The gay rugby story reads like a family tree, with births, name changes, divorces and sadly deaths. It is for this very reason that we often refer to the many clubs around the world as a “family”.
The first stirrings of this family came in the 1980s with several southern hemisphere clubs attempting to get off the ground, but sadly not lasting long enough to be officially registered. It was on 1st November 1995 that a small group of gay men met in the Central Station pub near King’s Cross, North London, UK to discuss the formation of the world’s first OFFICIALLY recognised Gay Rugby Club.
It is here where our story begins…….
November 1995
London, England, UK – Six gay men meet at the Central Station pub in the King’s Cross area of North London and agree to form a rugby club for gay and bisexual men.
King’s Cross Steelers, the world’s first officially registered gay rugby club is founded.
The “Steelers” part of the name came about because many of the club’s founder members were keen fans of American Football.
The Steelers’ claim to the title of the “world’s first gay rugby club” is based on the fact that South Africa’s Jamieson Raiders (founded in 1985) are an annual invitation team, rather than a registered club playing seasonal fixtures.
Additionally, the Sydney-based POOFTAs (also founded in 1985) played touch rugby rather than matches under the Union Code.
1998
Manchester, England, UK – Manchester Village Spartans’ founders establish the club following a party at Manchester Pride and set to work enrolling new players with funding from the NHS and advice from England Rugby and The Kings Cross Steelers.
Washington DC, USA – Washington Renegades founded.
Wellington, New Zealand – Wellington Krazy Knights founded (d. 2001).
Auckland, New Zealand – Ponsonby Heroes founded (d. 2004).
Wellington, New Zealand – World’s first gay rugby match takes place between Wellington Krazy Knights & Ponsonby Heroes.
August 1999
Manchester, England, UK – First full (Union Code) European gay rugby match between Manchester Village Spartans and Kings Cross Steelers as part of Manchester’s Pride Weekend.
2000
London, England – International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB) founded, October.
San Francisco, CA, USA – San Francisco Fog founded.
World Barbarians created.
London, England, UK – World’s first gay rugby tournament takes place between King’s Cross Steelers, Manchester Village Spartans and Washington Renegades.
2001
Los Angeles, CA, USA – Los Angeles Rebellion founded.
New York City, NY, USA – Gotham Knights founded.
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Buenos Aires Rugby founded (d. 2001).
Washington DC, USA – Washington Invitational tournament takes place.
September 11, 2001 – Terrorist attacks across the northeast USA. United Airlines Flight 93 crashes into the ground near Shanksville PA, killing all 44 people onboard, including SF Fog’s Mark Kendall Bingham.
2004
Phoenix, AZ, USA – Phoenix Storm founded
Minneapolis, MN, USA – Minneapolis Mayhem founded
Charlotte, NC, USA – Charlotte Royals founded
Portland, OR, USA – Portland Avalanche founded (d. 2009)
Cardiff, Wales, UK – Cardiff Lions founded, 1 March
Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Hustlers founded (d. 2007, r. 2012)
Malmö, Sweden – Malmö Devilants founded (d. 2007)
Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhagen Scrum founded (AKA Copenhagen Wolves) (d. 2010, r. 2017)
Grenoble, France – La Mêlée Alpine founded
Montpellier, France – Los Valents De Montpelhier founded
London, England, UK – The second Bingham Cup takes place in Esher, Surrey, hosted by the King’s Cross Steelers
Sydney & Brisbane, Australia – The first two games of the Purchas Cup are held, one game in Sydney, one in Brisbane. Named after the founder of the Sydney Convicts, Andrew “Fuzz” Purchas
Auckland, New Zealand – First trans-Tasman gay rugby match between Ponsonby Heroes and Brisbane Hustlers
2005
San Diego, CA, USA – San Diego Armada founded, 10 February
Bristol, England, UK – Bristol Bisons founded, February
Montpellier, France – The first edition of the Union Cup is held, creating a biennial tournament for the clubs of Europe
Brisbane, Australia – Sydney Convicts win the Purchas Cup in its second year against the Brisbane Hustlers
