Iffley Road rugby football ground

Iffley Road rugby football ground is a playing-field in

Oxford University Rugby Football Club and between 2013 and 2016 was the home of semi-professional Oxford Rugby League. It is close to the Roger Bannister running track

History

The land was originally bought in 1876 and was used as a cricket ground until

Oxford Union RFC bought the field from Christ Church in the 1890s for £1,000. It was called the New Football Ground, and the cricket pavilion continued to be used by the new owners. Oxford University A.F.C. shared the facilities until they moved to a neighbouring field in 1921.

Iffley Road is the home ground of the

Oxford University Rugby Football Club.^[2]

Many matches against international teams have been played at Iffley Road. Oxford University has played there against South Africa six times (1906, 1912, 1931, 1951, 1960 and 1969), New Zealand 5 times (1905, 1924, 1935, 1953 and 1963) and Australia 8 times (1908, 1927, 1947, 1957, 1966, 1975, 1981 and 2001).^{[citation needed]} In 2013 and 2014, the University played Russia.^{[citation needed]}

Other games include

Maori All Blacks^[3] in 2012 and England under-16s vs Wales under-16s.^[4]

Rugby league was first played at Iffley Road in 2008 when the University of Oxford played

Oxford Brookes. Semi-professional rugby league arrived in 2013 when Oxford Rugby League entered Championship 1 based at Iffley Road,^[5] commemorated by the draw for the 3rd round of the 2013 Challenge Cup being held there.^[6] Oxford RL moved to Tilsley Park, Abingdon in the 2016 season,^[7]

^ "Hats off to the Wallabies". BBC Sport. 5 November 2001.
^ Lowe, Edward (19 January 2013). "New rugby league side arrives at Iffley". Cherwell. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
^ Mezzetti, Ed (22 November 2012). "RUGBY UNION: Maori All Blacks face Canada". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
^ Mezzetti, Ed (11 April 2013). "RUGBY UNION: Pearson's England call". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
^ "Rugby league: Oxford to be admitted to Championship One". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
^ Mezzetti, Ed (14 March 2013). "RUGBY LEAGUE: Oxford handed Halifax tie". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
^ "RUGBY LEAGUE: Oxford new ground confirmed". Oxford Rugby League. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.

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