This is a List of rugby union clubs in Germany. It lists all rugby union clubs in Germany registered with the German Rugby Federation, the DRV, [1] or taking part in the German league system. [2] As of April 2010, the International Rugby Board lists the number of clubs in Germany at 110. [3]
Some of the clubs competing in the German league system are clubs of the US and British armed forces in Germany and therefore not necessarily members of the DRV. Examples of US Army rugby clubs in Germany are the teams in Illesheim, [4] Ramstein and Vilseck, while other clubs, like in the RC Kaiserslautern, recruit some of their players from the US forces but have German players as well. [5] Up to 32 US forces teams had been playing in Southern Germany at its peak, based in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, being organised in the "United States Forces Europe Rugby Union" (USFERU). [6] Most disappeared with the withdrawal of US forces from Germany at the end of the Cold War. A number of clubs remained but have since dropped out of the German league system, like the Bamberg RFC, Darmstadt 233rd BSB RFC, Hanau Hornets, Schweinfurt RFC, Spangdahlem RFC and Würzburg RFC, while a few, like the Ramstein Rogues RFC, Illesheim RFC and Baumholder RFC still compete in 2009–10. [7]
The RC Mönchengladbach Rhinos and the Elmpt Falcons are rugby teams of the British Army in Germany and still active. [8] [9]
The oldest rugby union club in Germany is the DSV 78 Hannover, formed in 1878 as DFV Hannover, in a time when a differencation between rugby and football was not yet made in Germany. [10] While there is older clubs in Germany then DSV 78, like the Heidelberger TV which was formed in 1846, their rugby departments were established after DSV's.
The German rugby clubs, listed by federal state, with the league their first men's and women's teams play in 2009–10, in as far as the clubs field a senior side at all:
Rugby clubs in the state of Baden-Württemberg: [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
Club | City | 2015–16* | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Freiburger RC | Freiburg | RLBW | III | — | — | [14] | |
TSV Handschuhsheim | Heidelberg | BL | I | — | — | [11] | |
RG Heidelberg | Heidelberg | BL | I | — | — | [11] | |
RG Heidelberg II | Heidelberg | RLBW | III | — | — | [14] | |
Heidelberger RK | Heidelberg | BL | I | WBL | I | [11] | |
Heidelberger RK II | Heidelberg | RLBW | III | [14] | |||
Heidelberger TV | Heidelberg | RLBW | III | — | — | [11] | |
SC Neuenheim | Heidelberg | BL | I | WBL | I | [11] | |
TB Rohrbach | Heidelberg | RLRP | III | — | — | [11] | |
TSG Heilbronn | Heilbronn | RLBW | III | — | — | [12] | |
Karlsruher SV Rugby | Karlsruhe | RLBW | III | — | — | [14] | |
RC Konstanz | Konstanz | RLBW | III | — | — | [12] | |
TV Pforzheim | Pforzheim | BL | I | — | — | [15] | |
TSB Ravensburg Ravens | Ravensburg | — | — | — | — | [13] | |
RC Rottweil | Rottweil | RLBW | III | WRLS | III | [12] | |
Stuttgarter RC | Stuttgart | 2BLS/W | II | WBL | I | [12] | |
VfB Schwarz-Rot Ulm | Ulm | RLB | III | — | — | [13] | |
(* pending updates)
Rugby clubs in the state of Bavaria: [13] [16] [17]
Club | City | 2014–15 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Augsburg RFC | Augsburg | RLB | III | — | — | [17] | |
RFC Bad Reichenhall | Bad Reichenhall | RLB | III | — | — | [17] | |
RC Bayreuth | Bayreuth | VLB | IV | — | — | [17] | |
RC Fürstenfeldbruck | Fürstenfeldbruck | — | — | — | — | [13] | |
VfB Hafenlohr | Hafenlohr | VLB | IV | — | — | [16] | |
