Rugby Club ISSUE 86 | Page 30

Melbourne FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG Melbourne Rugby Football Club Limited (Established 1983) SOUTH DERBYSHIRE SPORTS CLUB OF THE YEAR 2018 WWW.MELBOURNERFC.COM Melbourne RFC is a small village team with great ambition as they look to establish themselves in the top Midlands division through their exciting brand of rugby. HISTORY AND PROFILE Melbourne RFC is a friendly, welcoming and ambitious Club that has great expectations for the future. The club was formed in the early 1980’s by a group of drinking pals. It has come a long way over a short space of time as it can boast a thriving mini, junior and minxes (girls) section as well as their Academy (U17-U18) and four senior sides. Even though the club is nestled in a quiet, small village, the Seniors first team squad compete in the Midlands 1 Division - their highest level of rugby in the club’s history, under the direction of Ian Lucas (Melbourne RFC Director), Matt Derbyshire, Director of Rugby and Gary Rudkin, Seniors Head Coach. 30 Issue 86 Under the guidance of Director of Rugby, Matt Derbyshire and Head Coach, Gary Rudkin the club has, over the last four years, moved from a single training night basis with numbers as low as nine to committing to a twice weekly regime with numbers exceeding fifty players on a regular basis. Formerly housed in two small portacabins the club now boasts excellent clubhouse and training facilities with a new 3G training pitch, floodlit training paddock and two senior pitches, soon to be expanded to include a third and modern clubhouse and facilities as well as professional physiotherapy care. The club is part of a sporting partnership that also locates football, netball, tennis and cricket facilities on site.