Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club Explained

Teamname:Cottesloe RUFC
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Url:https://www.cottrugby.com/
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Disbanded:1939–1948
Founded:1893
Unions:Australian Rugby Union
Union:RugbyWA
Emblem:Seagull
Nickname:Cotts, Cott, The Seagulls
Fullname:Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club
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Coach:Ryan Westaway
Rugby Director:Craig Fairhall
President:Sam Diamond
Location:Cottesloe, Western Australia
Ground:Harvey Field

Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club, often shorted to "Cottesloe", "Cott" Cotts" or "The Seagulls", is a rugby union club based in Cottesloe, Perth, Western Australia. The club is the oldest club currently competing in the RugbyWA Fortescue Premier Grade, formed as "The Pirates" in 1893 and is older than the West Australian Rugby Union itself (RugbyWA).[1] The club moved to Harvey Field in 1930 and have kept this as their home since. In 1930 the club also changed their colours to their current "Two Blue strip" and became known as the Seagulls or just "Gulls".[2]

History

Early years

The club was originally formed in 1893 and donned a black jersey with the insignia of a skull and crossbones over the left breast. Until 1928, when the West Australian Rugby Union was formed, the club didn't play on a competition basis. When the club joined the WARU in 1928 they changed their name to the seagulls and retained the black and white jerseys for 2 years until adopting their current club colours that of the "Two Blue strips".[2] When WW2 broke out most of the clubs disbanded (like a lot of clubs) and Cott combined with Perth (now Perth Bayswater) for a few years in a small competition. The club was reformed in 1948 by pre-war members.[2]

Post War Years

The 1950s were very successful for Cottesloe, achieving a minor Premiership in 1954 and major premiers in 1955 and 1956.[2] The mid 60's was dire times fore Cottesloe, becoming a victim of the restructuring of the competition, players dwindled, debts were high and the death of the club looked near. The club borrowed money from the union, bought a set of jumpers and an SOS was sent out for players. Although the club finished last in the 1962 season, for the first time in their history, their debts had gone and the club was no longer in financial trouble. The club had an emphasis on schoolboy rugby, with many of the states best schoolboy players playing exclusively for Cottesloe.[2] Up until 1963 the club trained on The Esplanade, sharing a small change room with Western Suburbs (Now Wests Scarborough). In 1964 training on Thursday nights was moved to Cottesloe and training on Tuesday nights continued at The Esplanade. In 1965, lights were installed at Cottesloe Oval and so the club moved there for training on both nights and for games. From 1971 to 1974, renovations at an old house on Broome Street, overlooking the pitch, became the clubs current clubhouse. The 1980s were a very successful time for the club, Premiers from 1984 to 1985 and again in 1988. The nineties saw another Premiership in 1992 and the formation of the Cottesloe Women's team (The Shegulls) in 1996 with them, themselves winning their first Premiership in 1999.[2]

Honours (Since 1967)

1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1992, 2001, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2021

1976, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2019, 2020

1977, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2008

1974, 1984, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2015

2013, 2014

1967, 2010

1998, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2021,[2] 2022

Notable players

Men
Women

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club. 2022-02-07. Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club. en-GB.
  2. Web site: The Cott Rugby Story. 2022-02-07. Cottesloe Rugby Union Football Club. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Dane Stafford Haylett-Petty . Classic Wallabies . 10 August 2022.
  4. News: Taylor . Nick . Brothers step out for the Force . The West Australian . https://archive.today/20230822182247/https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-union/brothers-step-out-for-force-ng-ya-107600 . 22 August 2023 . 17 April 2015.
  5. News: Taylor . Nick . Former Western Force prop Ollie Hoskins gets shock call-up to Wallabies squad for clash with England . The West Australian . 10 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115022704/https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-union/former-western-force-prop-ollie-hoskins-gets-shock-call-up-to-wallabies-squad-for-clash-with-england-c-4507540 . 15 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Rebecca Clough: "Rugby kept me out of some dark places" . women.rugby . 10 August 2022.
  7. Web site: It all began in 1893 . Cott Rugby . 10 August 2022.