Difference between revisions of "European installation teams"

Revision as of 13:32, 25 June 2017

Brief European Military Rugby History

(2017) Our history goes back to the mists of the Cold War, and it is mostly that – “Histories” – as there are only 2-3 teams left (a/o 2017). There were over 30 teams (closer to 40?) that started/stopped over the years – starting with the 3AD FARC in the winter of 73-74.

American teams were not allowed to play in the German Club system (Bundesliga)as only 3 foreigners were allowed to play in the first division. In 1979, the British in Munich formed a Bavarian RFU that included American military sides from Nuernberg, Bamberg, Ansbach, Bad Toelz and Augsburg. Later that year, the 3rd Armor Division (Frankfurt Americans) formed the Exiles Rugby Football Association with teams from Darmstadt, Wuerzburg, Karlesruhe and Kaiserslautern.

The USFERU officially started in 1982 absorbing the one year on-paper “Exiles Association”, which was itself an idea to copy the “original” Bavarian Rugby Union (1979-1981) in the east of southern Germany and spread it throughout Germany where we had teams. Harry Laws was the first President of the Exiles and later, David McNaughton was picked as the President of the newly formed USFERU just before/after the first USFERU Tourney was hosted in Illesheim (themselves only one year old at the time) in the late spring of 1982. USFERU boasted I think 18 teams in League play at once at its apex, and in the mid-late 80’s we had 12 teams consistently showing up to the big tourneys – originally in spring (host moved around), and later also in the fall (mostly in Wuerzburg).

The USFERU stopped league/cup play and the bigger tournaments in 1995, although there were a number of smaller get-together tourneys all the way up to the early 2000’s. We also put out various Selects for most of the 80’s.

European Military Men's Club Teams

Click on the Club Name to go to that club's site

European Military Women's Club Teams