This is a List of rugby union clubs in Germany. It lists all rugby union clubs in Germany registered with the German Rugby Federation, the DRV,[1] or taking part in the German league system.[2] As of April 2010, the International Rugby Board lists the number of clubs in Germany at 110.[3]
Some of the clubs competing in the German league system are clubs of the US and British armed forces in Germany and therefore not necessarily members of the DRV. Examples of US Army rugby clubs in Germany are the teams in Illesheim,[4] Ramstein and Vilseck, while other clubs, like in the RC Kaiserslautern, recruit some of their players from the US forces but have German players as well.[5] Up to 32 US forces teams had been playing in Southern Germany at its peak, based in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, being organised in the "United States Forces Europe Rugby Union" (USFERU).[6] Most disappeared with the withdrawal of US forces from Germany at the end of the Cold War. A number of clubs remained but have since dropped out of the German league system, like the Bamberg RFC, Darmstadt 233rd BSB RFC, Hanau Hornets, Schweinfurt RFC, Spangdahlem RFC and Würzburg RFC, while a few, like the Ramstein Rogues RFC, Illesheim RFC and Baumholder RFC still compete in 2009–10.[7]
The RC Mönchengladbach Rhinos and the Elmpt Falcons are rugby teams of the British Army in Germany and still active.[8] [9]
The oldest rugby union club in Germany is the DSV 78 Hannover, formed in 1878 as DFV Hannover, in a time when a differencation between rugby and football was not yet made in Germany.[10] While there is older clubs in Germany then DSV 78, like the Heidelberger TV which was formed in 1846, their rugby departments were established after DSV's.
The German rugby clubs, listed by federal state, with the league their first men's and women's teams play in 2009–10, in as far as the clubs field a senior side at all:
Rugby clubs in the state of Baden-Württemberg:[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
(* pending updates)
Rugby clubs in the state of Bavaria:[13] [16] [17]
Rugby clubs in the state of Berlin:[18]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| Berliner RC | Berlin | BL | I | — | — | http://www.berliner-rugby-club.de/ | ||
| RK 03 Berlin | Berlin | BL | I | W2BL | II | http://www.rugbyklub03-berlin.de/joomla/index.php | ||
| Berliner SC | Berlin | RLEB | IV | — | — | http://www.berlinersc-rugby.de/ | ||
| SC Berlin | Berlin | — | — | W2BL | II | http://www.sc-berlin.de/sport11.htm | ||
| Berliner SV 92 Rugby | Berlin | RLEA | III | WRLE | III | http://www.bsv92rugby.de/ | ||
| SC Siemensstadt | Berlin | RLEA | III | — | — | http://www.scs-rugby.de | ||
| Berlin Irish RFC | Berlin | RLEA | III | WRLE | III | http://www.berlin-irish.com/ | ||
| Berlin Bruisers | Berlin | RLEA | III | — | — | http://www.berlin-bruisers.com/ | ||
| Berlin Grizzlies | Berlin | BL | I | — | — | http://www.berlingrizzlies.de/en/ | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of Brandenburg:[18]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| Stahl Brandenburg Rugby | Brandenburg an der Havel | RLEA | III | — | — | http://rugby-brandenburg-havel.de/index.php?action=news | ||
| Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby | Hennigsdorf | RLEB | IV | — | — | http://www.rugby-hennigsdorf.de/ | ||
| RU Hohen Neuendorf | Hohen Neuendorf | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | http://www.rugbyunion.de/ | ||
| USV Potsdam Rugby | Potsdam | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | http://rugby-potsdam.de/ | ||
| RC Trebbin | Trebbin | ? | ? | — | — | https://www.rugby-trebbin.de/ | ||
| Veltener RC Empor | Velten | RLEA | III | — | — | http://www.veltener-rugbyclub.de | ||
Rugby clubs in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen:[19]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| Bremen 1860 | Bremen | RLN | III | — | — | http://www.bremen1860.de/angebot.aspx?id=526117 | ||
