South Australia Rugby Union
| 320px | |
| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 1932, Adelaide |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) | Onkaparinga (2015) |
| Most titles | Brighton (30) |
| Official website | sarugby.com.au |
The South Australia Rugby Union (SARU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the state of South Australia. It is a member of the Australian Rugby Union. The SARU runs a 13 club amateur competition in Adelaide consisting of senior men's teams in Premier grade, Premier reserves, Division 2 and Division 2 reserves; and junior teams grouped by age from under 7 to under 18. As of 2013, a senior women's competition has been included. The SARU also selects representative teams each year to compete against other Australian states and territories.
Contents
History
The SA Rugby Union was established in 1932 after journalist Ian Sabey, from The Advertiser, convened a public meeting. This meeting resulted in the formation of the Adelaide Rugby Club, with enough players to field two 7-a-side teams. Interest in the sport grew, and by the end of that year, the Royal Australian Navy, Adelaide University and the Waratahs were ready to field teams in a local competition.
Rugby in the Adelaide area grew quickly and within a year, South Australia had fielded a team against Victoria for its first interstate match.
Rugby League benefited in the 1940s, when the Port Adelaide Rugby Union team fractured and changed codes.[1] Over the following two decades, rugby grew across the metropolitan region and by the 1950s, South Australia boasted eight clubs. In 1951, with the competition and therefore financial risks growing, it was decided that it was in the Union's best interest to become an incorporated body. In the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, the South Australian representative team competed in the Southern States Carnivals against Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The SARU financed its own tour of Queensland and ACT in 1971, playing in Canberra, Toowoomba, and Brisbane.[2][3]
By 1971 clubs included: Army, Adelaide University, Glenelg, Burnside, Elizabeth, Flinders University, North Adelaide, Old Collegians, Onkaparinga, Port Adelaide, Roseworthy College Rams, Salisbury, Southern Suburbs, West Torrens and Woodville.
Clubs which have fielded rugby teams in the past are: Aquinas, Black Forest, Central Districts, Flinders University, Gawler, Murray Bridge, North-West Districts, Salisbury, Smithfield Plains, Edinburgh, Lincoln, Pulteney Grammar School, Salisbury High School, Salisbury Com. Schools, Salisbury Teachers College, S.C.A.E., South Australian Institute of Technology, St Peters College, St Marks College, Tea Tree Gully, Kingswood, Adelaide, Royal Australian Naval Reserve, Whyalla, Waratahs, North Adelaide Baptist, Prince Alfred Old Collegians, Army, East Torrens, RAAF, SA Railways Institute and RAN. In 1978 Glenelg was renamed Brighton, the club's second name change, having previously been known as Kingston. In 2006 the Roseworthy college Rams were renamed Barossa Rams. Burnside fielded no junior teams until they amalgamated with The Waratahs Junior Rugby Union Football Club in 1992. North Torrens was formed when West Torrens and North Adelaide merged. Western Districts Junior Rugby Union Football Club (the Vikings) is the junior team for the two senior clubs of Woodville and Port Adelaide.
In 1999, SA Rugby again took on corporate change and release its Incorporated Association status and become a Company Limited by Guarantee, further underlining its commercial strength. In 2006, SA Rugby Union Ltd merged with the SA Junior Rugby Union.
In 2014 Old Collegians broke a 8-year drought to win the premier grade premiership
Current clubs
As of 2013, there are thirteen clubs which make up SARU, 12 of these clubs field senior sides, 11 field junior sides, and seven field a women’s side.
| Club | Nickname | Home Ground | Entered competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide University RUFC | Blacks | Waite Oval | 1932 |
| Barossa Rams RUFC | Rams | Lyndoch Oval | 2006 |
| Brighton RUFC | Tigers | Brighton Oval | 1950 |
| Burnside RUFC | Burnside | Parkinson Oval | 1946 |
| Barosa Neds JRUFC | Rams | ||
| Elizabeth RUFC | NEDS | Womma Park | 2006 |
| North Torrens RUFC | Dragons | Dry Creek | 1998 |
| Old Collegians RFC | Old Colls | Tregenza Oval | 1936 |
| Onkaparinga RUFC | Red Devils | Wilfred Taylor Reserve | 1968 |
| Port Adelaide RUFC | Pirates | Riverside Oval | 1933 |
| Southern Suburbs RUFC | Bulls | Bailey Reserve | 1946 |
| Western Districts JRUFC | Vikings | Gleneagels Reserve | 1997 |
| Woodville RUFC | Wasps | Gleneagels Reserve | 1933 |
Premiership winners
|
Division 1 2015- Onkaparinga 2014- Old Collegians 2013- Brighton 2012- Brighton 2011- Brighton 2010- Brighton 2009- Brighton 2008- Brighton 2007- Southern Suburbs 2006- Old Collegians 2005- Brighton 2004- Brighton 2003- Southern Suburbs 2002- Port Adelaide 2001- Old Collegians 2000- Brighton |
Division 2 2015 - Burnside 2014- Old Collegians 2013- Old Collegians 2012- Old Collegians 2011- Elizabeth |
Representative teams
The Black Falcons team is selected from senior players within South Australia each year, and competes against other amateur representative rugby teams from states including Victoria and Western Australia. Junior Falcons teams are also chosen to play in national age group competitions. The Southern Warriors is the women's seven-a-side team that competes in tournaments including the National Women’s Sevens tournament.[4]
The South Australian Under 20 team competes in the Southern States Championship and also plays occasional matches against other representative sides. Prior to 2008, state colts teams at under 21 and under 19 age levels were fielded in national competitions.
