Bath

Bath is a city in South West England most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. The city was first documented as a Roman spa, although tradition suggests that it was founded earlier. The waters from its spring were believed to be a cure for many afflictions. From Elizabethan to Georgian times it was a resort city for the wealthy. As a result of its popularity during the latter period, the city contains many fine examples of Georgian architecture, most notably the Royal Crescent. The city has a population of over 90,000 and is a World Heritage Site.

Sport

The city's most famous sporting team is Bath Rugby, a rugby union team which is currently in the Guinness Premiership league. It plays in black, blue and white kit with its sponsors' logo, Blackthorn, stitched onto the front. The team plays at the Recreation Ground in the city, where it has been since the late 19th century, following its establishment in 1865 by a couple of decades. The team rose to national prestige during the 1980s, and it has remained one of the best rugby teams in the country since. Its first major honour was winning the John Player Cup four years consecutively from 1984 until 1987. It then led the Courage league for six consecutive seasons, from 1988/1989 until 1995/1996, during which time it also won the Pilkington Cup in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996. It finally won the Heineken Cup in the 1997/1998 season, and the Zurich (now Guinness) Premiership in 2003/2004.

Related Topics:
Bath Rugby - Rugby union - Guinness Premiership - Kit - 1865 - 1980s - 1984 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1995 - 1990 - 1992 - 1994 - Heineken Cup - 1997 - 1998

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Its current squad includes three members who also play in the English national elite team: Steve Borthwick, David Flatman and Danny Grewcock. The current England Rugby Team Manager Andy Robinson used to play for Bath Rugby team and was Captain and later Coach. While in the Bath team , he was a Physical Education, Rugby and Maths teacher at King Edward's School, North Road, Bath. (These were the days when rugby was an amateur sport, and so players had other jobs as well.) Both of Robinson's predecessors, Clive Woodward and Jack Rowell, were also former Bath coaches and managers.

Related Topics:
Squad - English national elite team - Steve Borthwick - David Flatman - Danny Grewcock - Andy Robinson - King Edward's School, North Road, Bath - Clive Woodward - Jack Rowell

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Bath City F.C. and Team Bath F.C. (affiliated with the University of Bath) are two of the city's football teams, both of which are in the Southern Football League. In 2002, Team Bath became the first university team to enter the FA Cup in 120 years, and advanced through four qualifying rounds to the first round proper. Unlike the city's rugby team, Bath City have never attained an elite status in the country's league; its highest position has been seventh in the Football Conference in the 1992/1993 season. The University's team was established in 1999, while the city team has been in existence since before 1908 (when it entered the Western League).

Related Topics:
Bath City F.C. - Team Bath F.C. - University of Bath - Football - Southern Football League - 2002 - FA Cup - Football Conference - 1999 - 1908 - Western League

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The final major sport in Bath is cricket, which is played by and at the Bath Cricket Club, located, like the rugby Recreation Ground, east of the river, near Pulteney Bridge. The rugby ground lies north of the bridge; the cricket ground to the south. The cricket ground is the venue for the annual Bath Cricket Festival which sees Somerset County Cricket Club play several games at the rec.

Related Topics:
Cricket - Bath Cricket Club - Pulteney Bridge - Bath Cricket Festival - Somerset County Cricket Club

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Team Bath is the umbrella name for all of the University of Bath sports teams, including the aforementioned football club. Other sports for which Team Bath is noted are athletics, badminton, basketball, bob skeleton, bobsleigh, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, netball, rugby, swimming, tennis and triathlon.

Related Topics:
Team Bath - University of Bath - Athletics - Badminton - Basketball - Bob skeleton - Bobsleigh - Hockey - Judo - Modern pentathlon - Netball - Rugby - Swimming - Tennis - Triathlon

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Bath is also the home of the Bath American Football Club, which has been playing American Football in the city since 2001. It has three levels of play: Senior, Youth and Junior, the youth level being the first formed.

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