New England Rugby Football Union

New England Rugby Football Union

The NERFU Logo
Abbreviation	NERFU
Formation	February 3, 1975
Legal status	Association
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Region served	New England, United States of America
Membership	Approximately 6000 athletes on 228 teams (youth clubs, high schools, colleges, clubs or other associations)
President	Joe Olzacki
Main organ	Executive Committee
Website	http://nerfu.org (administrative)

The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a Geographical Union (GU) for rugby union teams in New England.^[1]

Prior to 2013, NERFU had been a local area union ("LAU"), and part of the Northeast Rugby Union (NRU), which is the governing body for three LAU's (New York State Rugby Football Conference (NYSRFC) and Metropolitan New York Rugby Union being the others.

There are currently over 230 active teams and over 5,000 registered players in the New England area. Though many of these teams are not truly NERFU programs (See Ivy League Rugby Conference and U-19/HS Rugby issues noted below).

Mission

The mission of the New England Rugby Football Union is to manage, serve, and promote the game of rugby in the New England area, at all levels of play; to assist member teams and participants in their various forms of involvement with the game; to adhere to all the laws of the game; and to encourage and facilitate the involvement of as many people as possible in rugby activities. Though to be fair, NERFU focuses its greatest attention on serving rugby at the club level, and less on the collegiate and HS levels. NERFU has made no effort to establish any youth rugby programs in the New England area.

Divisions

Men's

Club

Division I

• Mystic River Rugby Club
• Boston Irish Wolfhounds
• Boston Rugby
• New York Athletic
• Old Blue of New York

^[2]

Division II

• Albany Knicks RFC
• Burlington RFC
• Middlesex Barbarians RFC
• Newport RFC
• Portland RFC
• Providence Rugby RFC
• Worcester RFC
• Boston Irish Wolfhounds Third XV
• Amoskeag Rugby Club
• South Shore Anchors
• Hartford Wanderers RFC

^[3]

Division III

• New London County RFC
• Framingham Exiles RFC
• Harvard Business School RFC
• MIT RFC
• Mad River/Stowe RFC
• Rutland RFC
• Saranac Lake Mountaineers RFC
• Springfield RFC
• Seacoast aka Freedom RFC
• Monadnock Wolfpack RFC
• Boston Maccabi Rugby, Newton, MA
• North Shore Rugby Football Club
• Old Gold Rugby Football Club
• Charles River Rats RFC
• Saratoga Springs Stampede RFC

Division IV

All-New England

• Boston Ironsides RFC
• Leviathan RFC
• Mt. Washington Valley RFC
• University of Vermont Law School RFC
• Yale Graduate RFC
• Bennington Battle RFC, Bennington, VT
• Cape Cod RFC, Cape Cod, MA

Metro

• Boston Irish Wolfhounds Fourth XV
• Harvard Business School RFC Second XV
• MIT RFC Second XV
• North Shore RFC Second XV
• Portland RFC Second XV
• Seacoast RFC Second XV

Social

• Albany Law School RFC
• Berkshire United RFC
• Central Maine Stripers RFC

Collegiate

Division I

NERFU's Division I program lost multiple rugby programs when the ivy league colleges left to form the Ivy League Rugby Conference (Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth).

• Boston College (see BCRFC)
• Northeastern University (see NURFC)
• University of Connecticut
• University of Massachusetts Amherst (See UMRFC)
• University of Albany
• Southern Connecticut State University
• Middlebury College

Division II

• Boston University
• University of Vermont
• College of the Holy Cross
• University of New Hampshire
• University of Maine, Orono
• Norwich University
• United States Coast Guard Academy
• University of Rhode Island

Division III

Maine Conference

• Colby College
• Bowdoin College
• University of Maine at Farmington
• Bates College
• Maine Maritime
• University of Maine at Orono

Boston Conference

• Tufts University
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Babson College
• Wentworth Institute of Technology

Central Conference

• Salve Regina University
• Bryant University
• Roger Williams College
• Wheaton College
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• Johnson and Wales University

