In 1874 a group, including members of Stoke Cricket Club, took part in what could be described as the first organised game of rugby football played in Coventry.

That brilliance continued and carried over with Coventry producing six England internationals as well as playing a full part in the early Warwickshire successes in the County Championship.

Regular representative matches by now were being staged at Coundon Road, at the same time playing successes for the club were continuing built upon local talent including many schools internationals.

The years of the Second World War brought more disruption, but from a playing point of view despite the inevitable difficulties, it became one of the most remarkable periods in the club's history.

In 1958 the Midlands won their first-ever match against a touring side, some two-thirds of the team which defeated Australia coming from the Coventry club.

The RFU Club Knock Competition, later to be known as the John Player Cup, was first contested in the 1971- 72 season and it would be 1975 before Coventry lost a fixture outright.

Merit tables were then beginning to come on the scene, the early years seeing the club at the top end of both the England & Wales versions.

They would eventually finish third to the well-funded Newcastle and champions Richmond but lost a promotion play-off to London Irish despite taking a narrow first leg advantage to Sunbury.

By now, however, Coundon Road was in need of considerable investment and after some eighty-four years the decision was made to move away and back full circle to the club's beginnings.

The Butts Park Arena saw its first game in September 2004, but again financial difficulties were to bite and it took the considerable efforts of members, supporters, former players and local companies to rescue the situation during the summer of 2008.

After decades in the top echelons of the game, both sides competed in the inaugural season of top-tier league rugby when it was instituted in 1987, but have since spent time bouncing between the first, second and third tiers (primarily the latter two).

Coventry were crowned 'winners' 3 times between 1964 and 1987 (70, 73 and 83), making them the joint 2nd most successful English team of the period, alongside Bristol and Leicester Tigers and behind London Welsh.

On 23 August 2006, Andrew Green became the new owner and chairman of the club when he bought the controlling company (Butts Park Ventures (Coventry) Ltd) from Keith Fairbrother.

Apoua Stewart, the Samoan international full back, was suspended for two years on 1 November 2006 after testing positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine.

[14] On 8 January 2010 it was announced that the club had come out of administration with the formation of a new company Coventry Rugby Ltd with investment from businessman Jon Bowles.

Mid-Season, Peter Rossborough stepped aside for Jon Sharpe to become Club Chairman[16] The 2012–13 season ended with Coventry in 9th place in National League 1.

It put the team in a position to challenge the league's only full-time professional side Ealing, who they'd beaten on the run, for the top spot before results tailed off.

A crushing 50-point pre-season victory against famous old foes Cardiff[20] and bonus point wins in the opening two league fixtures[21] reinforced ambitions.

[23] New Director of Rugby Rowland Winter made wholesale changes to the club's culture, playing and backroom staff prior to the 2016–17 season.

Ahead of his second campaign Winter retained the core of the squad adding quality and experience including the All Black centre Sam Tuitupou from Sale Sharks, Phil Nilsen from Leeds, England International Luke Narraway from London Irish, Tonga's Latu Makaafi from Doncaster, Jack Preece, Scotland's Alex Grove, Dave Brazier and George Oram (all from local rivals Moseley) and Nile Dacres from fellow promotion chasers Plymouth Albion.

[31] A winning return to the second tier was achieved a week later with a 20–15 victory over Jersey Reds at The Butts Park Arena, a monumental effort considering 2 yellow cards saw Coventry reduced to 13 at one stage.

Sam Tuitupou and Phil Nilsen both retired at the end of the season, but the squad has been bolstered with the addition of a number of experienced players, namely Joe Buckle (hooker, Yorkshire Carnegie), Ryan Burrows (back row, Newcastle), Gareth Denman (prop, Gloucester), Andy Forsyth (centre, Yorkshire Carnegie), Rory Jennings (fly half, London Scottish), Senitiki Nayolo (back row, Edinburgh) and Stan South (second row, Harlequins), with former England centre Anthony Allen joining from Leicester Tigers as defence coach.