About us

CLUB HISTORY


2002-2004: Early Days


Bristol Sonics were formed in the autumn of 2002 by a group of rugby league enthusiasts in the city. The club colours of maroon and gold were chosen as a tribute to Bristol's original rugby league club, which ran from the early 1980s to the early 1990s before disbanding. The Sonics name comes from Bristol's links with the development of the Concorde supersonic passenger jet, which was built and tested close to the club's original ground St Brendans Old Boys in Filton. An inaugural meeting was held in a public house near by, and an introduction from a former old boy saw the chairman from St Brendans O B agree terms with the Sonics' chairman Phil Cole to use the grounds and facilities at St Brendans (the old Bristol Combination ground) near Filton.


Following the formation of the club, the Bristol Sonics were granted membership of the TotalRL.com Rugby League Conference in January 2003, taking their place in the South West Division of the competition alongside Gloucestershire Warriors, Somerset Vikings, Worcester Saints, Cardiff Demons and Oxford Cavaliers. Before training began in February 2003, the Sonics agreed to host a heat of London Broncos' (now Harlequins Rugby League 'Prop Idol' competition. One of the Bristol winners, Michael Lowis, was announced as one of the three finalists and went on to train with the Broncocs.


Despite the good publicity generated by the Prop Idol heats, Bristol Sonics initially struggled to attract players. Just 14 players, a couple borrowed from other clubs, took to the field for the Sonics' first game, a friendly against Cardiff Demons on Sunday 27 April 2003. The inexperienced Sonics lost to their local rivals 8-74, with captain Ben Morris getting Bristol's first ever try - a moment captured by a photographer from the Bristol Evening Post. This first Conference season proved tough for the Sonics, with an opening weekend win against Worcester Saints being followed by a series of heavy defeats, including one 8-100 loss to Cardiff - still the club's record defeat. At the end of the summer 2003 campaign, the Sonics finished bottom of the South West Division, having won just two of 10 matches.


For the 2004 Rugby League Conference season, national expansion and restructure found Bristol Sonics placed in the new Western division of the RLC. Cardiff Demons were replaced with Telford Raiders in an otherwise unchanged League. While the Sonics improved and won more matches - including their first ever away win, a 30-48 victory over Oxford Cavaliers - they still struggled on and off the pitch. Brief relief came in the form of a second successive trip to the York International 9s in June, where the Sonics made the Quarter Finals, securing a famous victory over French side Montpellier along the way.


At the end of the season, it was announced that St Brendans Old Boys RFC had sold their ground to developers. This meant the Sonics were homeless, and would have to find a new home base before the start of the 2005 campaign.


2005-2006: Backwards Is The Only Way Forwards


An extensive search for a new home ground was undertaken in the winter of 2004, with a number of rugby union clubs approached. Discussions were also held with The University of Bristol about using their Coombe Dingle facilities, but these ended in stalemate. In the end, with no other alternative, the Sonics found themselves a home at Old Elizabethans RFC in Hallen, thanks to a deal set up by club captain Dom Swann (also a member of Old Elizabethans).


After the steady improvements of 2004, 2005 was another hit-and-miss year for the Sonics on the pitch. Things started badly when the RFL announced on the eve of the season that one of the South West Division's new clubs, Thames Valley Cougars, would not be entering the league. This withdrawal caused all sorts of problems for the remaining five South West clubs, with the number of gap weekends being the biggest. On top of this, Oxford Cavaliers and new club Plymouth Titans both had trouble fulfilling fixtures. Both scratched games in Bristol early in the season, though they did eventually make it down to Old Elizabethans later in the year (Bristol winning on both occasions).


For the second year running the Sonics won more games than they lost, eventually finishing third behind old adversaries Somerset and Gloucestershire. The undoubted highlight of a troublesome year was a memorable 30-all draw with Somerset, watched by a reporter from BBC Radio Bristol. For the 2006 summer season, Bristol moved grounds again, finding a home at Aretians RFC in Little Stoke, South Gloucestershire. It was not to be a good omen, as on and off the pitch the club were in disarray. Player recruitment had not gone well and suddenly the Sonics found themselves going backwards.


In an expanded West Midlands & South West Division of 8 clubs, Bristol found it hard going. They only won three games all season, and player disillusionment led to the forfeiting of a game against bitter rivals Gloucestershire Warrirors - the only time this has happened in the club's history. The one bright spot of an otherwise miserable season was the formation of the club's first Junior side, the under-16 'Sonic Youth' team. A number of 'Sonic Youth' graduates are now first team regulars.


2007: The Sweet Smell of Success


The 2007 season saw Bristol Sonics celebrate their fifth anniversary in style by becoming the surprise winners of the new-look West Midlands Division of the Cooperative Rugby League Conference. After a slow start to the campaign, the new-look Sonics began to gel as a side and played some brilliant rugby. After the regular league stage of the season, the Sonics finished second to rivals "Burntwood Barbarians" after going through the second half of the campaign unbeaten.


