Old Georgian Club
Encyclopedia
Old Georgian Club is a sports club
located in Palermo, Buenos Aires
. Founded in 1908 by alumni of St. George's College, Quilmes
, the club sees itself as a pillar of Buenos Aires' British
community.
Originally a rugby union
club, today only cricket
is played competitively at the institution. Other sports practiced at the club, at a social level, are football, golf
, tennis
and sailing
.
Rugby was incorporated as sport into the St. George's College of Quilmes, Buenos Aires
, in 1921. Two years later, the first match between the St. George's students and former alumni (self-named "Old Georgian") was played.
The team affiliated to the Argentine Rugby Union in 1935, and due to its high performances Old Georgian was invited to play in first division in 1936. The first match at the top level was played on May 11, 1936 against Pacific Club (today San Martín
) winning 11-5.
Rugby team was specially successful during the 1930s, winning three Torneo de la URBA
consecutive championships between 1937 (when also remained unbeaten) and 1939, which would be the club's only titles. Argentine newspaper La Prensa published about those achievements: "With this victory, Old Georgian has established as the best rugby academy of our country"
When the World War II
began, many players departure from the club to fight for Great Britain
. From 1936 to 1954 many Old Georgian players were called to play for the national team.
By the 1970s it became increasingly difficult to find enough players to field competitve teams, although the club was able to tour Kenya
in 1973, playing against several teams including Scorpions RFC
. By 1978 the practice of rugby had to be abandoned. Efforts were made in 1995 to resume playing but this revival was short-lived and ended in 1997.
Old Georgian Club is the only former winner of the URBA title which is no longer registered with the Unión Argentina de Rugby
and doesn't play rugby anymore.
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
located in Palermo, Buenos Aires
Palermo, Buenos Aires
Palermo is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is located in the northeast of the city, bordering the barrios of Belgrano to the north, Almagro and Recoleta to the south, Villa Crespo and Colegiales to the west and the Río de la Plata river to the east. With a total...
. Founded in 1908 by alumni of St. George's College, Quilmes
St. George's College, Quilmes
St. George’s College is a private, bilingual, co-educational learning institution located in Quilmes, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Founded in 1898, it is among the most exclusive and upper-class schools in Argentina, and indeed in Latin America. St...
, the club sees itself as a pillar of Buenos Aires' British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
community.
Originally a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club, today only cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
is played competitively at the institution. Other sports practiced at the club, at a social level, are football, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
.
Rugby
Rugby was incorporated as sport into the St. George's College of Quilmes, Buenos Aires
Quilmes, Buenos Aires
Quilmes is a city in the . It is the capital of Quilmes Partido , and has a population of 230,810. It is located south of the capital of Argentina, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires....
, in 1921. Two years later, the first match between the St. George's students and former alumni (self-named "Old Georgian") was played.
The team affiliated to the Argentine Rugby Union in 1935, and due to its high performances Old Georgian was invited to play in first division in 1936. The first match at the top level was played on May 11, 1936 against Pacific Club (today San Martín
Club Atlético Ferrocarril General San Martín
Club Atlético Ferrocarril General San Martín, or simply San Martín, is an Argentine sports club based in the Sáenz Peña neighborhood, Greater Buenos Aires...
) winning 11-5.
Rugby team was specially successful during the 1930s, winning three Torneo de la URBA
Torneo de la URBA
The Torneo de la Unión de Rugby de Buenos Aires, or simply Torneo de la URBA, is a rugby union competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Created in 1899, it is the oldest rugby competition in South America and one of the oldest club competitions in the world....
consecutive championships between 1937 (when also remained unbeaten) and 1939, which would be the club's only titles. Argentine newspaper La Prensa published about those achievements: "With this victory, Old Georgian has established as the best rugby academy of our country"
When the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, many players departure from the club to fight for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. From 1936 to 1954 many Old Georgian players were called to play for the national team.
By the 1970s it became increasingly difficult to find enough players to field competitve teams, although the club was able to tour Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
in 1973, playing against several teams including Scorpions RFC
Scorpions RFC
The Scorpions RFC is an invitation rugby team in East Africa that was established upon principles that have many parallels with the Barbarian F.C. in terms of values, playing style, selection policy and the lack of a home ground...
. By 1978 the practice of rugby had to be abandoned. Efforts were made in 1995 to resume playing but this revival was short-lived and ended in 1997.
Old Georgian Club is the only former winner of the URBA title which is no longer registered with the Unión Argentina de Rugby
Unión Argentina de Rugby
The Argentine Rugby Union ) is the governing body for rugby union in Argentina. It is a member of the International Rugby Board with a seat on that body's Executive Council....
and doesn't play rugby anymore.