Illesheim RFC | Illesheim | VLB | IV | — | — | [16] | |
TV Memmingen | Memmingen | VLB | IV | — | — | [17] | |
TV 1861 Ingolstadt | Ingolstadt | RLB | III | — | — | [13] | |
München RFC | Munich | 2BLS/W | II | W2BL | II | [13] | |
StuSta München | Munich | 2BLS/W | II | WRLS | II | [13] | |
RC Unterföhring | Munich (district) | 2BLS/W | II | WRLS | II | [16] | |
TSV 1846 Nürnberg | Nuremberg | RLB | III | — | — | [16] | |
RC Regensburg 2000 | Regensburg | RLB | III | — | — | [16] | |
1. FC Schweinfurt 05 | Schweinfurt | VLB | IV | — | — | [17] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Berlin: [18]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Berliner RC | Berlin | BL | I | — | — | [18] | |
RK 03 Berlin | Berlin | BL | I | W2BL | II | [18] | |
Berliner SC | Berlin | RLEB | IV | — | — | [18] | |
SC Berlin | Berlin | — | — | W2BL | II | [18] | |
Berliner SV 92 Rugby | Berlin | RLEA | III | WRLE | III | [18] | |
SC Siemensstadt | Berlin | RLEA | III | — | — | [18] | |
Berlin Irish RFC | Berlin | RLEA | III | WRLE | III | [18] | |
Berlin Bruisers | Berlin | RLEA | III | — | — | [18] | |
Berlin Grizzlies | Berlin | BL | I | — | — | [18] |
Rugby clubs in the state of Brandenburg: [18]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Stahl Brandenburg Rugby | Brandenburg an der Havel | RLEA | III | — | — | [18] | |
Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby | Hennigsdorf | RLEB | IV | — | — | [18] | |
RU Hohen Neuendorf | Hohen Neuendorf | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | [18] | |
USV Potsdam Rugby | Potsdam | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | [18] | |
RC Trebbin | Trebbin | ? | ? | — | — | [1] | |
Veltener RC Empor | Velten | RLEA | III | — | — | [18] |
Rugby clubs in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen: [19]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Bremen 1860 | Bremen | RLN | III | — | — | [19] | |
Union 60 Bremen | Bremen | RLN | III | WRLN | III | [19] |
Rugby clubs in the state of Hamburg: [19]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Hamburg Exiles RFC | Hamburg | RLN | III | — | — | [19] | |
Hamburger RC | Hamburg | 1BL N/E | II | — | — | [19] | |
Hamburger SV | Hamburg | VLN | IV | — | — | [19] | |
FC St Pauli Rugby | Hamburg | 1BL N/E | II | WBL | I | [19] |
Rugby clubs in the state of Hesse: [11] [20]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
CRC Babenhausen | Babenhausen | RLH [D] | III | — | — | [11] | |
TG 75 Darmstadt | Darmstadt | RLH | III | — | — | [11] | |
Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby | Frankfurt am Main | RLH | III | WRLW | III | [11] | |
SC 1880 Frankfurt | Frankfurt am Main | BL | I | — | — | [11] | |
URC Gießen 01 | Gießen | RLH | III | — | — | [20] | |
RK Heusenstamm | Heusenstamm | BL | I | WRLW | III | [11] | |
RU Marburg | Marburg | RLH | III | WRLW | III | [20] | |
TGS 1897 Hausen | Obertshausen | — | — | — | — | [11] | |
BSC Offenbach | Offenbach am Main | RLH | III | — | — | [11] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Lower Saxony: [20]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Welfen SC Braunschweig | Braunschweig | RLN | III | — | — | [20] | |
RSV Göttingen | Göttingen | RLLS | III | — | — | [20] | |
VfR Döhren | Hanover | 2BLN/E [B] | II | — | — | [20] | |
DRC Hannover | Hanover | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | [20] | |
DSV 78 Hannover | Hanover | BL | I | — | — | [20] | |
SV Odin Hannover | Hanover | 2BLN/E [B] | II | — | — | [20] | |
NTV 09 Hannover | Hanover | — | — | — | — | [20] | |