Western Conference

• Williams College
• Amherst College
• Plymouth State College
• Keene State College
• Castleton University
• Franklin Pierce University

Southern Conference

• New Haven U23
• Central Connecticut State University
• Western Connecticut State University
• Springfield College
• University of Hartford
• Trinity College
• Western New England College
• Eastern Connecticut State University
• Brandeis University

Division IV

Central Conference

• Westfield State University
• Nichols College
• Wesleyan College
• Connecticut College
• Southern Vermont College
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

South Conference

• Lasell College
• Framingham State College
• Rhode Island College
• University of New England
• Mitchell College

North Conference

• Colby-Sawyer College
• Green Mountain College
• Champlain College
• Lyndon State College
• Maine Maritime Academy
• Johnson State College

U19

NERFU has essentially abdicated its role in overseeing U-19/HS Rugby in favor of state based rugby organizations (SRBOs). In New England, there are nascent SRBOs in VT, CT and MA.

Division I

• Amoskeag RFC U19 Squad
• Bishop Hendricken High School
• Belmont High School (MA)
• Boston College High School
• Lincoln-Sudbury High School
• Scituate Stormers Rugby
• St. John's Preparatory School
• Middlesex RFC U19 Squad
• Xaverian Brothers High School
• Brookline High School

Division II

• Cheshire Rams
• Essex High School
• Fairfield High School
• Falmouth High School
• Groton School
• Kearsarge Regional High School
• Kimball Union Academy
• Mad River Valley Boys
• Middlesex Youth RFC
• Needham High School Men's Rugby Club
• North Country RFC U19 Squad
• North Quincy High School Rugby Football Club
• Phillips Exeter Academy
• Portland RFC U19 Squad
• Rutland RFC U19 Squad
• Springfield RFC
• Stanstead College
• Staples High School
• Upper Valley Youth RFC
• Winged Beavers
• Malden Catholic High School
• Arlington Catholic High School
• Marshfield High School
• Catholic Memorial High School

Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization (MYRO)

The Massachusetts SBRO (http://myrugby.org) is now the umbrella organization for youth rugby in the state. All High School, U19, and U15 clubs are now under their auspices.

Boston middle schools that play rugby include Washington Irving, Edwards, Orchard Gardens, and Lee Academy.^[4]

Women's

Club

Women's Premier League

• Beantown RFC

Division I

• Albany Knickerbocker Sirens RFC
• Boston Women RFC
• Providence WRFC

Division II

• Burlington WRFC
• Charles River WRFC
• Hartford Wild Roses
• Seacoast WRFC
• Worcester WRFC
• Portland, Maine (PWRFC)
• North Shore, Massachusetts North Shore Monsoons WRFC

Division III

• Connecticut Yankees WRFC

• Vermont Law School WRFC

Collegiate

Division I

Eastern Conference

• Boston College
• Brown University
• Boston University
• Radcliffe College
• Providence College
• Northeastern University

Western Conference

• Amherst College
• Dartmouth College
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Williams College
• University of Connecticut
• Yale University

Division II

Downeast Conference

• Bates College
• Bowdoin College (Bowdoin College Men's Rugby)
• Colby College
• University of Maine at Farmington
• University of Maine, Orono
• University of New Hampshire

East Conference

• Babson College
• Wesleyan University
• Smith College
• Tufts University
• University of Rhode Island
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

West Conference

• Castleton State College
• Keene State College
• Middlebury College
• Norwich University
• Plymouth State College
• University of Vermont

Division III

East Conference

• Bentley College
• Brandeis University
• Bridgewater State College
• MIT
• Stonehill College
• Wheaton College

South Conference

• US Coast Guard Academy
• Central Connecticut State University
• Rhode Island College
• Trinity College
• University of Hartford
• Western Connecticut State University
• Roger Williams University

West Conference

• Colby-Sawyer College
• Framingham State College
• Johnson State University
• Mount Holyoke College
• Saint Michael's College
• University of Massachusetts Lowell

