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The James River Rugby Club of historic Richmond Virginia was founded in 1969 and is one of the oldest continuously operating clubs in the region. We are one of the few clubs in the United States that field both men's and women's sides, competing in the Virginia Rugby Union and the Mid Atlantic Rugby Union and USA RFU.

The James River Men have a proud history, and have won the Virginia Rugby Union's Senior Men's Championship eight different times.

The club currently competes in the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union Division II.

If you are a rugby player - new to the area, in town visiting, home for the summer or even completely new to the game, we welcome you to come out and have a run with us. Click the links on the left to check our practice times, get directions, or simply find out more.

"...after many years since it's founding, there undoubtedly are some things that could not be remembered, and therefor not printed. It is my hope that any other pertinent information that may have occurred during these years will be added by future Historians, and each season here-on be accurately record to insure a truly memorable book of the continuing history of JRRFC."

- Bubba Floyd, January 1980

James River RFC
11450 Abbots Cross Ln.
Glen Allen, VA 23059
USA

804-467-9744

The founding of James River Rugby Football Club in 1969

Terry Curtler, the founder of James River was a member of Richmond RFC in the spring of 1969. A touring side from Richmond, England was scheduled to play an A/B&C match with Richmond, VA at City Stadium.

Curtler was selected to play in the B side match, but arrived just as the game was to begin, so he settled for playing in the C side match. As the B side match ended, Curtler walked on the pitch but was told he wasn't going to play, that he had been replaced by someone who had played in one of the two earlier matches.

The idea of James River RFC wasn't born until that night at the party for the English visitors. Curtler and Ed Lee, then a member of Richmond RFC, got into a dispute, and Curtler decided at that instant that Richmond, Virginia needed two rugby clubs. He announced that he was forming a new rugby club in Richmond . His decision to start this club and several more clubs after James River not only improved the game of rugby in Richmond, but also throughout the state of Virginia.

Origin of the name, origin of River's colors

It was decided that since Richmond RFC was named after the city, the new club should take the name of another area landmark. The mighty and historic James River, the avenue for the foundation of this country was a perfect fit. Additionally, the fact that the river divides the city offered another reason as the new club was looking to start fresh, seperate from the old.

For team colors, the choice was pretty easy. Terry Curtler had recieved a gift of a soccer shirt purchased from Soccer Sports Suppy of New York. The shirt had green and blue 2" stipes, and was adopted as the official jersey of James River RFC. The original shorts were white, but in 1977 thee club switched to blue shorts because white shorts got stained easily and detracted from the looks of the team as a whole. For years, the socks were the same color as the jersey with the green and blue stripes.

That complete original kit was ordered from Wallace Sporting Goods of Toronto, Canada for a cost of:
$7.00 - Jersey
$2.00 - Shorts
$1.00 - Socks
$10.00 - Total