SC Linden | Hanover | — | — | — | — | [20] | |
FV 1897 Linden | Hanover | — | — | — | — | [20] | |
TSV Victoria Linden | Hanover | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | [20] | |
SC Germania List | Hanover | 2BLN/E | II | WBL | I | [20] | |
SV 08 Ricklingen | Hanover | RLLS [A] | III | — | — | [20] | |
TSV Karlshöfen | Karlshöfen | — | — | WRLN | III | ||
TKW Nienburg | Nienburg | — | — | — | — | [20] | |
FC Rastede | Rastede | RLLS | III | — | — | [19] | |
VfL Jesteburg | Jesteburg | RLN [C] | III | — | — | [19] | |
SC Varel | Varel | VLN | IV | — | — | [19] |
Rugby clubs in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: [18]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
SV Dynamo Rostock | Rostock | VLN | IV | — | — | [18] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia: [20] [21] [22]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
RC Aachen | Aachen | 2BLW | II | WRLW | III | [22] | |
RC Bielefeld | Bielefeld | VLNW | IV | — | — | [20] | |
TV Phönix Bocholt | Bocholt | VLNW | IV | — | — | [21] | |
RC Bonn-Rhein-Sieg | Bonn | RLNW | III | — | — | [22] | |
Brühler TV | Brühl | VLNW | IV | — | — | [22] | |
RFC Dortmund | Dortmund | VLNW | IV | WRLW | III | ||
TV Aldenrade 07 | Duisburg | VLNW | IV | — | — | [21] | |
TuS 95 Düsseldorf | Düsseldorf | 2BLW | II | — | — | [21] | |
Elmpt Falcons | Elmpt | RLNW | III | — | — | ||
Grashof RC Essen | Essen | VLNW | IV | — | — | ||
RC Hürth | Hürth | VLNW | IV | — | — | [22] | |
ASV Köln Rugby | Cologne | 2BLW | II | W2BL | II | [22] | |
RC Krefeld Bradbury Barbarians | Krefeld | — | — | — | — | [21] | |
TV Lemgo Lippe Lions | Lemgo | VLNW | IV | — | — | [20] | |
Cherusker RC Lothe | Lothe | VLNW | IV | — | — | ||
RC Mönchengladbach Rhinos | Mönchengladbach | RLNW | III | — | — | [21] | |
RT Münster | Münster | 2BLW | II | — | — | [21] | |
WMTV Solingen | Solingen | RLNW | III | — | — | [21] | |
Wiedenbrücker TV | Rheda-Wiedenbrück | RLNW | III | W2BL | II | [20] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate: [11] [22]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
DJK Andernach | Andernach | RLRP | III | — | — | [22] | |
Baumholder RFC | Baumholder | RLRP | III | — | — | ||
RC Kaiserslautern | Kaiserslautern | RLRP | III | — | — | [11] | |
RC Mainz | Mainz | 2BLS/W | II | — | — | [22] | |
VfL Pünderich | Pünderich | RLRP | III | — | — | ||
Ramstein Rogues RFC | Ramstein | RLRP | III | — | — | ||
FSV Trier-Tarforst | Trier | RLRP | III | WRLW | III | [22] | |
RC Worms | Worms | RLRP | III | — | — | [11] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Saarland: [11]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
Stade Sarrois Rugby | Saarbrücken | RLRP | III | — | — | [11] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Saxony: [23]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
SV Stahl Brandis | Brandis | E7 | — | — | — | ||
Tower Rugby Chemnitz | Chemnitz | E7 | — | — | — | ||
RV Dresden | Dresden | RLEB | IV | WRLE | III | [23] | |
ATSV Freiberg | Freiberg | E7 | — | — | — | [23] | |
Eastern Province RC Gera | Gera | E7 | — | — | — | [23] | |
SV Horken Kittlitz | Kittlitz | E7 | — | — | — | ||
RC Leipzig | Leipzig | RLEB | IV | WRLE | III | [23] | |
ESV Lokomotive Riesa | Riesa | — | — | — | — | [23] | |
HSG Turbine Zittau | Zittau | — | — | — | — | [23] | |
Rugby clubs in the state of Saxony-Anhalt: [23]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
USV Halle | Halle | E7 | — | — | — | [23] | |
WG Magdeburg | Magdeburg | E7 | — | — | — |