Division IV

East Conference

• College of the Holy Cross
• Saint Anselm College
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• Wentworth Institute of Technology

West Conference

• Connecticut College
• Green Mountain College
• Lyndon State College
• Nichols College
• Southern Vermont College
• Springfield College
• Western New England College

U19

Division I

• Colchester High School
• Essex High School
• Marshfield High School
• Newport High School
• Needham High School Women's Rugby Club
• Phillips Exeter Academy
• Portland RFC U19 Girls
• Rutland RFC U19 Girls
• South Burlington High School
• Sugar River Girls
• Upper Valley Youth
• Newton South High School Girls Rugby Club

Championships

1997
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 - University of Massachusetts Lowell
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

1998
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 - University of Massachusetts Lowell
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

1999
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 - Norwich University
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 -
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2000
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 -
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2001
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 - Tufts University
Men's College D4 - Bentley University
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2002
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 -
Men's College D4 - Brandeis University
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2003
Men's Club D1 - Boston Irish Wolfhounds
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 -
Men's College D4 - Wheaton College
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2004
Men's Club D1 - Boston Irish Wolfhounds
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 -
Men's College D4 - Maine Maritime Academy
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2005
Men's Club D1 - Boston Irish Wolfhounds
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 -
Men's College D3 - Bentley University
Men's College D4 - Saint Anselm College
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -

2006
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2 -
Men's Club D3 -
Women's Club D1 -
Women's Club D2 -
Women's Club D3 -
Men's College D1 -
Men's College D2 - United States Coast Guard Academy
Men's College D3 - Bentley University
Men's College D4 - Nichols College
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -
Women's College D4 -

2007
Men's Club D1 -
Men's Club D2
Men's Club D3
Women's Club D1
Women's Club D2
Women's Club D3
Men's College D1
Men's College D2 - Middlebury College
Men's College D3 - Plymouth State University
Men's College D4 - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth See: 2007 NERFU College Men's Division IV Rugby Tournament
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -
Women's College D4 -

2008
Men's Club D1 - Boston Irish Wolfhounds
Men's Club D2
Men's Club D3
Women's Club D1
Women's Club D2
Women's Club D3
Men's College D1
Men's College D2 - Middlebury College
Men's College D3 - Salve Regina University See: 2008 NERFU College Men's Division III Rugby Tournament
Men's College D4 - Holy Cross College
Women's College D1 - United States Military Academy
Women's College D2 - Stonehill College
Women's College D3 - Bryant University
Women's College D4 - Holy Cross College

2009
Men's Club D1
Men's Club D2
Men's Club D3
Men's Club D4 - Saratoga Springs Stampede
Women's Club D1
Women's Club D2
Women's Club D3
Men's College D1
Men's College D2 - UMASS Amherst
Men's College D3 -
Men's College D4 -
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Women's College D4 -

2010
Men's Club D1
Men's Club D2
Men's Club D3 - Saratoga Springs Stampede
Men's Club D4
Women's Club D1
Women's Club D2
Women's Club D3
Men's College D1
Men's College D2
Men's College D3 - Salve Regina University See 2010 NERFU College Men's Division III Rugby Tournament
Men's College D4 -
Women's College D1 -
Women's College D2 -
Women's College D3 -
Women's College D4 -

See also

• USA Rugby
• Rugby union in the United States

References

1. "USA Club Rugby: Geographical Unions". http://usarugby.org/. Retrieved 2014-03-04. External link in |publisher= (help)
2. http://www.nerfu.org/contentPage/10011609/standings
3. http://www.nerfu.org/contentPage/10011612/standings
4. Boston Globe, Youth rugby gains toehold in Boston, Dec. 23, 2012, http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2012/12/23/youth-rugby-gains-toehold-boston/eEmyzR61bd3H95ACRZTS6L/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

External links

• NERFU Official Site
• NRU Official Site
• USA Rugby Official Site
• IRB Official Site