teams have been through considerable change, and hand-in-hand with these changes in the institutions have been changes in the teams that represent them. Thus, the Royal London Hospital RFC (formed in 1864) and the Barts Hospital RFC (formed in 1866) in 1996 formed Royal Hospitals RFC when the institutions merged. Similar stories sit behind the mergers of University College Hospital RFC, Middlesex Hospital RFC and Royal Free Hospital RFC in 1998 to form RUMS RFC, St Mary's Hospital RFC and Charing Cross & Westminster Hospitals RFC to form Imperial Medicals RFC in 1997, and Guy's Hospital FC, St Thomas' Hospital RFC and Guy's and St. Thomas' RFC to form Guy's, Kings and St. Thomas' Rugby Football Club that is now recognised as King's College London Medical School. The exception to the tide of mergers and renaming is St George’s RFC which is still a stand-alone institution, although it has moved premises. Some of these teams were once in the very top level of English rugby with Guy's in particular being potentially the best club in England for parts of the 1920s and 30s. In recent years the demographic changes within the schools have resulted in an overall decline in the number of rugby players and the advent of the league system within rugby union reflected a perceived decline in the quality of rugby played. The United Hospitals Team itself has been reflective of the quality within its constituent parts. Currently, Royal Hospitals RFC and RUMS RFC are the highest ranked rugby union sides of the six schools, playing in BUCS 1A. All teams play in the BUCS leagues at varying levels. After being proposed for membership in 2008, The Royal Veterinary College joined the United Hospitals in 2009. Unfortunately due to the rise of the individual school clubs and the commitment to their respective leagues, the UH team has declined over recent years and is no longer the force it once was, but still has a place in London rugby. In December 2013, Sydney University Football Club played UH RFC as part of their 150th Anniversary Tour to the UK. Sydney University are the oldest rugby club outside of the UK, and were touring the UK playing clubs older than themselves. UH, which has as one of its components Guy's Hospital RFC, the oldest club in the world (founded 1843), played the tourists at Blackheath's ground. A mammoth turn out