Boston Irish Wolfhounds
Encyclopedia
The Boston Irish Wolfhounds Rugby Football Club (also known as BIWRFC) is a rugby union
team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The club competes in, and is governed by, the New England Rugby Football Union
(their LAU), the Northeast Rugby Union
(their TAU), and USA Rugby
.
The club was established in the late 1980s as a social touring side, but was not recognised as an official club until 1992, when they entered the NERFU Division II in 1992. They advanced to the NRU Premier Division in 1995, winning it for the first time in 1998 and entered the Super League in 2007. Since 2007, BIWRFC has been represented in both the Premier Division and the Super League, as the first XV competes in the Super League and the third XV competes in the Premier Division. BIWRFC is recognised as one of the leading rugby union clubs in the United States
.
and Tullamore Dew
. The club also has several secondary sponsorships from local and regional businesses.
, England
, New Zealand
, Fiji
, and Wales
.
BIWRFC has established relationships with local high school
and college sides, which become feeder teams for the Wolfhounds. This allows the Wolfhounds to maintain a large player pool of young athletes. Members of the Wolfhounds have coached Northeastern University
RFC, a nationally ranked Division I college side, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT and University of Notre Dame. Wolfhounds players also coach the Boston collegiate select-side All-Star team, which won the NERFU collegiate all-star tournament last spring. The Wolfhounds also coach Boston College High School
RFC, which is perennially one of the best high school teams in the country.
In recent years, the Wolfhounds have sent some of these young collegiate athletes abroad to gain experience by playing professionally. As of April 2006, there are two Wolfhounds playing in the NPC
league in New Zealand
.
As of April 2006, members of the Wolfhounds include a current USA Rugby U19 National Team player, two former U19 National Team players, and the current captain of the USA Rugby Collegiate All-Star team.
The Wolfhounds were a key player in organizing the Boston Rugby Consortium which consists of all NERFU clubs in the city of Boston. The club lent their administrative expertise to secure practice pitches from the city's Parks and Recreation department on a regular basis for the clubs. They have also initiated several coaching clinincs and courses to build rugby in the Boston area among all clubs.
The Wolfhounds always are recruiting new players for their four teams.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The club competes in, and is governed by, the New England Rugby Football Union
New England Rugby Football Union
The New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby...
(their LAU), the Northeast Rugby Union
Northeast Rugby Union
The Northeast Rugby Union is the Territorial Area Union for rugby union teams playing in the Northeastern United States . It is one of seven TAU's that govern specific regions of USA Rugby.-LAU's:...
(their TAU), and USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
.
The club was established in the late 1980s as a social touring side, but was not recognised as an official club until 1992, when they entered the NERFU Division II in 1992. They advanced to the NRU Premier Division in 1995, winning it for the first time in 1998 and entered the Super League in 2007. Since 2007, BIWRFC has been represented in both the Premier Division and the Super League, as the first XV competes in the Super League and the third XV competes in the Premier Division. BIWRFC is recognised as one of the leading rugby union clubs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
- The Wolfhounds began as a social touring side of rugby players in the Boston area looking to travel the U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during their off-seasons with their respective clubs. Due to their successes while touring (particularly in New Orleans and TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) and enormous support from the Boston IrishIrish AmericanIrish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
community, the Wolfhounds became an official team and entered into the New England Rugby Football UnionNew England Rugby Football UnionThe New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby...
(NERFU) Division II in 1992. An unintended consequenceUnintended consequenceIn the social sciences, unintended consequences are outcomes that are not the outcomes intended by a purposeful action. The concept has long existed but was named and popularised in the 20th century by American sociologist Robert K. Merton...
of the establishment was the eventual disestablishment of Beacon Hill RFC (lost most of its first XV pack), the end of Mystic River Rugby ClubMystic River Rugby ClubThe Mystic River Rugby Club is a New England Rugby Football Union club, founded in 1974, located in Malden, Massachusetts and Melrose, Massachusetts, who play Division 1 Rugby Union in the United States....
's appearances as a national level club (lost three key first XV), and the relegation of Charles River RFC (lost complete first XV backline) to Division II.
- During their inaugural season, the first XV suffered only one regular season loss and reached the Northeast Championships.
- In 1995, the Wolfhounds met enough success to warrant the leap to the Northeast Rugby Football Union (NRU) Premier Division.
- In 2000, they won the Northeast Championships for the first time.
- In 2001, they advanced to the USA Rugby Division I National Championship pool for the first time, reaching the Sweet 16 pool. In 2002, they matched their 2001 successes and reached the Sweet 16 for a second straight season.
- In 2003, the Wolfhounds entered and won a number of local and national tournaments and they were able to win the NERFU Division I Championship as well as the National Championship. Wolfhounds scrumhalf Dave Williams was named tournament MVP.
- In 2004, the Wolfhounds repeated as both NERFU Division I champions and USA Rugby Division I national champions. Adam Thomas of the Wolfhouds was named tournament MVP.
- In 2005, the Wolfhounds became NERFU Division I champions for the third straight year and finished in fifth place in the Division I National Championship tournament.
- In 2006, the Wolfhounds became the first-ever US team to submit two sides to the national championship tournament. Both the first XV and the third XV came in second place (Division I and Division III, respectively).
- in 2007, the Wolfhounds became USA Division III National Champions in San Diego.
- The Wolfhounds also field a third XV of "old boys" and new players with little experience. They compete in the New England Rugby Football Union Division III. They have been met with recent success, winning the NERFU Division III championships in 1996, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2009.
