Morpeth Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Morpeth, Northumberland. The 1st XV team currently plays in North 1 East, having previously reached the national levels of the sport for the first time in 2019–20. The club operates 4 Senior Men's sides and Colts regularly playing each weekend, plus 'Morpeth Ranters' Vets, a Senior Ladies team and 3 Girls rugby squads, as well as a Minis/Junior rugby setup with teams ranging from U6 > U16. History Morpeth RFC were founded in 1947. The club was originally formed as The Old Edwardians RFC on 28 June 1947 as a junior member of Northumberland RFU. However, on 5 May 1950 it was renamed Morpeth Old Edwardians, to differentiate from another Club with the same name in Birmingham. The early years of the club were relatively low-key but on 14 May 1954 it achieved senior playing status in Northumberland, then in 1958 they reached the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup for the very first time, losing 3–9 to Percy Park in a tight game. The club was finally renamed Morpeth Rugby Football Club on 20 June 1970. They would reach 4 more county cup finals during the 1960s and 1970s but would come up short in each, although the 1974 defeat against Gosforth would set them up for one of the all-time great national cup runs. This occurred during the 1974–75 John Player Cup, when a remarkable sequence of giant-killing victories took Morpeth to within 80 minutes of the John Player Cup final at Twickenham Stadium. In the qualifying round, Morpeth defeated Netherall Old Boys. In the first round, Morpeth beat Stockswood Park 10–0 at Mitford Road. In the second round, Morpeth defeated London Irish 19-3 again at Mitford road. In the quarter final Morpeth, beat Bath 9–13 at the Recreation Ground. In the semi final, Morpeth finally lost at home against Rosslyn Park 6-28. In 1998, after seven previous finals without a win, Morpeth finally won the Northumberland Senior Cup, defeating Tynedale 21–13, on what was the 50th anniversary of the club. Morpeth's league rugby started in North 1 East and in the 1996–97 season won the League and were promoted to North 2. In the 2000–01 season they were placed into North 1 East after the Leagues were split East & West, where they stayed until they suffered relegation at the end of the 2013–14 season.