Club President Gary Fretton provides a background to the club as well as more recent developments. He writes:
East Dorset Rugby Club was known as Portcastrians until 2003. Under guidance from the RFU the name was changed to attract more local players and sponsorship; a decision that has worked well to achieve both. Portchester School games master Niel Grant founded the club in 1966. Matches were first played at Merrick Park in the center of Bournemouth, with local pubs being patroned for post game socialising. The main haunt of those early years was the Cricketers Arms in Springbourne.
Club membership grew and in 1979 and a sunday team was established, made up from Portcastrian and Bournemouth Rugby Club members. These links remain today with regular fixtures between the two clubs.
1990 was the year that saw the club moved from Merrick Park to the new ground at Iford Playing Fields. A disused clubhouse was given to use and the club set about making a bar, seating area and kitchen enabling the members to have the basics on what any rugby club is built on. With the promise of a new clubhouse within three years of the 1990 move - the club remains there to this day, but the commitee are currently working very hard to gain funding for a new clubhouse.
East Dorset has over the years fluctuated between different levels of league rugby, having been as high as Dorset & Wilts 1 and spending the last two years in Hampshire 3. However, times are a changing. The 2005/6 season saw East Dorset promoted into Hampshire 2 in an emphatic season performance. An application for lottery funding made in 2003 was granted with floodlights having now been installed. Along with a new member of coaching staff and influx of new players, the club hads never looked as strong.
The clubs comittee, players and members remain focused on bringing more success both on and off the field.