2013
Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Hustlers join IGRAB, 22 January
Charleston, SC, USA – Charleston Blockade join IGRAB, 22 January
Johannesburg, South Africa – Wham Rugby founded, 9 February (d. 2017)
Boston, MA, USA – New England Valkyries founded, September (d. 2016)
Washington DC, USA – Washington Scandals founded
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Pampas Rugby Adapli founded
Leeds, England, UK – Leeds Hornets founded (d. 2016)
Auckland, New Zealand – New Zealand Falcons founded
Cologne, Germany – Cologne Crushers founded
Rome, Italy – Libera Rugby founded
Ferrara, Italy – Roosters Rugby 7 founded (d.2016)
Madrid, Spain – Madrid Titanes founded
Dallas, TX, USA – Dallas Lost Souls join IGRAB, 23 March
Berlin, Germany – Berlin Bruisers join IGRAB, 25 March
Birmingham, England, UK – Birmingham Bulls join IGRAB, 26 March
Bristol, England, UK – The fifth Union Cup tournament takes place becoming the world second largest tournament after the Bingham Cup, attended by 20 teams, hosted by the Bristol Bisons
Brisbane, Australia – Sydney Convicts win the Purchas Cup in its seventh edition against the Melbourne Chargers and Brisbane Hustlers
London, England, UK – GayRugbyClubs.com (GRC) founded by KX Steelers’ Neil Pyper, 19 July
Washington DC, USA – Washington Scandals join IGRAB, 31 July
Amsterdam, Netherlands – The second Thalys Cup between Brussels Straffe Ketten and Amsterdam Lowlanders is held. Amsterdam won 38-22.
Auckland, New Zealand – New Zealand Falcons join IGRAB, 20 December
2014
Sabadell, Spain – Els Dragons De La Mola founded
Southampton, England, UK – Wessex Wyverns founded
Montreal, Canada – Armada Montréal founded
Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Hustlers win the Purchas Cup, defeating the Sydney Convicts who have kept the title throughout the tournament’s ten year history
Berlin, Germany – Berlin Bruisers host the first “Bash About”, with guest coach Gareth Thomas
London, England, UK – GayRugbyClubs.com v2 launched, 9 June
Osaka, Japan – Dym Rugby founded, 5 July
Sydney, Australia – The seventh Bingham Cup took place, hosted and once again won by the Sydney Convicts
London, England, UK – IGRAB announce a rebranding to become IGR (International Gay Rugby)
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Ciervos Pampas (formally Rugby Adapli) join IGR, 28 September
Cologne, Germany – Cologne Crushers join IGR, 16 October
London, England, UK, 19 November – IGR announce that Nashville Grizzlies will host the 2016 Bingham Cup
2016
Cardiff, Wales, UK – Praetorians RFC founded, January (d. 2018)
London, England, UK – IGR and GRC merge to create IGRC, 29 February
Brighton & Hove, England, UK – Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents join IGR, 7 March
Swansea, Wales, UK – Swansea Vikings join IGR, 7 March
Portland, OR, USA – Portland Lumberjacks join IGR, 21 March
Reading, England, UK – Reading Renegades founded, April
Stellenbosch, South Africa – SteLGBTouch founded, April
Houston, TX, USA – Houston Roughnecks reformed after an eight-year gap, May
Nashville, TN, USA – Nashville Grizzlies host the eighth Bingham Cup, 22-29 May. Melbourne Chargers win the Cup for the first time.
Ashville, NC, USA – Blue Ridge Bootleggers founded, June (d. 2017)
Columbus, OH, USA – Columbus Kodiaks founded, June
Mendoza, Argentina – Huarpes Rugby founded, June
Baltimore, MD, USA – Baltimore Flamingos founded, July
Liverpool, England, UK – Liverpool Tritons founded, July
Barcelona, Spain – Mola’s Bear’s founded, July
Munich, Germany – Munich Monks founded, July
Berkshire, England, UK – Berkshire Unicorns founded, August
ISIRR join IGR as the first Society member, 17 August
Port Elizabeth, South Africa – Nelson Mandela Bay LGBTI Touch founded, October
Columbus, OH, USA – Columbus Kodiaks join IGR, 18 October
London, England, UK, 15 October – IGR announce that Amsterdam Lowlanders will host the 2018 Bingham Cup
Leeds, England, UK – Leeds Hunters founded, November
Liverpool, England, UK – Liverpool Tritons join IGR, 10 November
New Orleans, LA, USA – Crescent City Rougaroux founded, December
2022
Ottawa, Canada – The 10th Bingham Cup, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, will be held in Ottawa in August 2022
