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Rugby Club Zürich History

Our History

Rugby Club Zurich (RCZ) has made a significant contribution to the history of the sport in Switzerland, as it is one of the two oldest clubs in the country. Rugby was widespread in Switzerland prior to the Second World War, declined during the war and only regained its momentum in the 1960's. An interesting fact is that the most famous and successful professional sports club in Switzerland "Grasshoppers Club Zurich" was originally started as a rugby club. The club was founded in 1968 by members of the international community in Zurich and initially most games were played against foreign teams. In 1970, RC Cern organized a „Challenge d‘Amitié“ between existing Swiss clubs, later known as the „Challenge Laurent Membrez“. This led on to the formation of the Federation Suisse de Rugby (FSR) in 1972, which RCZ joined as the then sole representative of the German-speaking Northeastern Switzerland.

RCZ Men's Teams

From 1972-1974, RCZ played in the 1st Division, dropped to the 2nd Division until 1980, when a place in the top league was regained. This success coincided with a period of substantial growth and led to the foundation of a second team. Following another spell in the 2nd Division, a high point in the Club‘s history was reached when the A-league Federation Cup was won in 1989.
Many other successes have been gained over the years, not least repeated wins of the Fair-Play-Cup – a reflection of club policy to play attractive, fair rugby.
In the last 12 months the 2nd XV has taken a major leap forward, many of the ex first team players now concentrate their energy in assisting the younger generation acquire the fine art of the game . Through seeing new, young faces in training a constant team has been developing, and are able to train together on weekdays which we hope will opay off its dividends this coming second half of the season in 2008.

RCZ Ladies Teams – Valkyries

RCZ also has a flourishing women‘s team, which was established in 1996 through the efforts of Beth Ross. Following the first trial season (96/97) in which Zürich were runners up to Yverdon, an official Swiss women‘s league was played for the first time. RCZ donated the „Beth Ross Cup“ to the FSR. An aptly named trophy as it was mainly through her efforts that a women‘s team in Zurich and a women‘s national league Switzerland were established. Zürich promptly won the cup in the 97/98 season and came second to Basel in the 98/99 season.
Since the 2007 season womens rugby has been taken over and administered by the North Swiss Rugby Association. The need of a more intense and supportive body to provide direction and a playing platform in womens rugby was desperately needed and the NSRV gladly took over the position. This gave rise to the Pickwicks Womens League, named after the regional sponsor, allowing all womens clubs the chance to further play in the 15-a-side discipline.
There are currently 6 Swiss teams (Basel, Bern, Luzern, Yverdon, Cern Ladies and Zurich) playing in the Swiss women‘s league, regional tournaments are contested on a regular basis and a national team plays under the regional banner or the NSRV. The Swiss Federation has nevertheless a registered 7-a-side squad and through the incentives from Dublin in the IRB offices Switerland will be encouraged heartedly to promote the reappearance of a national 15. OUr ladies star and dominate both 7's and 15 in national and international arenas.

RCZ Golden Oldies – Gnomes

The club‘s fourth team are the 'Golden Oldies‘, comprised of players over the age of 35 who are unable or - as in most cases - are no longer capable of adapting to the rigours of the modern game. The Swiss Gnomes (as they like to be called) were first seen in 1994 when they surfaced in Heidelberg (D) to join the 2nd European Golden Oldies Festival.
Amongst other achieve-ments, the Golden Oldies were the winners of the „The Battered Relic“ trophy and „Happiest Team“ award in Verona in 1996 and of the „Oldest Referee“ and „Best Dressed Team“ awards at the 4th European Golden Oldies Festival 1998. They took fourth place in the 1999 Bordeaux World Golden Oldies Gala Tournament.
In 2006 the Gnomes have hosted the European Golden Oldies Tournament, this platform showed the true devotion and spirit which these pilgrim fathers have for the sport and the club through the total success. In the year 2007 tours to Haifa, Budapest and Wales were completed.
The year 2008 brings new horizons, tours to Edinburgh for the World Golden Oldies and then the highlight in Madeira where 37 Gnomes will participate in the European Golden Oldies in June.

Awards

Championship

• Swiss Champions Mini Season 2001
• Swiss Champions 7s 2001
• Runners Up Swiss 7s Championship 2002
• Swiss Champions 7s 2003
• Swiss Champions Women 2003
• Swiss Champions Women 7s 2002

Cups

• Swiss Cup Ladies 2002
• Swiss Cup Ladies 2003
• Swiss Cup Ladies 2004
• Swiss Federation Cup 1989
• Swiss Federation Cup 2003 (Zurich II)
• Swiss Cup 2003
• Runner-up Swiss Cup 2003

Tournaments Men

• John Shaw memorial 7ns Invitationals in Zurich, 1980
• Oktoberfest 7ns 1985
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Winners 1995
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Winners 2000
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Winners 2001
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Runners Up 2002
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Runners Up 2003
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Winners 2004
• Nordschweiz 15s 2001, Bellinzona
• Nordschweiz 15s 2002, Bellinzona
• NSRV 7s Runners Up 2001
• NSRV 7s Winners Up 2002
• NSRV 7s Runners Up 2003
• Neuchatel 7s, Quaterfinalist, (Best Swiss Team)
• Romagna 7s Rimini, Quarterfinalist

Tournaments Women

• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Cindy-Trophy Winners 1998
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Cindy-Trophy Runners Up 2001
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Cindy-Trophy Runners Up 2002
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Cindy-Trophy Winners 2003
• St. Gallen Bishops-Cup Cindy-Trophy Runners Up 2004