| Union 60 Bremen | Bremen | RLN | III | WRLN | III | http://www.rugby-bremen.de/ | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of Hamburg:[19]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| Hamburg Exiles RFC | Hamburg | RLN | III | — | — | http://www.hamburg-exiles.de | ||
| Hamburger RC | Hamburg | 1BL N/E | II | — | — | http://hamburger-rugby-club.de/ | ||
| Hamburger SV | Hamburg | VLN | IV | — | — | http://hsvrugby.jimdo.com/index.php | ||
| FC St Pauli Rugby | Hamburg | 1BL N/E | II | WBL | I | http://fcstpaulirugby.de/ | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of Hesse:[11] [20]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| CRC Babenhausen | Babenhausen | III | — | — | http://www.rugby-babenhausen.de | |||
| TG 75 Darmstadt | Darmstadt | RLH | III | — | — | http://www.rugby-darmstadt.de | ||
| Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby | Frankfurt am Main | RLH | III | WRLW | III | http://www.eintracht-frankfurt.de/sportarten/rugby.html | ||
| SC 1880 Frankfurt | Frankfurt am Main | BL | I | — | — | http://www.sc1880.de/ | ||
| URC Gießen 01 | Gießen | RLH | III | — | — | http://www.urcgiessen.de/ | ||
| RK Heusenstamm | Heusenstamm | BL | I | WRLW | III | http://www.rugby-klub.de/ | ||
| RU Marburg | Marburg | RLH | III | WRLW | III | http://www.rumarburg.de/web/index.php | ||
| TGS 1897 Hausen | Obertshausen | — | — | — | — | http://www.rugby-loewen.de/ | ||
| BSC Offenbach | Offenbach am Main | RLH | III | — | — | http://www.bsc1899.de/rugby/rugby.html | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of Lower Saxony:[20]
Rugby clubs in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern:[18]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| SV Dynamo Rostock | Rostock | VLN | IV | — | — | http://www.dierkower-elche.de | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia:[20] [21] [22]
Rugby clubs in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate:[11] [22]
| Club | City | 2024 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| RC Mainz | Mainz | RLH | II | Flying Wombats | — | http://rcmainz.de/ | ||
| Ramstein Rogues RF | Ramstein | RLRP | III | — | — | http://www.ramsteinrogues.com/ | ||
| FSV Trier-Tarforst | Trier | RLRP | III | WRLW | III | http://www.rugby-trier.de | ||
| RC Worms | Worms | RLRP | III | — | — | http://www.rc-worms.de/ | ||
| Bad Ems Rugby | Bad Ems | RLRP | ||||||
Rugby clubs in the state of Saarland:[11]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| Stade Sarrois Rugby | Saarbrücken | RLRP | III | — | — | http://www.stade-sarrois.de/ | ||
Rugby clubs in the state of Saxony:[23]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| SV Stahl Brandis | Brandis | E7 | — | — | — | |||
| Tower Rugby Chemnitz | Chemnitz | E7 | — | — | — | http://www.rugby-chemnitz.de/ | ||
| RV Dresden | Dresden | RLEB | IV | WRLE | III | http://www.dresdenrugby.de | ||
| ATSV Freiberg | Freiberg | E7 | — | — | — | http://www.atsv-freiberg.de/ | ||
| Eastern Province RC Gera | Gera | E7 | — | — | — | |||
| SV Horken Kittlitz | Kittlitz | E7 | — | — | — | http://www.buntspechte-rugby.de | ||
| RC Leipzig | Leipzig | RLEB | IV | WRLE | III | http://www.leipzig-rugby.de/ | ||
| ESV Lokomotive Riesa | Riesa | — | — | — | — | http://www.riesa-rugby.de.tl/ | ||
| HSG Turbine Zittau | Zittau | — | — | — | — | |||
Rugby clubs in the state of Saxony-Anhalt:[23]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| USV Halle | Halle | E7 | — | — | — | http://www.usv-halle.de/webKreator/index.asp | ||
| WG Magdeburg | Magdeburg | E7 | — | — | — | |||
Rugby clubs in the state of Schleswig-Holstein:[19]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| FT Adler Kiel Rugby | Kiel | 2BLN/E | II | — | — | http://kielrugby.de/ | ||
| VfL Geesthacht Harlekins | Geesthacht | III | — | — | http://www.harlekins-online.de | |||
Rugby clubs in the state of Thuringia:[16]
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| SSV Erfurt-Nord | Erfurt | E7 | — | W2BL | — | http://www.ssv-erfurt-nord.de/ | ||
| USV Jena | Jena | RLEB | IV | W2BL | — | http://rugby-jena.de/index.php | ||