That meant a home Qualifying Play-Off against third-placed "Carvell Coventry Bears Academy". In arguably their best performance of the season, Bristol triumphed 70-8 to earn a Grand Final showdown with Bunrtwood on August 11 2007. In a classic contest in front of several hundred partisan fans at Chase High School, Burntwood, Bristol triumphed 40-30 to become West Midlands Champions – the club's first significant silverware. The following week, Bristol travelled to RLC East Division winners Bedford Tigers for a Cooperative Rugby League Conference Regional quarter final. Despite leading for much of the game, the Sonics were eventually beaten 22-18 to put an end to their hopes of a further silverware.


2008: Rugby League Conference Team Of The Year


Bristol Sonics carried their fine 2007 form into the 2008 season, remaining unbeaten in the West Midlands Regional Conference with 11 wins and a draw. Their remarkable run included a record 98-18 win over Redditch Ravens and a nailbiting 24-all draw with Coventry Bears 'A', as well as a dramatic, last-minute victory over long-time rivals Oxford Cavaliers on the final day of the league season. The Sonics were once again crowned West Midlands Champions after dominating a division which two years earlier they had struggled in.


As West Midlands Champions, the Sonics took part in the Rugby League Conference play-offs for the second year in a row. After receiving a bye in the quarter finals, Bristol faced East Division winners Hainault Bulldogs in the semi-finals at Gloucestershire Warriors' Chosen Hill Ground. After an even first half, the Sonics powered away from the Bulldogs in the second half to win 34-14 and book a place in their first Rugby League Conference Grand Final. That match was played at Derby City RLFC's Haslams ground, and saw Bristol take on title favourites Moorends Thorn Moor Marauders from Doncaster. The more experienced Marauders proved too much for the Sonics, who fell 18-0 behind after just 15 minutes. A spirited second half fightback from Bristol saw them outscore their opponents, but it wasn't enough to pull off a famous upset. Moorends Thorne-Moor Marauders won 38-20 to win their first ever Rugby League Conference national title.


The Sonics' success in winning the West Midlands Division and reaching the national Grand Final earned them a record number of nominations at the annual Rugby League Conference Awards. At the ceremony in November, Bristol were named Rugby League Conference Team Of The Year 2008, a great honour.


2009: Cup Fever


In December of 2008, the Sonics were invited by the Rugby Football League to enter the 2009 Carnegie Challenge Cup, the game's most prestigious cup competition. On 18 October Bristol Sonics were drawn at home in the Preliminary Round against British student champions Leeds Met Carnegie University. The match was played in a blaze of publicity, including a visit from the Challenge Cup trophy, at Little Stoke Park on Sunday 18 January 2009 with Sonics going down 8-56.


The Sonics then took up their place in the Midland Premier Division of the Rugby League Conference alongside Birmingham Bulldogs, Coventry Bears, Derby City, Gloucestershire Warriors, Leicester Phoenix, Redditch Ravens and Telford Raiders. The Sonics ended the season in 3rd place, qualifying for the play-offs largely thanks to their incredible home form. At the end of the season their unbeaten home record in RLC was stretched to over 4 years. Away from home the Sonics had mixed fortunes, although the highlight was an emphatic 16-42 victory away to local rivals Gloucestershire Warriors. The season ended slightly disappointing in a narrow play-off defeat away to Derby City.


In December the Sonics received a further boost when they were invited to play in the ACE Insurance BARLA Nation Cup as the sole RLC representative. The Sonics battled hard at home to Orrell St James in the first round but couldn’t match their more experienced opponents, going out 10-34 with a much weakened team. But the experience was a positive one and will look to be repeated next year.


2010:Golden Point Agony


2010 saw the Sonics competing again in a 6-team Midlands Premier Division alongside Birmingham Bulldogs, Coventry Bears, Derby City, Gloucestershire Warriors, Leicester Storm. The early part of the season saw some mixed results including a loss at Little Stoke Park which brought the 4-year unbeaten home-run to an end. However, the Sonics built some momentum as the season progressed and did enough to secure the crucial home playoff by finishing 2nd at the end of the regular season.


Leicester Storm were the opposition in the 2nd/3rd place play-off at Little Stoke Park, with honours even after the earlier encounters. A strong defensive display and a controlled game plan saw the Sonics through the play-off 16-8 to set-up a Grand Final against Coventry Bears.


The Sonics, who entered the game as underdogs after finishing six points behind the Bears after this summer's league campaign, were left to rue missed chances after 80 minutes of end-to-end rugby. An excellent final built to a nailbiting crescendo as the Sonics fought back from a 16-6 halftime deficit to level and then came back again to lay siege to the Bears line at the end of the eighty minutes without quite finding the breakthrough. At full time the score stood at 20-20 meaning the champions would be crowned by golden point extra-time. Unfortunately a Coventry Bears try five minutes into extra time denied the Sonics a first ever Cooperative Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier title but heads could be held high after a thrilling season.


The year saw RL played in Bristol Schools for the first time through coaching provided by Sonics coaches and a successful schools 9’s tournament. This helped lead to the re-establishment of the Sonics junior section although game-time was limited for the youngsters due to lack of opposition in the region. Head-coach Karl Fearnley was also named ‘Coach Of The Year’ in the Rugby Football League’s prestigious National Volunteer Awards picking up his award at half-time of the Challenge Cup final at Wembley.