Paul Burgess – August 20, 1952 - November 11, 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Paul Burgess, a member of the Weston-super-Mare RFC’s prestigious 400 Club, having made 400 first-team appearances during his illustrious 16-season career beginning in the 1971/72 season.

Paul was a true Weston man and a great servant to Weston-super-Mare Rugby Football Club. After his playing days, Paul remained a member of the Past Players Association and a regular supporter at the ground

In January 1980, Weston’s John Player Cup first-round tie against London Welsh was held at the Recreation Ground. It was billed as ‘David vs Goliath’, as the visitors were one of the absolute powerhouses of British rugby.

They routinely fielded international superstars, while Weston, operating as a traditional amateur club, went toe-to-toe with them before a passionate home crowd despite going down 13-3.

Alongside Paul Burgess, the Weston line-up featured club legends such as full-back and eventual captain Mike Fletcher (who accumulated 339 appearances), as well as Colin Price, Mark Sibley, and John Hopkins.

Following their win at Weston, London Welsh, who featured in English rugby's top merit tables, progressed to the second round of the Cup where they were narrowly defeated 16–15 by Rosslyn Park.

In his 400 games for the Weston-super-Mare 1stXV, Paul scored 32 tries, kicked 8 conversions and 27 penalties, for a total of 245 points.

Paul passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him at the Club. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

There will be a minute's silence in memory of Paul before the 1stXV's home game against Lydney on November 21, 2026

Funeral details will be released later

RIP Paul