Boston Ironsides RFC

The Boston Ironsides have a new home until we return to the pitch in April. Our winter training facility, the Boston Athletic Club, is not far from Moakley Field, has plenty of free parking, and is easily accessible via public transportation.

Practices will be on Saturdays from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on the following dates:
January 7, 14, 21; February 4, 18; March 17. Additional Saturdays will be worked in as they become available, and there may also be Monday evening practices to fill in the weeks that the Saturday blocks were not available. The number of Monday evening sessions will be based on interest and need. Information will be forthcoming.

Expect practices to be intense and broad-spectrum; we'll be working out on 6000 sq. ft. of indoor turf in the field house.

Rugby boots are NOT allowed in the field house. Be sure to bring sneakers or artificial turf shoes.

The address of the club is:

The Boston Athletic Club
653 Summer Street
Boston, MA, 02210

For more informaion about the Winter Training schedule, kit, and directions click HERE

HISTORY OF THE BOSTON IRONSIDES

The Story Thus Far

Boston Ironsides Rugby Football Club was founded in 2002, when members of the Gotham Knights, New York's gay rugby club, came to Boston and helped recruit the initial team. We rapidly grew in numbers and skill. Starting off as a mix of experienced ruggers and those new to the game, we quickly became competitive in our division, culminating in our 2006 win of the Bingham Bowl in New York City.

After hitting that high point of the team's existence, we started losing a lot of our members -- some moved away, some retired from rugby, some moved on to other clubs. Our recruitment during this time could not keep up with the attrition. After sending a full side to the Bingham Cup in Dublin, Ireland, our membership dropped to the point where we couldn't field the full 15 players for a side.

Luckily for us, before going to Dublin, we had played a new team based in Vermont: Equinox RFC. They were having their own membership problems. In fall 2008 and spring 2009, they invited us to play with their team on their schedule. While it meant frequent long trips to Vermont, the Ironsides were still able to get playing time. The Equinox gentlemen were, and continue to be, great friends to the Ironsides, always making sure we, as their guests, got plenty of time on the pitch and plenty of drink off the pitch.

In the winter of 2010, the Ironsides began a massive recruitment effort to rebuild the team. With the help of our excellent coach John Scaife, the Ironsides were able to slowly recruit new players to the team. Over the course of the spring season we grew from five players to well over fifteen. Since last season we've continued to grow, with nearly thirty active club members who enjoy competitive rugby and a great team spirit. For the veterans who have been with the Ironsides for years, it has been amazing to see the team rebuild so successfully.

If you are interested in joining us, please contact us at info@bostonironsides.com.

Some Information on Becoming one of the Ironsides

Well, for starters, subscribe to our Yahoo! Group, BostonGayRugby, join our Facebook group or drop us an email.

We're an adult men's team, so you have to be over 18 (per USA Rugby). While we are part of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (yes, IGRAB, and no, that name wasn't our idea), we have always had a diverse membership and all men are welcome. (USA Rugby bars co-ed play, although we'd love to start a women's side in the future.)

We generally play in the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) Division IV; we also try to schedule at least one IGRAB game every year outside of NERFU.

While active members are expected to pay dues to support club expenses, there is no obligation to try out a few practices. All talent levels are welcome, and most Ironsides had never played rugby before joining our team.

For more details on how to start your rugby career, check our "Join Now" page.