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THE HISTORY OF IPSWICH RHINOS RLFC
The club was formed in 1992 from the successful Civil Service South East Team and began life on the Suffolk coast as 'Felixstowe Eastern Rugby League Football Club'.

After a favourable first season of friendlies, Felixstowe Eastern joined the Eastern Counties League, competing with Peterborough, Hemel Hempstead, Cambridge Tigers and St Ives. Felixstowe won the League with seven wins out of eight.

During the 1994 - '95 season the club successfully introduced Mini - Rugby to the area through the Puma Little League.

Due to the wide catchment area of players' homes the Club moved to the County Town of Ipswich in time for the 1995 - '96 season and were successfully elected to the London League.

The Club based itself at Ipswich RUFC, a club of 125 years standing where Felixstowe Eastern became IPSWICH RHINOS Rugby League Football Club.

In addition to fixtures in the London League Division 2 (North East), the Rhinos also entertained Uxbridge Blues, United Services, 7RHA (PARAS), Metropolitan Police, Blackpool Scorpions, Cambridge University and the London Broncos Alliance Teams.

The Rhinos continue to entertain Cambridge University, the week before the Varsity Match, and this has become an annual fixture. The Club also support the annual Evening Star Newspaper Christmas Appeal, by staging a Special Challenge Match. (This year all proceeds went to the  'Beacon of Hope' appeal.)

Having won the London League Division 2 (NE) title during the 1995 - '96 season, losing only two matches, the Rhinos were duly promoted to Division 1 of the London League for the 1996 - '97 season. The summer of 1997 saw the birth of the Southern Conference League, which the Rhinos also competed in, and committed themselves to. With no formal winter games to play the Club take on friendly fixtures during these months.

James Goodall in action

In 1998 the SCL became the Rugby League Conference. Ipswich Rhinos finished fifth out of a total of 15 teams.

In 1999 Ipswich Rhinos won the Eastern division of the Conference and progressed to the play-off stages but were beaten by Oxford in the quarter finals.

In 2000, Ipswich finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division.

Ipswich regained the Eastern Division title last season(2001) remaining unbeaten against Eastern clubs.The Rhinos went out at the play off Quarter finals stage to Crawley .

In 2002 Ipswich finished third overall in the Eastern division, having won the league twice in the previous three years. Ipswich were also the only side in England to lower the colours of Coventry Bears with a 22-14 home win in June 2002. The end of season play offs which have always streched the Rhinos in the past, saw two wins over Champions Luton and an away win at St Albans with a defeat at home to Coventry and a walkover in the return match with the eventual National Champions.

2003 was the most successful year in the club's history. Some outstanding performances culminated in a first ever RLC semi-final, when only the combined might of former SuperLeague, Welsh International, Great Britain and British Lions stars enabled eventual Champions Bridgend Bulls to win over the Rhinos at Coventry.

Following a first half of season unbeaten run, Ipswich suffered consecutive defeats in the East Anglian derby and away to Essex which led the whole club to realise that only a dedicated approach to Rugby League would reap benefits short and long term. Training was increased to two nights a week and the needed extra edge saw Ipswich remain unbeaten through the rest of the regular season and in to the play offs where wins were obtained over West London, South Norfolk and for the first time former Champions Crawley.

To cap a fine year Pete Le Marquand was named as the best Stand Off in the RLC and was nominated for RLC Player of the year along with Ipswich winger Dave West who was shortlisted for the RLC young player award. Finally Ipswich Rhinos were named RLC Club of the year. Ipswich have the chance to build further in the coming year, when they field a reserve team. The target has to be to develop youth Rugby both in the Community and in local schools, 2004 is definitely a year of consolidation when Ipswich can put in place the necessary foundations for further expansion as a Rugby League club.

The Ipswich Rhinos Club logo...
The Ipswich Rhinos Club logo
1998 Conference top 6
P
W
D
L
F
A
Diff
Pts
South Norfolk
10
8
0
2
461
264
197
16
Crawley Jets
10
8
0
2
359
229
130
16
St Albans
10
7
0
3
348
177
171
14
Chester Wolves
10
7
0
3
280
147
133
14
Ipswich Rhinos
10
6
0
4
380
333
47
12
West London
10
6
0
4
250
228
22
12
1999 Eastern Division final table
P
W
D
L
F
A
Diff
Pts

Ipswich

12

7

5

0

449

385

64

14

Hemel* 12 8 4 0 535 248 287 13*

South Norfolk

11

5

6

0

420

418

2

10

Bedford

11

1

10

0

146

652

-506

2

Camb.

12

1

11

0

170

698

-528

2

* Hemel 3 points deducted after disciplinary hearing
2000 Eastern Division final table
P
W
L
D
Diff
Pts
Hemel
12
10
2
0
349
20
S.Norfolk
12
8
4
0
236
16
St Albans
12
7
5
0
145
14
Ipswich
12
5
7
0
-55
10
Cambridge
12
4
8
0
-247
8
Bedford
12
1
11
0
-602
2
2001 Eastern Division final table
P
W
L
D
Diff
Pts
Ipswich
12
7
4
1
125
15
S.Norfolk
12
6
5
1
-81
13
Bedford
12
4
8
0
-89
8
St Albans
12
4
8
0
-153
8
Cambridge
12
1
11
0
-302
2
2002 Eastern Division final table
P
W
L
D
Diff
Pts
Luton
10
8
1
1
195
17
St Albans
10
7
2
1
119
15
Ipswich
10
5
5
0
69
10
Cambridge
10
4
6
0
-99
8
Bedford
10
1
9
0
-186
2
2003 Eastern Division final table
P
W
L
D
Pts
South Norfolk
10
9
1
0
18
Ipswich
10
8
2
0
16
Essex
10
6
4
0
12
Luton
9
5
4
0
10
St Ives
10
2
8
0
4
Cambridge
10
0
10
0
0

 

 

 

 
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