after 1895 rugby was played exclusively under the auspices of the northern rugby football union until 1909 when huddersfield old boys were formed to play under rugby union rules, playing nomadically at five grounds until buying farmland at waterloo in 1919 and, in 1946, renaming the club huddersfield rufc. in 1969 the club was at the forefront of a revolution in english rugby when it became the first club in the country to organise mini and junior rugby teams. the innovation spread and almost every club in the country has a thriving junior section providing a production-line of home-grown talent. junior players at huddersfield number over 200. in 1997 the waterloo junior grounds were sold and the former bass brewery site at lockwood park was purchased for its replacement. with the assistance of a £2 million grant from sport england, the club has transformed it into a major sports complex, conference centre and business park.