History
The club was the brainchild of Rugby League Summer Conference founder and one time London Broncos CEO, Lionel Hurst, who chose the club's name and colours to honour the city's civil war heritage. The club's original crest was the blue and red royal standard of King Charles I who held court at Christchurch College in the city during the English Civil War. The first and only other community Rugby League club in the city, Oxford Sharks RLFC, had folded in 1993.
The club's first ever competitive fixture, a 36-16 win over Bath RLFC on Sunday 14 July 1996, was played in the inaugural 'Summer Conference' - the forerunner to the 10-team Rugby League Conference which launched the following year. Over the coming months Oxford Cavaliers would become a founder member of the Rugby League Conference.
Following an impressive first season of competitive Rugby League, 1998 saw an expanded 14 team competition that pitted the Cavaliers against North London Skolars, St Albans Centurions, West London Sharks, and bitter rivals Crawley Jets. At seasons end, no fewer than five Cavaliers had achieve honours with the Rugby League Conference Representative side. Former London Broncos Alliance players Graham Crane and Simon Hill were joined by Paul Daly, John Williams and Darrell Griffin in the 22-man squad for games against the North East and Combined Services representative teams.
1999 - The Cavaliers reach the regional final of the Rugby League Conference, and are awarded the title of Rugby League Conference Club of the Year. Props John Williams and Graham Crane, along with Kiwi fullback Steve Lacey, scrum half Simon Hill and centre Jon Flatman all receive representative honours.
2000 - Oxford Cavaliers coach Dave Doran is appointed Head Coach of the Rugby League Conference representative side. The Cavaliers themselves finish a credible tenth place in the RLC composite table of 24 teams.
2001 - Founder and Chairman Lionel Hurst leaves Oxford Cavaliers and is appointed Chief Executive Officer of Super League club London Broncos.
2008 - Oxford finish second in the League; beating Telford Raiders, Coventry Bears, Swindon St George and Redditch Ravens in the process.
2011 - The Cavaliers join the newly formed RLC West of England division.
2012 - Oxford, coached by former Hull FC and Bradford Bulls wing Tevita Vaikona, claim the RLC West of England division title, defeating Somerset Vikings in the Grand Final.
Read more about this topic: Oxford Cavaliers
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“History is the present. That’s why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth.”
—E.L. (Edgar Lawrence)
“Tell me of the height of the mountains of the moon, or of the diameter of space, and I may believe you, but of the secret history of the Almighty, and I shall pronounce thee mad.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
—John Adams (1735–1826)