About Us

SA Rugby Union was established on the 28th July 1932 following a public meeting convened in March 1932 by Advertiser journalist, Ian Sabey.

That meeting saw the formation of the Adelaide Rugby Club with two 7-aside teams ready to compete. Interest grew and by the end of the year, the Royal Australian Navy, Adelaide University and the Waratahs (an offshoot of the Adelaide Rugby Club) had also been established and ready to field teams in a local, ad hoc competition.

Adelaide rugby quickly grew and within a year, South Australia had played its first interstate match against Victoria. Over the following two decades, Rugby grew across the metropolitan region and by the 1950’s, South Australia boasted a total of eight clubs.

In 1951, as the management of competitions and finances grew, it was decided that it was in the Union’s best interest to become an incorporated body.

Over the following years, SA Rugby continued to flourish and by 1971 clubs included: Adelaide University, Roseworthy College, Army, Burnside, Elizabeth, Gawler, Glenelg (later to become Brighton), North Adelaide, Old Collegians, Onkaparinga, Port Adelaide, Southern Suburbs, West Torrens and Woodville.

Other clubs to have come and gone in SA include Aquinas, Black Forest, Central Districts, Flinders University, Murray Bridge, 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 (all affiliates of Adelaide University RUFC), 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. Glenelg was renamed Brighton in 1978.

In 1999, SA Rugby again embraced corporate change and relinquish its Incorporated Association status and became a Company Limited by Guarantee, further underlining its commercial stability.

In 2006, SA Rugby Union Ltd amalgamated with the SA Junior Rugby Union.

Currently there are thirteen clubs, 10 of which have junior sides, 11 of which have senior sides and 8 of which have a women’s side. SA also has an Over 35s club named the ‘Crippled Crows’.

If you are able to provide further details on the Grand Final matches listed in any of the below links, please email info@sa.rugby