Queensland Rugby Union

Queensland Rugby Union
SportRugby union
Founded1883; 141 years ago (1883) (1883; 141 years ago (1883))
HeadquartersBallymore Stadium Brisbane, Queensland
PatronPaul de Jersey
ChairmanBrett Clark
PresidentRoger Gould
Websitehttps://qld.rugby

The Queensland Rugby Union, or QRU, is the governing body for the sport of Rugby union in Queensland in Australia. It is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia.

History

[edit]

The QRU was founded in Brisbane in 1883 as the Northern Rugby Union,[1] after breaking away from the Queensland Football Association before being formally constituted in 1893 when the name was changed to the Queensland Rugby Football Union.[2]

The first 1883 season began with two clubs: Fireflies and Wanderers. Early intercolonials were played at Eagle Farm Racecourse. The competition boomed after the collapse of the QFA in 1890 with the majority of the remaining Australian rules players making the switch to rugby.

A combination of the introduction of rugby league and the impact of World War I saw the organisation disbanded in 1919, however it reformed after a decade in 1928.

Early clubs (1883-1893)

[edit]
Club Founded Years active in union Notes
Fireflies 1884 1884-? [3]
Wanderers 1884 1884-? [3]
Wasps 1884 1884-?
Gracemere 1886 1890-? Central Queensland association
Wallaroo 1880 1885- Formed under Australian rules[4]
Beenleigh 1887
Oxley 1890 1890-?
Past Grammar 1887 ?1891-
Aubigny 1889 [5]
Warwick 1889 1889 Warwick Rugby Football Union in 1890[6]
Caxton 1889 1889 Warwick Rugby Football Union in 1890
South-Eastern 1889 1889 Warwick Rugby Football Union in 1890
Toowoomba Grammar School 1889 1889 Formed under Australian rules[7]
Arformas ?1890 1890-?
Boomerangs ?1890 1890-?
Moonlight 1890 1890-?
Young Athenian 1890 1890-?
Pittsworth 1890 1890-?
Greenmount 1890 1890-?
Paddington 1890 1890-?
Bunya 1890 1890-?
Oriental 1890 1890-?
Rockhampton 1890 1890-? Central Queensland association
Wallaroo 1890 1890-? Central Queensland association
Mount Morgan 1890 1890-? Central Queensland association
Zingari 1890 1890-? Central Queensland association
Charters Towers 1890 1892-?
Oxford 1890 1890-?
Emu 1890 1890-?
Toowong Ranger 1890 1890-?
Townsville 1890 1890-?
Ipswich 1892 1893-?
Beserkers 1892 1892-? Capricornia District
Wanderers 1892 1892-? Capricornia District
Waratahs 1892 1892-? Capricornia District
Gordon 1893 1893-?
Longreach 1893 1893-?
Mountaineer 1893 1893-?

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Football". The Week. Brisbane. 10 November 1883. p.6, col. 3. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Queensland News". Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton. 19 April 1893. p.5, col. 6. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b "RUGBY UNION CLUBS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 8, 213. Queensland, Australia. 7 May 1884. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "THE WALLAROO FOOTBALL CLUB". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. XXXIX, no. 8, 507. Queensland, Australia. 16 April 1885. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "WASPS V. TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL". Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. XXXI, no. 7, 279. Queensland, Australia. 27 May 1889. p. 3. Retrieved 6 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Warwick Argus". Warwick Argus. Vol. XXV, no. 1887. Queensland, Australia. 31 May 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 15 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser 21 May 1881 Page 2
[edit]