Rugby football was first played on the Vauxhall Luton site in 1905. These were scratch sides put together with no formal constitution, playing mainly against other works teams in the Luton area. Bizarrely these were either the then thriving hat trade or from groups of farmers. No one knows the results of these matches usually played without a referee or a linesman, however it is likely that the preferred opponents were from hats rather than rough tough farmers. Most of the workers in these pre General Motors days, had followed the company up from the old Vauxhall iron works south of the Thames and played rugby football or cricket for recreation because families were still in London.

Unfortunately little is known of the club up until the 1960’s during which decade it was joined by another Vauxhall rugby club at Ellesmere Port. To date four sites have been used to play the game which nationally and globally is more popular than ever. The original pioneers played on council football pitches then in 1926 they became affiliated to the R.F.U. they secured a pitch upon which now sits the Airport. In the early sixties the airport ground at Eaton Green road was used, this had the incredible luxury of two pitches and an upstairs private bar. It was on this ground during the late sixties and the early seventies that V.M.R.U.F.C. had its best period. Also at this time Vauxhall employed 33,000 people in the South alone. With such a pool of energetic humanity to call on the club ran four sides and in 1971 ruled the roost locally only losing one match. Yet strangely no players were selected to play for Bedfordshire.

During those years a feature of the fixture list were matches against other car companies Ford Sports, Standard Triumph, Rootes, British Leyland, or the air industry, De Havilland, BAC or British Aerospace and of course the annual Ellesmere Port fixture. Vauxhall Luton now remains as one of the last and is the oldest works team in the country of any industry much less cars.
Vauxhall currently plays on what is generally recognised as the best pitch in the county at the Brache Estate. In the past international football teams have trained on this pitch. Scotland were training one day in 1978 prior to a Wembley outing and club captain of the day Will Houghton spotted them from the windows of Griffin House. Outraged and with no idea of who they were (Kenny Dalglish included) strode down and kicked them off.

Around the same time Vauxhall took the regrettable decision to sell the Vauxhall site at Eaton Green road. The Raynham Way Community Centre now stands on the site though ironically the site of the first team pitch remains as it was, albeit the posts have long gone.

George Pierce Chairman of the football club made a chance remark to John Rees, Chairman of the Rugby Club that the old Tennis Pavilion was almost derelict and in need of new tenants. Two years later after much refurbishment by players and with an uneasy alliance entered into the Tennis Club the boys moved in. The best player in those days Chris Bater also turned out to be the best DIY expert and probably did 50% of the work required. The club owes a big debt to Chris for all he did on both Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately during these years Vauxhall as a company reduced from 33,000 down to 8,000 people and the four sides came down to two with an occasional third team. Dave Cross now of Luton has to take a great deal of credit for the ongoing fortunes of the club. Dave was anxious that whilst Vauxhall has always essentially been a club that concentrated on the social side of the game, they were going to be able to hold their own against any opposition. Vauxhall teams have always played with a distinctive style in the same way that France plays with a certain attacking flair.

Vauxhall teams have played with great mobility with ferocious rucking. Outstanding scrum halves like Dave Munn always made the most of the ball provided as did Chris Bajak, a winger, who went on to play for Bedford Blues.

We have been in the Vauxhall Recreation Club’s new building for almost 11 years. The old ‘Tennis Pavilion’ has long since been demolished. It is during this time that Vauxhall Motors Rugby Club has gone from strength to strength gaining promotion on four occasions. We have now reached level 7 and play our league rugby in London Division 3 North West. This is reputed to be one of the toughest divisions at this level of rugby.

Although we have attained the highest level of rugby in our history we still pride ourselves in a great tradition of the club which is equal opportunity for all and camaraderie that is second to none.

Vauxhall Motors RFC 2007