History of Hull RUFC

Hull RUFC was formed in July 1992 as a result of a merger between two local clubs, Old Hymerians RUFC and Hull & East Riding RUFC (1989) .

The formation of Hull RUFC was, at the time, another chapter of change in local rugby union history that in the previous few years had proved to be somewhat controversial.

Three years earlier, in the spring of 1989, the decision of the membership of Hull & East Riding RUFC to merge with Ionians RUFC to form Hull Ionians RUFC was not unanimous and effectively split the club.

The Riding membership who voted against the merger reformed the club as Hull & East Riding RUFC (1989) and were given membership of Yorkshire Division Six, the bottom tier of Yorkshire county rugby union. The new Hull Ionians club had taken Riding’s former league status in North One.

Hull & East Riding RUFC (1989) continued for three seasons before the merger with Old Hymerians RUFC in 1992 to form Hull RUFC. Old Hymerians RUFC was formed in 1925 while the Riding could trace their origins back to 1901.

On the formation of Hull RUFC it was decided that the colours of the club would be black, red and gold and the club badge would include the three crowns of Kingston-upon-Hull, the phoenix of Hull & East Riding and the hind of Old Hymerians. The club took Old Hymerians league status in North East Two for season 1992/93 and initially ran 6 senior sides including 2 veterans sides and an Under-21 side.

Hull RUFC played at the Old Hymerians ground at Haworth Park, Hull until 2008 when they moved to their current home the Ferens Ground located on Chanterlands Avenue, Hull. The club progressed up the rugby union pyramid beginning life in the old North East Two and won promotion to National Two North in 2009.

The club won the Yorkshire Cup for the first time in 2012 having been losing finalists the previous season and spent six seasons in National Two North before relegation at the end of season 2014-15 into National Three North (later redesignated as the Northern Premier Division ).

Hull celebrated their 25^th Anniversary Season in 2017-18 by winning the Yorkshire Cup for the second time in their history and the following season 2018-19 the club won the Northern Premier Division title making a return to National Two North. Further success came at the end of season 2021-2022 when the club were crowned champions of National Two North and gained promotion to National One – the third tier of rugby union – for the first time in their history.

After just one season in National One Hull were relegated at the end of 2022/23 and currently play in National Two North.