History
The Boston Irish Wolfhounds Rugby Football Club came into being as a touring side of local rugby players in 1989.
Three successful years of touring would soon lead to the development of a Boston-based men's club bearing the same name. A serious neck injury to one of the original club members, Patrick "Punter" Culleton, in a pre-season friendly, ironically helped to significantly extend the reach of the team well beyond the Rugby field. In response to Punter's immediate needs, the Boston community came out in strength to support the fundraising events generated and organized by his friends and teammates.
Buoyed by the momentum gathered during this period, the Wolfhounds formally organized and were accepted as members of the New England Rugby Football Union's Division II in the fall of 1992. In its initial season the club got its first taste of success, with the First XV suffering only one defeat during the fall season, and reaching the Northeast Championships. Clearly, a bright future lay ahead.
Since then, the club's fortunes have steadily increased. The Wolfhounds are now one of the largest rugby clubs in the United States. We field four men’s sides that compete as members of the USA Rugby Super League, Division 1, Division 3 and a developmental side. We also boast a vibrant youth program, Boston Youth Rugby, that since it’s inception in 2001 has grown to 5 teams and almost 500 players, ages 6 to 14.
The Wolfhounds have won dozens of tournaments at all levels of competition. Our sides were the New England and/or Northeast Union Championships a combined total of 15 times. The Wolfhounds have won three USA Rugby National Championships and were runners up on two additional occasions.
To gain a better perspective on the club's origins, take a look at an excerpt from a history of the club written in 1995 — words that still ring true today:
Undoubtedly, the objectives of the Wolfhounds were higher than what one may typically expect of most new rugby clubs. However, the philosophy was, from the very beginning, to create a rugby club that offered playing, social, and community activities equivalent to senior rugby clubs in other parts of the world. In Boston, the Wolfhounds RFC is an immediate contact for all those arriving from overseas, creating a community, offering an opportunity to play rugby, and contribute back to their new home. The mix of Irish, English, Australian, New Zealanders and Americans [or Fijians, Moroccans, South Africans, Zambians and Welshmen, for that matter] provides a wealthy network of friends and colleagues from which to build a new life for those new to Boston.
Three successful years of touring would soon lead to the development of a Boston-based men's club bearing the same name. A serious neck injury to one of the original club members, Patrick "Punter" Culleton, in a pre-season friendly, ironically helped to significantly extend the reach of the team well beyond the Rugby field. In response to Punter's immediate needs, the Boston community came out in strength to support the fundraising events generated and organized by his friends and teammates.
Buoyed by the momentum gathered during this period, the Wolfhounds formally organized and were accepted as members of the New England Rugby Football Union's Division II in the fall of 1992. In its initial season the club got its first taste of success, with the First XV suffering only one defeat during the fall season, and reaching the Northeast Championships. Clearly, a bright future lay ahead.
Since then, the club's fortunes have steadily increased. The Wolfhounds are now one of the largest rugby clubs in the United States. We field four men’s sides that compete as members of the USA Rugby Super League, Division 1, Division 3 and a developmental side. We also boast a vibrant youth program, Boston Youth Rugby, that since it’s inception in 2001 has grown to 5 teams and almost 500 players, ages 6 to 14.
The Wolfhounds have won dozens of tournaments at all levels of competition. Our sides were the New England and/or Northeast Union Championships a combined total of 15 times. The Wolfhounds have won three USA Rugby National Championships and were runners up on two additional occasions.
To gain a better perspective on the club's origins, take a look at an excerpt from a history of the club written in 1995 — words that still ring true today:
Undoubtedly, the objectives of the Wolfhounds were higher than what one may typically expect of most new rugby clubs. However, the philosophy was, from the very beginning, to create a rugby club that offered playing, social, and community activities equivalent to senior rugby clubs in other parts of the world. In Boston, the Wolfhounds RFC is an immediate contact for all those arriving from overseas, creating a community, offering an opportunity to play rugby, and contribute back to their new home. The mix of Irish, English, Australian, New Zealanders and Americans [or Fijians, Moroccans, South Africans, Zambians and Welshmen, for that matter] provides a wealthy network of friends and colleagues from which to build a new life for those new to Boston.
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