Rossendale RUFC

England Rossendale
Full nameRossendale Rugby Football Club Ltd
UnionLancashire RFU
Founded1969; 57 years ago (1969)
LocationRawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire, England
GroundMarl Pits (Capacity: 1,100 (100 in stand))
ChairmanN. Ingham
PresidentF. Jelley
CoachAndrew Birtwistle
LeagueNational League 2 North
National League 2 North12th (relegated to Regional 1 North West)
Team kit
Official website
rossendalerufc.com

Rossendale Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire. The club runs three senior sides, a colts team, and eleven junior sides. The first XV currently play in Regional 1 North West following their relegation from National League 2 North at the end of the 2025–26 season.

Ground

Having previously played on farmland high above the town, the club are currently based at Marl Pits in Rawtenstall, just off Newchurch Road, located next to the Marl Pits Leisure Centre complex. Access to the ground is by car only with the A56 intersecting nearby Haslingden being the nearest main road. The rugby ground has on-site parking, a club house which can seat up to 120, and a covered terrace next to the main rugby pitch. Capacity around the main pitch includes approximately 100 in the covered terrace and 1,000 pitch side for a total of around 1,100 (all standing).

Honours

Current standings

2025–26 National League 2 North table
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield (P) 26 24 0 2 1041 467 +574 24 1 121 Promotion place
2 Tynedale 26 21 0 5 941 509 +432 19 3 106 Promotion play-off
3 Macclesfield (R) 26 20 0 6 1037 725 +312 21 2 103
4 Hull Ionians 26 17 1 8 801 592 +209 19 3 92
5 Darlington Mowden Park 26 15 1 10 878 877 +1 20 2 84
6 Fylde 26 13 3 10 796 664 +132 16 5 79
7 Wharfedale 26 13 0 13 725 780 −55 15 6 73
8 Sheffield Tigers 26 12 0 14 686 611 +75 15 8 71
9 Preston Grasshoppers 26 10 1 15 776 817 −41 16 3 61
10 Billingham 26 10 0 16 604 905 −301 16 3 59
11 Otley 26 7 0 19 673 831 −158 12 8 48
12 Rossendale (R) 26 7 0 19 633 965 −332 14 4 46 Relegation play-off
13 Scunthorpe (R) 26 5 0 21 622 1097 −475 12 7 39 Relegation place
14 Hull (R) 26 5 0 21 570 943 −373 11 5 36
Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 2026. Source: National League Rugby
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Number of matches drawn
  3. Difference between points for and against
  4. Total number of points for
  5. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  6. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

References

  1. ↑ "Rossendale RUFC". Rossendale RUFC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  2. ↑ "History". Rossendale RUFC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "Contact". Rossendale RUFC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  4. ↑ "Club House". Rossendale RUFC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  5. ↑ Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991-1992. p. 261.
  6. ↑ "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "2007-08 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
  8. ↑ "2008-09 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "Regional 1 North West". England Rugby. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "National League 2 North". NCA Rugby.