How we started

Rayleigh Wyverns first saw light of day when a few like minded individuals decided they were fed up with the long trek to play Rugby for Westcliff, Southend, or Rochford and decided to set up there own local side.

The inaugral meeting took place on the 16th December 1971 where the club name, colours, pitch and clubhouse were discussed. Subscriptions were set as below.

Playing Member £3.00

Student Member £1.25

Non-playing Member £1.00

Match fees - Full 35p

Student 20p

The clubs first game was against Southend B with Rayleigh winning by 6 points to 4.

The first of the Annual Dinner Dances took place on the 15th April 1972 with dancing to the Troubadors. The cost £2.50.

Rayleigh went through a bad patch in the late 80's when declining numbers meant the club was unable to field 15 players in a league fixture. At an EGM the membership decided to drop out of the League structure and continued as a social side. The club has since gone from strength to strength with 3 regular sides and rejoining the League and Merit League. In the 1998/99 season Rayleigh produced a winning side culminating in the Division 3 Merit Table title and promotion to Division 2.

Rayleigh Wyverns is committed to playing coarse rugby at its finest and along the way gaining a reputation as being a very sociable side.

In 2007 at the clubs AGM it was agreed by the membership to change the clubs name to Runwell Wyverns as Runwell Sports & Social Club had become our permanent home.

First Match Report.

Rayleigh W 6

Southend B 4

Rayleigh started life in the best possible way, with a victory at Priory Park. But they had to wait until the closing minutes before scrum-half John Dunn went over from a short scrum and Charles Langlois converted.

Until then it looked as though Southend would hang on to their lead, a first half try by Terry North.

Rayleigh showed plenty of promise and indicated that once the side settles down, they should be very useful. As it was enthusiasm overcame experience.

Southend were handicapped by an early injury to Phil Crane.

Outstanding for Rayleigh were Bob Tullett and Julian Pickard.

A most sporting game was very well handled by referee Chris Aleman.

(taken from the Southend Standard)

The Wyvern

The Wyvern is a 2 legged dragon and part of the coat of arms of Lord Rayleigh. Rayleigh have taken this on as their emblem and the red and green colours used in the original for the teams kit.