Full name Villager Football Club Nickname(s) The Dirty Whites Coach(es) Gunner Hughes President Bossie Clarke | Union Western Province RFU Ground(s) Brookside Date founded 1876 | |
Location Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa | ||
2014 02 17 villager football club vs sfrc cape town 2 primera
Villager Football Club was established on 2 June 1876 and so claims to be the second oldest rugby club in Cape Town, South Africa. Villager FC were scheduled to play against Stellenbosch Rugby Football Club in the first official match at Newlands Stadium after it opened on 31 May 1890. Many notable South African rugby players began their careers at the club, including Paddy Carolin, vice-captain on the 1906 Springbok tour to Europe, and former 800m track world record holder Marcello Fiasconaro.
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2014 02 17 villager football club vs sfrc cape town 1 reversa
Name
The club's name derives from the number of villages that spread west from Cape Town towards Simonstown during the colonial period, which later became suburbs of the city. Rugby's rules of football were only adopted by Villagers in 1879, who played according to Winchester's rules until then.
Notable members
Villagers have produced the second most Springboks (58) of all South African rugby clubs, second only to Stellenbosch (Maties). The first Villager to represent South Africa was H.H Castens. Other prominent Villager Springboks include HO de Villiers (14 tests), Morné du Plessis (22), and Joel Stransky (22). Villager Nick Mallet not only played in 2 tests but also coached the national sides of South Africa and Italy. In addition Villager FC produced 175 Western Province players.
Other prominent players include:
Club honours
Since 1925 Villager FC have won either the Grand Challenge Cup or Western Province Super League A title 13 times.
The following refers to competitions that the club won between 1925 and 2001:
In 2012 the club was relegated to the Super League B, citing the confluence of semi-professionalism in amateur rugby, difficult economic conditions, and lack of sponsorships as contributing factors.