Providence Rugby
Encyclopedia
The Providence Rugby Football Club (PRFC) is a rugby union
club based in Providence, Rhode Island
. Founded in 1969, the club consist of both a men's and women's (PWRFC) rugby teams. PRFC competes in Division II of the New England Rugby Football Union
(NERFU).
rugby team.
The club got its start in 1969 thanks, in part, to the efforts of Dave "Ace" Zucconi, a Brown Alumnus who learned the game while serving in the U.S. Air Force overseas. Zucconi drafted several Brown Alumni to play on Sundays and in the first year (’69–’70) the team won all of the thirteen matches they played.
P.R.F.C.’s first official season was the spring of 1971. The club was recognized by the New England R.F.U. after an organizational meeting by five of P.R.F.C.'s founders - Mike Diffley, Jay Fluck, Bob Hoder, Bill Mullin and Hal Wilder. In its first season P.R.F.C. posted an 11-4 record, including a second Guinness Championship. Since then, the club has won the annual N.E.R.F.U. championship twice, 1975 and 1990, two championships at Saranac Lake, 1976 and 1977, plus several successful tours to England
and Scotland
in 1976, Ireland
in 1979, and to England, Scotland and Ireland in 1987.
In more recent history, the Providence Rugby Club has continued to build upon the ways of the club’s founders.
The 2005 season saw the club make the National Sweet 16's for the second time in club history, doing so by virtue of hard fought wins in the North East Regional Playoffs against Union, NJ and a highly regarded Hartford team. Unfortunately the successful campaign of 2005 led to a number of retirements, which, when combined with injuries to key players, left Providence with a disappointing 4-4 2006 season.
After finishing just out of playoff competition due to tiebreaker criteria in the fall of 2004 Providence placed second in the Spring NERFU. In 2002, PRFC captured the regular season New England Division II championship by virtue of a 7-1 record.
Following a trip to the National Round of 16 in 2009, Providence underwent a brief rebuilding process that seems to be coming to fruition. With a mix of local and international talent, PRFC has shown to be advancing back to the top of New England Rugby once again.
This past season saw the club achieve a 6-3 record while playing some of the areas toughest competition. The collective club efforts culminated in a 50-0 victory over rival Newport to retain the Rhode Island Cup; which had been housed in Newport for the past two years.
Providence continues to field highly competitive and successful summer 7’s teams. The team has used the summer to foster strong relationships with returning local college players and as a stepping stone to successful conference play in the fall season.
In addition to the product on the field, PRFC members have developed and facilitated a youth program this past spring with YMCAs in south west MA., a goal the club hopes to further advance to the Providence area in the near future.
, Stonehill College
and Brown University - decided to work with the established men's team in Providence start a sister club.
Following three seasons of summer 7ís in which the womenís team consistently brought home hardware, including 1st place at Danbury in 2004, the ladies faced a challenging 15ís schedule in their first season, but have quickly gone from a new club trying to find its footing to a playoff contender, by knocking off the longstanding top teams in the league, Seacoast and Hartford.
In 2006, the women rose to the challenge of a tough league schedule to finish with a 4-1 record in league play, and a 5-1 record overall. The season ended in a disappointing fashion: despite completing the season with the same record (4-1) as the other top teams in the division, Providence lost the playoff seed due to the scoring system tiebreaker.
In 2007, the women won the NERFU championship and placed third in the Northeast Championship.
In 2008, the women won a second NERFU championship and placed second in the Northeast Championship, giving them a chance to go for a National Championship. The women placed 5th in the Nation.
The women have made a name for themselves as a top club in NERFU DII, only losing 2 league games in the last 3 years, in a short period of time and with a young core group the team should be a top contender for the league title for years to come.
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 based in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. Founded in 1969, the club consist of both a men's and women's (PWRFC) rugby teams. PRFC competes in Division II of the New England Rugby Football Union
New England Rugby Football Union
The New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby...
(NERFU).
