HISTORY

Founded in 1999 by Stewart Dunlop (Denison University RFC, Morris RFC; Boston RFC, HBS RFC, Portland RFC), The Mt. Washington Valley Rugby Football Club competes in the 4th Division of the New England Rugby Football Union. Known locally as Bull Moose Rugby, the team has enjoyed a great deal of success since its first season when the team finished with a record of 3 wins and 3 losses in NERFU’s Social Divison.

The teams’ first season was a memorable one with strong friendships formed with members of two other start-up rugby clubs - the Maine Stripers RFC and the South Shore Anchors RFC. Of the 6 matches played in our first season almost all of them were officiated by the teams’ coach, inspirational mentor, and eloquent scribe Mr. Ian Sutherland who, at the age of 70 kept an even pace with every man on the pitch. Special recognition during the clubs’ first half decade also goes to NERFU Divison 3 and 4 Coordinator Bob Winchester who was instrumental in the team’s development.

In the wake of the Club’s first season a core group of young rugby fantatics, lead by Nick Lebel, Corey Lawson and Josh Campbell, gradually built the team into a side that would win NERFU’s 2005 Divison IV Men’s Club Championship. The addition of former Boston Irish Wolfhound Trevor Garner who joined the Moose as player/coach during this period greatly elevated the teams’ level of play and understanding of the game of rugby; both of which laid the foundation for our championship season.

Like many rural rugby clubs the teams’ greatest challenge is recruiting players who are willing to make a long term commitment to the sport of rugby. Without a local college or university to help provide an annual crop of new members many of the Moose have picked the game up without any prior rugby experience. While we are always looking for experienced players to join our side we actively recruit athletes who have no prior rugby experience.

To help bridge the recruitment gap, The Bull Moose have worked hard to develop a successful annual tournament – The Rugby On The Rock Pile 15’s. Named for famed Mt. Washington (The Rockpile) whose towering peak overlooks our pitch, this popular social tournament attracts 16 men’s and 10 women’s teams each spring. for 2 days of great rugby. This past June the Moose finished 2nd to Middlesex RFC in the Men’s B Divison. Success on the tournament front was rewarded in the Spring of 2007 when the NERFU Executive Committee awarded the 2008 & 2009 NERFU Rugby Championships to Mt. Washington Valley RFC.