Hartford Wanderers RFC
| Full name | Hartford Wanderers Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | USA Rugby |
| Nickname(s) | Wanderers |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Ground(s) | Elizabeth Shea Park, East Hartford, CT (Capacity: n/a) |
| President |
 Ryan Joanis |
| Coach(es) |
 Scott Truss |
| League(s) | NERFU Division II |
| Official website | |
|
www | |
Hartford Wanderers is a Rugby union club, from Hartford, Connecticut, United States.
History
The Hartford Wanderers Rugby Football Club, Inc. was founded and established in 1966 by a small group of men from the UConn Law School seeking to establish a quality athletic and social rugby club in the Hartford area.
Over its history, the club has toured Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Bermuda, New Zealand, and The Bahamas. It has also hosted numerous international touring sides that have come to and through the Hartford area.
The club has produced four players who have played for the United States Eagles, the National Rugby Team. In 1987, Wanderer Tom Vinick represented the United States in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. While captaining Hartford, Al Dekin also represented his country by captaining the Eagles in Italy and Portugal, and later at the famous Hong Kong Sevens. Wanderers Tom Brewer and Glen Judge have also represented their country while wearing the Wanderer colors.
The club's success on the field are equaled by its success off the field. The Hartford Wanderers are committed to developing rugby's stature in the community by being involved in various charities and fund-raisers. Because of the club's past success, Hartford is always a possible site for international matches, such as the 1991 US Eagles v. Scotland match. A portion of the proceeds were donated to local charities and the 2003 Wales v US Eagles
The Hartford Wanderers are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
The Hartford Wanderers recently qualified for the National Division 2 Playoffs in Austin, TX where they were eliminated the first round.
In 2011, The Hartford Wanderers were promoted to NERFU Division 1, after a sub-par season and league restructuring, Hartford was demoted back to Division 2 for 2012. There they would remain until 2013-2014 where they would be promoted yet again to NERFU Division 1.
Current squad
The Hartford Wanderers consist of a wide age range of players most of them from the Hartford Area. Most players played for a regional colleges such as University of Connecticut or Central Connecticut State University respectively.
Sponsorship
The Hartford Wanderers are sponsored by Ten Penny Ale which is made by Burnside Brewery, Red Rock Tavern, Connecticut Army National Guard, Crispin Hard Cider Company, ProEx Physical Therapy, and BSA Landscaping.
Division
The Hartford Wanderers are a part of the New England Rugby Football Union. They are former 2006 Division 2 Champions. Most recently, they have finished 3rd in their 2007 Fall Season and advanced to the Northeast Rugby Unions Playoffs. They play other clubs such as Old Gold Rugby Football Club, Newport RFC, Providence RFC, Burlington RFC, Springfield RFC, Charles River RFC, South Shore RFC and Portland RFC. In 2012, Following a league restructuring by USA Rugby, The Hartford Wanderers were relegated to Division 2.
Notable players
Tom Vinick (1987 World Cup)
Al Dekin (Former USA Eagles Captain)
Tom Brewer(USA Rugby Select)
Glen Judge (USA Rugby Select)
Rob Chudzik (USA Rugby Select)
External links
Sports teams based in Connecticut | ||
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| Roller derby | ||
| Rugby union | ||
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| College athletics (NCAA Div. I) | ||