DUNSANDEL RUGBY CLUB

​​​​​​The Early Years

From as early as 1887 rugby has been played on the Dunsandel Domain, but it was not until 1888 that the Dunsandel Rugby Football Club was officially formed.

The first game played under Rugby Union rules was against Southbridge on 24 June 1891, resulting in a win for Southbridge by ten points to nil.

From these early beginnings the Dunsandel Rugby Club has made steady progress.

Dunsandel’s playing colours at the beginnging were white, and in 1905, a red sash was added. The teams were then called "The Reds". By 1908 the colours were maroon and gold, and then in 1920, the colours changed to blue.

In 1906, the Leeston, Lincoln, Southbridge, Irwell, Milltown, Dunsandel and Lincoln College clubs met at Leeston and formed the Ellesmere Rugby Sub-Union.

Today

The Dunsandel Club joined forces with the Irwell Rugby Football Club in 1993 to help address a shortage of senior players.

The Dunsandel Club operates behind the scenes within the Dunsandel/Irwell framework, mainly providing grounds and controlling the financial reserves, leaving the day-to-day running of the rugby to the Dunsandel/Irwell Rugby Club.

In 2013, the Dunsandel Club celebrated its 125th year – a great achievement for a rural club.

Life Members

Stu Boon, Donald Happer, Dave McClintock, Lee Chappell, Karen Stone, Leo Donkers and Russell Dalzell