Rugby clubs in the state of Schleswig-Holstein: [19]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
FT Adler Kiel Rugby | Kiel | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | [19] | |
VfL Geesthacht Harlekins | Geesthacht | RLN [C] | III | — | — | [19] |
Rugby clubs in the state of Thuringia: [16]
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
SSV Erfurt-Nord | Erfurt | E7 | — | W2BL | — | [16] | |
USV Jena | Jena | RLEB | IV | W2BL | — | ||
In the 2009–10 season, two clubs from outside the borders of Germany take part in German league competitions, one from Luxembourg and one from Austria:
Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | ||||
Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | ||
WRC Innsbruck | Innsbruck | — | — | WRLS | III | ||
RC Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 2BLS/W | II | — | — | ||
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2010) |
The following clubs have ceased to exist or stopped operating a rugby department:
Club | City | Fate | Ref |
BFC Frankfurt 1885 | Berlin | club switched codes from rugby to football, now defunct | |
SG Ordnungspolizei Berlin | Berlin | ||
Tennis Borussia Berlin | Berlin | rugby department left club in 1936 to join Berliner SV and form Berliner SV 92 Rugby | [24] |
SV Polizei Hamburg | Hamburg | rugby department defunct | |
SC Elite Hannover | Hanover | rugby department defunct since the 1970s | [25] |
FC 1897 Hannover | Hanover | ||
Hawa-Alexandria Hannover | Hanover | club defunct since 1931 | [26] |
VfV Hannover | Hanover | rugby department defunct since 1963, when the department joined NTV 09 Hannover | [27] |
FV Stuttgart | Stuttgart | club switched codes from rugby to football, merged to form VfB Stuttgart | [28] |
The following clubs existed in the former country of East Germany. Some of them have ceased to exist or to operate a rugby department while others have changed their name:
Club | City | Fate | Ref |
BSG Lok Berlin | Berlin | rugby department defunct, club now ESV Lok Berlin-Schöneweide | [29] |
BSG Post Berlin | Berlin | rugby department now RK 03 Berlin | [30] |
ASK Vorwärts Berlin | Berlin | rugby department defunct | |
BSG Stahl Brandenburg | Brandenburg | now Stahl Brandenburg Rugby | [31] |
SG Dynamo Dresden | Dresden | rugby department defunct | |
BSG Lok Falkensee | Falkensee | ||
Ingenieurschule Hennigsdorf | Hennigsdorf | club defunct | |
BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf | Hennigsdorf | now Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby | [32] |
BSG Stahl Leegebruch | Leegebruch | club defunct | |
SC DHfK Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | [33] |
BSG Gastronom Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | [33] |
BSG Lokomotive Wahren Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | [33] |
SG Dynamo Potsdam | Potsdam | club defunct | [34] |
RG 88 Potsdam | Potsdam | now USV Potsdam Rugby | [34] |
Empor Velten | Velten | now Veltener RC |
Men: | Women: |
A. ^ Playing as 08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf, a partnership of SV 08 Ricklingen and TuS Wunstorf.
B. ^ Playing as SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren, a partnership of SV Odin Hannover and VfR Döhren.
C. ^ Playing as SG Jesteburg/Geesthacht, a partnership of VfL Jesteburg and VfL Geesthacht Harlekins.
D. ^ Playing as SG 80 III/Babenhausen, a partnership of the third team of SC 1880 Frankfurt and CRC Babenhausen.
E. ^ The East 7s league, or Mitteldeutsche Siebener Liga, is a development league for emerging rugby clubs in what was formerly East Germany.
