BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT ARMY RUGBY
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BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT ARMY RUGBY
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Since 1961, Army has performed at the top level of USA collegiate rugby. We are the sport with the highest winning percentage in the long and storied history of the United States Military Academy.
Foundation: ‘60s and ‘70s
The Army Rugby Football Club was founded in spring of 1961 by members of the West Point Classes of 1962, 1963, and 1964. The team traveled to Notre Dame in 1965, 1966, and 1967 to play in what was considered the most competitive collegiate tournament in the nation. The team won the tournament in 1967, laying claim to the #1 ranking in U.S. college rugby. The first British Exchange Officer, Major Peter S. Field, was assigned to West Point in 1965, a tradition that would continue for over 35 years. In 1968, the team also made the first visit to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Though they lost 18-6, they laid the foundation for what would become a semi-annual tradition for future Army teams. In both the spring of 1978 and the fall of 1979, the team beat Sandhurst at Sandhurst. In 1975, the annual Army-Navy rugby match tradition began. Since that first match, Army holds a 28-21-1 record in the rivalry.
The ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s - Climb to the Final Four
In 1989, the team played in its first Final Four, losing to National Champion Air Force by only two points in their semi-final match. The team progressed to the Final Four again in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, and 1999. The team played in the finals three consecutive years, from 1990-1992. The teams of the 2000s also continued Army Rugby’s winning ways, advancing to six more Final Fours, in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, and 2010. In 2003, the team also traveled to Sandhurst and beat a very strong Sandhurst team 43-21, only Army's third victory in the series.
The Future is Now
Given its record as the most successful program in Army competitive sports history, the Army Rugby Football Club was re-designated a varsity sport in the spring of 2014. Coach Mike Mahan, who had previously coached the team from 1981-1984, and again from 1988-2002, became the first Head Coach of the newly formed Army West Point Rugby Team. The Team is now led by Coach Matt Sherman and is perennially ranked among the top 10 in Division 1A U.S. college rugby.
See stories and photos of Army Rugby through the years.
Coming Soon!
1961 or 1962?
Army Rugby was officially founded in the spring of 1961 by members of the West Point classes of 1962, 1963, and 1964.
Do you have photos that we all would love to see or stories that we all want to hear (again)? Contact our historian, Tom Hiebert.
Given by Lee R. Anderson, Class of 1961 and Penny Anderson, the Anderson Rugby Complex broke ground in the fall of 2005 and the $8.35 million project was completed in May of 2007. The Anderson Rugby Complex is positioned alongside the Hudson River, just north of West Point's Shea Stadium. It is considered by many to be the best Rugby facility in Northern America.
The facility boasts a state of the art all-weather practice pitch alongside the main natural turf competition field, which are floodlit, in addition to the center. The first floor of the two-story, 13,650 square foot center includes four team locker rooms, a locker room for referees, home and visitor showers, a commercial-quality laundry room, restrooms and a training room. The second floor features a weight-training room, multi-purpose team room, coaches' offices, restrooms and a 1,800 square foot observation balcony that overlooks the pitch. Below the balcony is an external permanent 550 seat structure.
Portable stands can also be brought in to surround Warrior Field, which features two electronic rugby-specific scoreboards.
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