Coventry

In 1874 a group, including members of Stoke Cricket Club, took part in what could be described as the first organised game of rugby football played in Coventry. Played against Allesley Park College in nearby Allesley, it took the form of one half conducted according to rugby rules and the other according to association rules.

The first headquarters were established at Old Bull Fields and in the formative years Coventry remained pretty well unbeaten. When the ground became enclosed, it became known as the Butts with the first match played there against Stourbridge in 1880. By the late 1890s, involvement began in the Midland Counties Cup which was won a total of five times. The first club captain was Harry Ratliff, who later emigrated to the United States. By now players were winning representative honours, William Judkins becoming the club's first British Lion in 1899 during the tour to Australia – overall, ten Coventry players have over the years worn the famous red jersey.

Ben Tuke & H. G. Wells were the club's first internationals, both representing Ireland in 1894.

W. L. Oldham became the first of the club's great forwards of the 20th century to represent England. Early in the century the Butts was lost when the professional Northern Union game took brief hold in the city.

By the end of the First World War, the Butts had been taken over by a local firm and a temporary home was found at the Coventry & North Warwickshire Cricket Ground at Binley Road before Coundon Road was purchased in 1921 and developed as the club's headquarters which was to last for over 80 years. What was considered to be the first golden era of Coventry rugby came in the mid-1920s when losses were infrequent. That brilliance continued and carried over with Coventry producing six England internationals as well as playing a full part in the early Warwickshire successes in the County Championship. Regular representative matches by now were being staged at Coundon Road, at the same time playing successes for the club were continuing built upon local talent including many schools internationals.

The years of the Second World War brought more disruption, but from a playing point of view despite the inevitable difficulties, it became one of the most remarkable periods in the club's history. Many players remained locally for essential war work because of the importance of the city as a key engineering centre, and consequently a record 72 games were won in succession, with a number of players becoming Victory Internationals. All that ensured that when hostilities finished the club was immediately into its stride again as success continued. The early 1950s saw something of a dip in fortune, but it was not to last too long as the club continued to produce many international players, not only for England but also Scotland and Wales. In 1958 the Midlands won their first-ever match against a touring side, some two-thirds of the team which defeated Australia coming from the Coventry club. This was also the time when again Coventry players totally dominated the County side, which saw Warwickshire win the title seven times in eight seasons.

The early 1960s saw the club's players continue to win international honours, indeed by the early 1970s at one time thirteen players from the club were representing England. The RFU Club Knock Competition, later to be known as the John Player Cup, was first contested in the 1971- 72 season and it would be 1975 before Coventry lost a fixture outright. They were eliminated after a drawn semi-final with Gloucester in the first edition, as the home team in a game of no tries as rules stipulated. They went on to win in consecutive seasons 1972–73 and 1973–74, the second of which coincided with the centenary celebrations. Merit tables were then beginning to come on the scene, the early years seeing the club at the top end of both the England & Wales versions. The 1980s, however, saw a dip in playing fortune and when league rugby was first introduced in 1987 the club spent just one season in what is now known as the Premiership.

The next ten years or so became something of a struggle before the 1996–97 season which would be Coventry's most successful of the modern era, coming within touching distance of the Premiership. Along the way they beat a Newcastle Falcons side featuring fifteen internationals by 19–18 at Coundon Road. They would eventually finish third to the well-funded Newcastle and champions Richmond but lost a promotion play-off to London Irish despite taking a narrow first leg advantage to Sunbury. Remarkably considering their second-tier status, both Danny Grewcock and Rob Hardwick were capped by England in this era. It was however to be at severe cost for in a little over twelve months serious financial difficulties hit the club before a rescue package was put together in time for the 1999–2000 season.

By now, however, Coundon Road was in need of considerable investment and after some eighty-four years the decision was made to move away and back full circle to the club's beginnings. The Butts Park Arena saw its first game in September 2004, but again financial difficulties were to bite and it took the considerable efforts of members, supporters, former players and local companies to rescue the situation during the summer of 2008. In December 2009 the club was placed into administration and later in January 2010 brought back out thanks to Jon Bowles. Coventry Rugby Ltd was created at this time and the first Board Of Directors was formed. A 15-point league deduction penalty was applied due to administration and relegation predictably followed from the Championship, with the club regrouping in National League 1 for the 2010–11 season with the club going part-time again. Steady progress followed under the guidance of the Board, with the desired aim being to climb back up the leagues but not at any cost financially.

The traditional local rivals are Moseley, with whom Cov enjoyed a regular and popular Boxing Day fixture. It was long considered one of English rugby's premier derbies. After decades in the top echelons of the game, both sides competed in the inaugural season of top-tier league rugby when it was instituted in 1987, but have since spent time bouncing between the first, second and third tiers (primarily the latter two). Recently a pre-season friendly has been arranged when the teams are not in the same division. Cardiff and London Welsh were regular visitors to Coundon Road, promoting strong rivalries, with David Duckham scoring the most impressive try of his career against London Welsh in a match in 1973.

Prior to League Rugby, clubs were ranked in Merit Tables, the most prominent for English clubs being the Sunday Telegraph Merit Tables. Coventry were crowned 'winners' 3 times between 1964 and 1987 (70, 73 and 83), making them the joint 2nd most successful English team of the period, alongside Bristol and Leicester Tigers and behind London Welsh.

In 1987 the RFU implemented a National League system.

At the end of the 2022–23 season Covnetry finished 3rd in the RFU Championship, the highest finish the club have had in the professional era.

Below is a list summarising Coventry's final league positions:

• 1987–88: Courage National Division 1 (level 1) – 11th (relegated)
• 1988–89: Courage National Division 2 (level 2) – 5th
• 1989–90: Courage National Division 2 – 4th
• 1990–91 Courage National Division 2 – 4th
• 1991–92: Courage National Division 2 – 6th
• 1992–93: Courage National Division 2 – 11th (relegated)
• 1993–94: Courage National Division 3 (level 3) – 1st (promoted / champions)
• 1994–95: Courage National Division 2 – 10th (relegated)
• 1995–96: Courage National Division 3 – 1st (promoted / champions)
• 1996–97: Courage National Division 2 – 3rd (lost promotion play-off)
• 1997–98: Allied Dunbar Premiership 2 (level 2) – 7th
• 1998–99: Allied Dunbar Premiership 2 – 7th
• 1999-00: Allied Dunbar Premiership 2 – 6th
• 2000–01: Jewson National Division 1 (level 2) – 5th
• 2001–02: Jewson National Division 1 – 4th
• 2002–03: Jewson National Division 1 – 6th
• 2003–04: National Division 1 – 12th
• 2004–05: National Division 1 – 6th
• 2005–06: National Division 1 – 10th
• 2006–07: National Division 1 – 10th
• 2007–08: National Division 1 – 9th
• 2008–09: National Division 1 – 9th
• 2009–10: RFU Championship (level 2) – 11th (relegated)
• 2010–11: National League 1 (level 3) – 8th
• 2011–12: National League 1 – 13th
• 2012–13: National League 1 – 9th
• 2013–14: SSE National League 1 – 4th
• 2014–15: SSE National League 1 – 3rd
• 2015–16: SSE National League 1 – 9th
• 2016–17: SSE National League 1 – 4th
• 2017–18: SSE National League 1 – champions (promoted)
• 2018–19: RFU Championship 8th
• 2019–20: RFU Championship 4th
• 2020–21: RFU Championship 5th
• 2021–22: RFU Championship 8th
• 2022–23: RFU Championship 3rd