Novocastrians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team that is situated in the North East of England and currently play their rugby in Durham/Northumberland 1. The club is more generally known as Novos and plays host to a wide community and volunteer based rugby club! Novos were formed in September 1899 as Old Novocastrians Rugby Football Club by a group of former pupils of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne. Novos had many grounds until in 1925 Sir Arthur Sutherland bought Benton Lodge for the club to play rugby on and also paid for the clubhouse to be built, in 1928, which is still in use today. The ground was renamed Sutherland Park just a few years later. The club remained for Old Boys or members of staff of the school until 1969 when the 'Old' was dropped and the club became open to all. Currently, the club boasts five senior sides, one ladies side and a vibrant junior section.