In the 2009–10 season, two clubs from outside the borders of Germany take part in German league competitions, one from Luxembourg and one from Austria:
| Club | City | 2009–10 | Source | |||||
| Men | Tier | Women | Tier | Ref | Link | |||
| WRC Innsbruck | Innsbruck | — | — | WRLS | III | https://web.archive.org/web/20110320012213/http://www.wrci.at/wordpress/ | ||
| RC Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 2BLS/W | II | — | — | http://www.rcl.lu/ | ||
The following clubs have ceased to exist or stopped operating a rugby department:
| Club | City | Fate | Ref | |
| BFC Frankfurt 1885 | Berlin | club switched codes from rugby to football, now defunct | ||
| SG Ordnungspolizei Berlin | Berlin | |||
| Tennis Borussia Berlin | Berlin | rugby department left club in 1936 to join Berliner SV and form Berliner SV 92 Rugby | [24] | |
| SV Polizei Hamburg | Hamburg | rugby department defunct | ||
| SC Elite Hannover | Hanover | rugby department defunct since the 1970s | [25] | |
| FC 1897 Hannover | Hanover | |||
| Hawa-Alexandria Hannover | Hanover | club defunct since 1931 | [26] | |
| VfV Hannover | Hanover | rugby department defunct since 1963, when the department joined NTV 09 Hannover | [27] | |
| FV Stuttgart | Stuttgart | club switched codes from rugby to football, merged to form VfB Stuttgart | [28] | |
The following clubs existed in the former country of East Germany. Some of them have ceased to exist or to operate a rugby department while others have changed their name:
| Club | City | Fate | Ref | |
| BSG Lok Berlin | Berlin | rugby department defunct, club now ESV Lok Berlin-Schöneweide | [29] | |
| BSG Post Berlin | Berlin | rugby department now RK 03 Berlin | [30] | |
| ASK Vorwärts Berlin | Berlin | rugby department defunct | ||
| BSG Stahl Brandenburg | Brandenburg | now Stahl Brandenburg Rugby | [31] | |
| SG Dynamo Dresden | Dresden | rugby department defunct | ||
| BSG Lok Falkensee | Falkensee | |||
| Ingenieurschule Hennigsdorf | Hennigsdorf | club defunct | ||
| BSG Stahl Hennigsdorf | Hennigsdorf | now Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby | [32] | |
| BSG Stahl Leegebruch | Leegebruch | club defunct | ||
| SC DHfK Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | [33] | |
| BSG Gastronom Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | ||
| BSG Lokomotive Wahren Leipzig | Leipzig | rugby department now part of RC Leipzig | ||
| SG Dynamo Potsdam | Potsdam | club defunct | [34] | |
| RG 88 Potsdam | Potsdam | now USV Potsdam Rugby | ||
| Empor Velten | Velten | now Veltener RC |
Men:
BL – Rugby-Bundesliga
2BLN/E – 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East
2BLS/W – 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West
RLBW – Regionalliga Baden-Württemberg
RLB – Regionalliga Bavaria
RLEA – Regionalliga East – Division A
RLEB – Regionalliga East – Division B
RLH – Regionalliga Hesse
RLLS – Regionalliga Lower Saxony
RLN – Regionalliga North
RLNW – Regionalliga North Rhine-Westphalia
RLRP – Regionalliga Rhineland-Palatinate
VLB – Verbandsliga Bavaria
VLBW – Verbandsliga Baden-Württemberg
VLN – Verbandsliga North
VLNW – Verbandsliga North Rhine-Westphalia
E7 – East 7s league Women:
WBL – Women's Rugby Bundesliga
W2BL – Women's 2nd Rugby Bundesliga
WRLE – Women's Regionalliga East
WRLN – Women's Regionalliga North
WRLS – Women's Regionalliga South
WRLW – Women's Regionalliga West
A. Playing as 08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf, a partnership of SV 08 Ricklingen and TuS Wunstorf.
B. Playing as SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren, a partnership of SV Odin Hannover and VfR Döhren.
C. Playing as SG Jesteburg/Geesthacht, a partnership of VfL Jesteburg and VfL Geesthacht Harlekins.
D. Playing as SG 80 III/Babenhausen, a partnership of the third team of SC 1880 Frankfurt and CRC Babenhausen.
E. The East 7s league, or Mitteldeutsche Siebener Liga, is a development league for emerging rugby clubs in what was formerly East Germany.