History
Providence RFC was founded in the fall of 1969 by several local athletes with rugby experience and players from the Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
rugby team.
The club got its start in 1969 thanks, in part, to the efforts of Dave "Ace" Zucconi, a Brown Alumnus who learned the game while serving in the U.S. Air Force overseas. Zucconi drafted several Brown Alumni to play on Sundays and in the first year (’69–’70) the team won all of the thirteen matches they played.
P.R.F.C.’s first official season was the spring of 1971. The club was recognized by the New England R.F.U. after an organizational meeting by five of P.R.F.C.'s founders - Mike Diffley, Jay Fluck, Bob Hoder, Bill Mullin and Hal Wilder. In its first season P.R.F.C. posted an 11-4 record, including a second Guinness Championship. Since then, the club has won the annual N.E.R.F.U. championship twice, 1975 and 1990, two championships at Saranac Lake, 1976 and 1977, plus several successful tours to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1976, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1979, and to England, Scotland and Ireland in 1987.
In more recent history, the Providence Rugby Club has continued to build upon the ways of the club’s founders.
The 2005 season saw the club make the National Sweet 16's for the second time in club history, doing so by virtue of hard fought wins in the North East Regional Playoffs against Union, NJ and a highly regarded Hartford team. Unfortunately the successful campaign of 2005 led to a number of retirements, which, when combined with injuries to key players, left Providence with a disappointing 4-4 2006 season.
After finishing just out of playoff competition due to tiebreaker criteria in the fall of 2004 Providence placed second in the Spring NERFU. In 2002, PRFC captured the regular season New England Division II championship by virtue of a 7-1 record.
Following a trip to the National Round of 16 in 2009, Providence underwent a brief rebuilding process that seems to be coming to fruition. With a mix of local and international talent, PRFC has shown to be advancing back to the top of New England Rugby once again.
This past season saw the club achieve a 6-3 record while playing some of the areas toughest competition. The collective club efforts culminated in a 50-0 victory over rival Newport to retain the Rhode Island Cup; which had been housed in Newport for the past two years.
Providence continues to field highly competitive and successful summer 7’s teams. The team has used the summer to foster strong relationships with returning local college players and as a stepping stone to successful conference play in the fall season.
In addition to the product on the field, PRFC members have developed and facilitated a youth program this past spring with YMCAs in south west MA., a goal the club hopes to further advance to the Providence area in the near future.
Old Boys
Providence Rugby has a history dating back to 1969. The club has many former members who play with the Rhody Old Cocks.Women
Providence Women's Rugby Football Club was founded in January 2004 by a group of local college graduates and then Providence College coach Richard Ashfield. The women - who were primarily from Providence College, URIUniversity of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
, Stonehill College
Stonehill College
Stonehill College is a private Roman Catholic college located in Easton, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1948. Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located south of Boston on a campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames...
and Brown University - decided to work with the established men's team in Providence start a sister club.
Following three seasons of summer 7ís in which the womenís team consistently brought home hardware, including 1st place at Danbury in 2004, the ladies faced a challenging 15ís schedule in their first season, but have quickly gone from a new club trying to find its footing to a playoff contender, by knocking off the longstanding top teams in the league, Seacoast and Hartford.
In 2006, the women rose to the challenge of a tough league schedule to finish with a 4-1 record in league play, and a 5-1 record overall. The season ended in a disappointing fashion: despite completing the season with the same record (4-1) as the other top teams in the division, Providence lost the playoff seed due to the scoring system tiebreaker.
In 2007, the women won the NERFU championship and placed third in the Northeast Championship.
In 2008, the women won a second NERFU championship and placed second in the Northeast Championship, giving them a chance to go for a National Championship. The women placed 5th in the Nation.
The women have made a name for themselves as a top club in NERFU DII, only losing 2 league games in the last 3 years, in a short period of time and with a young core group the team should be a top contender for the league title for years to come.
External links
- http://www.providencerugby.com Providence Rugby Football Club