Club Championships
- USA RugbyUSA RugbyUSA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
Premier Division Champions - 2003, 2004- 2nd place - 2006
- 5th place - 2005
- Division 1 Northeast Rugby UnionNortheast Rugby UnionThe Northeast Rugby Union is the Territorial Area Union for rugby union teams playing in the Northeastern United States . It is one of seven TAU's that govern specific regions of USA Rugby.-LAU's:...
Champions - 2000, 2002 - Division 1 New England Rugby Football UnionNew England Rugby Football UnionThe New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby...
Champions - 2003, 2004, 2005
Tournament Championships
- Ft. Lauderdale Ruggerfest Champions - 2003, 2005
- Jersey ShoreJersey ShoreThe Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
Tournament Champions - 2004 - Mad RiverMad River (Vermont)The Mad River is a tributary to the Winooski River in Vermont. It has its headwaters in Granville Gulf, then flows north through the towns of Warren, Waitsfield, and Moretown before entering the Winooski River just downstream from Middlesex. Other towns within the Mad River watershed are the...
Invitational Champions - 2004, 2007, 2008 - New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
10s Champions - 2003, 2005 - Newport 7s Champions - 2005
- Newport 15s Champions (Division I) - 2006
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
7s Champions - 2004 - Thompson Island Tournament Champions - 2003
- Vermont Invitational Tournament
- 2nd place - 2005
- WorcesterWorcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
7s Champions - 2003
Club Championships
- USA Rugby National Division III Competition
- 2nd place - 2006
- Division III New England Rugby Football Union Champions - 1996, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009
Tournament Championships
- Lansdowne RFC NYC St. Patrick's Day Tournament Champions - 1998, 1999
- MIT Culliton Tournament Champions - 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- Newport 15s Champions (Division III) - 2006
- Saranac LakeSaranac Lake, New YorkSaranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....
Can-Am Tournament - 1996
Individual Honors
- 2003 USA Rugby National Division I Championship Tournament MVP - Dave Williams
- 2004 USA Rugby National Division I Championship Tournament MVP - Adam Thomas
Sponsorship
The SuperLeague's primary sponsor is Michelob Amber Bock and as such, each individual team receives a portion of those revenues. In addition to Amber Bock, the Wolfhounds have several individual sponsorships. Notable primary sponsors include GuinnessGuinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
and Tullamore Dew
Tullamore Dew
Tullamore Dew is a blended Irish whiskey. It was originally a pot still whiskey, first distilled in 1829 in the small town of Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. The name derives from the initials of an early manager of the concern, Mr. Daniel E. Williams: D.E.W. Tullamore Dew is the second...
. The club also has several secondary sponsorships from local and regional businesses.
Recruiting
The Wolfhounds have been able to provide hospitality, housing, and career opportunities for players coming to Boston to play for the Hounds. This is one of the reasons they have been able to maintain success on the field. The team is composed of Americans, but there is also a large contingent of foreigners. Many countries are represented AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
BIWRFC has established relationships with local high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and college sides, which become feeder teams for the Wolfhounds. This allows the Wolfhounds to maintain a large player pool of young athletes. Members of the Wolfhounds have coached Northeastern University
Northeastern University, Boston
Northeastern University , is a private, secular, coeducational research university in Boston, Massachusetts. Northeastern has eight colleges and offers undergraduate majors in 65 departments...
RFC, a nationally ranked Division I college side, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT and University of Notre Dame. Wolfhounds players also coach the Boston collegiate select-side All-Star team, which won the NERFU collegiate all-star tournament last spring. The Wolfhounds also coach Boston College High School
Boston College High School
Founded in 1863, Boston College High School is an all-male Jesuit Roman Catholic college preparatory secondary school with historical ties to Boston College. It has an enrollment in grades 7-12 of approximately 1,500 students and is located on a campus on Morrissey Boulevard in the Dorchester...
RFC, which is perennially one of the best high school teams in the country.
In recent years, the Wolfhounds have sent some of these young collegiate athletes abroad to gain experience by playing professionally. As of April 2006, there are two Wolfhounds playing in the NPC
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
league in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
As of April 2006, members of the Wolfhounds include a current USA Rugby U19 National Team player, two former U19 National Team players, and the current captain of the USA Rugby Collegiate All-Star team.
The Wolfhounds were a key player in organizing the Boston Rugby Consortium which consists of all NERFU clubs in the city of Boston. The club lent their administrative expertise to secure practice pitches from the city's Parks and Recreation department on a regular basis for the clubs. They have also initiated several coaching clinincs and courses to build rugby in the Boston area among all clubs.
The Wolfhounds always are recruiting new players for their four teams.
Notable Wolfhounds
- Dave Williams, former Wolfhounds scrumhalf, USA Rugby National TeamUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
- Brian Lemay, Wolfhounds prop, USA Rugby National TeamUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
- Mark Tutton - Wolfhounds scrumhalf, South CanterburySouth Canterbury Rugby Football UnionThe South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...
provincial team (2002–present), New Zealand Heartland XVNew Zealand Heartland XVThe Heartland XV rugby team is one of several New Zealand national representative rugby union teams, although it is at a lower level than the All Blacks , the second-level Junior All Blacks and the New Zealand Māori...
2007
- Thomas Lee, former Wolfhounds wing, 1992 USA Rugby National U19 TeamUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
(US High School Development XV)