78*, 1978–79*, 1981–82*, 1983–84*, 1986–87*
- Runners-up: (4) 1975–76*, 1979–80*, 1982–83*, 1985–86*
Wasps A
- Premiership Rugby Shield
- Champions: (2) 2006–07^, 2007–08^
- Runners-up: (2) 2004–05^, 2008–09^
Friendly Competitions
- Middlesex Sevens
- Champions: (5) 1948*, 1952*, 1985*, 1993*, 2006^
- Runners-up: (4) 1933*, 1951*, 1996*, 2005^
- Premiership Rugby Sevens Series
'Champions: (2) 2016**, 2017 Runners-up: (2) 2015**, 2018
* As Wasps FC – 1987–1996
** As Wasps RFC – 1996–1999 & 2014–2022
^ As London Wasps – 1999–2014
Coaches and Directors
| Name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ? | 1867–1981 | |
| Rob Smith | 1981–1996 | |
| Nigel Melville | 1996–2002 | |
| Warren Gatland | 2002–2005 | |
| Ian McGeechan | 2005–2009 | |
| Tony Hanks | 2009–2011 | |
| Leon Holden | 2011 | Interim Director of Rugby for part of the 2010–11 season |
| Dai Young | 2011–2020 | |
| Lee Blackett | 2020–2022 | Last head coach |
Club Ownership
Irish businessman Derek Richardson became the main owner of the Wasps group in April 2013. The group faced financial difficulties and went into administration in October 2022, with over £100 million in debt.
Team Kit
On 29 April 2021, Wasps announced a new deal with Danish sportswear company Hummel. Hummel became their official kit supplier and retail partner starting from the 2021–22 season. Wasps was the first British rugby union team to partner with Hummel.
Before Hummel, Wasps' kits were made by companies like Canterbury and Kukri. In 2012, Kukri made a blue away kit, which was different from the usual white or black and gold hoops. This was done to support the charity MIND and help raise awareness about mental health in sports.
Famous Former Players
Rugby World Cup Players
The players listed below represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for Wasps:
| Tournament | Players selected | England players | Other national team players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 6 | Rob Andrew, Mark Bailey, Huw Davies, Jeff Probyn, Paul Rendall, Kevin Simms | |
| 1991 | 4 | Rob Andrew, Chris Oti, Jeff Probyn, Paul Rendall | |
| 1995 | 2 | Rob Andrew, Damien Hopley | |
| 1999 | 6 | Lawrence Dallaglio, Martyn Wood, Joe Worsley | Andy Reed, Kenny Logan  , Trevor Leota  |
| 2003 | 6 | Stuart Abbott, Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey, Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley | Kenny Logan |
| 2007 | 10 | Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey, Tom Rees, Paul Sackey, Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley, Phil Vickery (c) | Daniel Leo , Raphaël Ibañez (c)  , Eoin Reddan  |
| 2011 | 9 | Steve Thompson, Joe Simpson | Genaro Fessia  , Victor Gresev, Vladislav Korshunov (c)  , Paul Emerick  , Tinus du Plessis, Heinz Koll  , Zak Taulafo |
| 2015 | 5 | James Haskell, Joe Launchbury | Bradley Davies  , Lorenzo Cittadini, Andrea Masi  |
| 2019 | 2 | Joe Launchbury | Matteo Minozzi |
Lions Tourists
The following players were chosen to tour with the Lions team while they were playing for Wasps:
- 1983: Nigel Melville
- 1989: Rob Andrew, Chris Oti
- 1993: Rob Andrew
- 1997: Lawrence Dallaglio
- 2001: Rob Henderson, Phil Greening, Lawrence Dallaglio
- 2005: Josh Lewsey, Matt Dawson, Lawrence Dallaglio
- 2009: Tim Payne, Phil Vickery, Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley, Riki Flutey
- 2013: Christian Wade
- 2017: James Haskell, Elliot Daly
See also
In Spanish: Wasps RFC para niños
- Rugby union in Coventry
- Rugby union in England
- Wasps Netball, Netball Superleague team run by Wasps