The German Rugby Federation is the governing body for rugby union in Germany. It organizes the German national team and the three league divisions: the Rugby-Bundesliga, the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga and the Rugby-Regionalliga. It was founded on 4 November 1900 in Kassel, and is the oldest national rugby union in continental Europe. After the Second World War, the DRV was restored on 14 May 1950.
Rugby union in Germany is a moderately popular and growing sport with 124 men's clubs and 5 women's clubs competing in 4 men's and 1 women's national leagues.
DSV 78 Hannover, founded as DFV Hannover in 1878, is Germany's oldest rugby club. The club played in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga under the name DSV 78/08 Ricklingen, having formed an on-the-field union with SV 08 Ricklingen, another club from Hannover. It has recently become one of the four professional clubs in Germany.
The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of the league system for rugby union in Germany, organised by the German Rugby Federation.
The German Rugby Union Championship was established in 1909 and has since been played, with exceptions, annually. It is the highest competition in Germany in the sport of Rugby Union.
The DSV 78/08 Ricklingen was a German rugby union team from the Ricklingen suburb of Hannover, playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East in 2008-09. The team was an on-the-field union of DSV 78 Hannover and SV 1908 Ricklingen, two successful clubs in themselves. The two clubs continued to exist as separate entities.
The Rugby-Bundesliga 2008-09 was the 38th edition of this competition and the 89th edition of the German rugby union championship. Nine teams play a home-and-away season with a finals round between the top four teams at the end. The bottom two teams determine which club is relegated in an end-of-season decider. The season started on 30 August 2008 and finished with the championship final on 23 May 2009, interrupted by a winter break from early December to late February.
The RK 03 Berlin is a German rugby union club from Berlin, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.
The SV 08 Ricklingen is a German rugby union club from the Ricklingen suburb of Hanover. The team plays in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga, the second tier of German rugby. After having formed an on-the-field union with DSV 78 Hannover from 2003 to 2009 instead of fielding an independent team, the club left this partnership at the end of the 2008–09 season. Instead, it formed a partnership with TuS Wunstorf from the 2009–10 season onwards. The team now plays as SG TuS Wunstorf/08 Ricklingen.
The 2. Rugby-Bundesliga is the second-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. Its set below the Rugby-Bundesliga, the top-tier of German rugby, and above the Rugby-Regionalliga, the third tier.
The Rugby Regionalliga is the third-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. It is set below the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga and is organised in eight regional divisions.
Benjamin Krause is a German international rugby union player, playing for the DSV 78 Hannover in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team.
Tim Kasten is a German international rugby union player, playing for the Heidelberger RK in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team. He made his debut for Germany in a game against Sweden in 2004.
Benjamin Simm is a German international rugby union player, playing for the DSV 78 Hannover in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team. He made his debut for Germany in 2004.
The SV Odin Hannover is a German rugby union club from Hanover, currently playing in the 2. Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like association football, gymnastics and handball.
The FC St. Pauli Rugby is the rugby union section of German sports club FC St. Pauli, based in Hamburg. The squad currently plays in the Rugby-Bundesliga, the highest level of the German rugby league system. Other sports practised at St. Pauli are American football, association football, and baseball.
The FV 1897 Linden is a German rugby union club from Hanover. As well as rugby, the club also offers other sports, such as American football and gymnastics.
The VfR Döhren is a German rugby union club from Hanover, playing in the Regionalliga North, the third tier of rugby in Germany. It plays in partnership with SV Odin Hannover, as SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren.
The Germany national under-18 rugby union team is the under-18 team of the Germany national rugby union team in the sport of rugby union.
The 2010–11 Rugby-Bundesliga was the 40th edition of this competition and the 91st edition of the German rugby union championship. In the Rugby-Bundesliga, the first division, nine teams played a home-and-away season with a finals round between the top four teams at the end. The season started on 28 August 2010 and finish with the championship final on 28 May 2011, interrupted by a winter break from December to late February. Cold weather and heavy snow falls however meant that the last game before the winter break was played already on 6 November 2010.