The Tasmanian Rugby Union, or TRU, is the governing body for the sport of rugby union within the state of Tasmania in Australia. The TRU was established in 1933. It is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia.

Tasmanian Rugby Union
TRU
SportRugby union
Founded1933 (1933)
RA affiliation1949
(founding member)
Websitewww.tasrugby.com.au

Currently, the Tasmanian Rugby Union holds a variety of competitions for male and female players, in several age groups and divisions.

The headquarters for the Tasmanian Rugby Union are at Rugby Park, Cornelian Bay, Tasmania.

Affiliated Clubs

edit

As at the end of 2019, there are 13 clubs which make up the TRU.

Ten of these clubs field senior men's sides, eight field senior women's sides, and five field junior sides. There is also a "golden oldies" club for players aged 35+.

Club Colours Teams Nickname(s) Home Ground Entered Union
Burnie RUFC   Blue & Red Men's Emus Upper Burnie Sports Ground 1961 (reformed 1997)
Devonport RUFC   Green with Black Men's, Women's, Junior's Bulls Don Oval 1964
Eastern Suburbs RUFC   Maroon with White Men's, Women's, Juniors, Golden Oldies (35+) Roosters, Chicks North Warrane Oval 1964
Glenorchy RUFC   Black Men's, Women's, Juniors Stags Eady Street Sports Ground 1935
Hobart Convicts RUFC   Grey & Black Golden Oldies (35+) Convicts No set Ground ???
Hobart Harlequins RUFC   Green, Blue, Red & Black Men's, Women's, Golden Oldies (35+) Quins, Queens Rugby Park 1933
Hobart Hutchins Lions RUFC   Grey, Black, Yellow & Magenta Men's, Juniors (assoc. with The Hutchins School) Lions War Memorial Oval 1974
Launceston RUFC Black, Red & Gold Men's Tigers Royal Park 1999
North West RUFC   Purple with Black Women's Panthers Upper Burnie Sports Ground 2018
Tamar Valley RUFC   Orange & Teal Women's Vixens Royal Park 2017
Taroona RUFC   Blue & White Men's, Women's, Juniors, Golden Oldies (35+) Penguins Rugby Park 1947
University of Tasmania RUFC   Red Men's, Women's Red Men, Red Women UTAS Rugby Ground 1933
Australian Maritime College RUFC
currently in recess
  Light Blue with Royal Blue Trim Men's Vikings Royal Park 2012

The Tasmanian Rugby Union Referee's Association is also directly affiliated with the TRU.

Defunct clubs

edit
  • Associates
    • The club was formed in 1964 as the University Associates Rugby Football Club. The club won six First Grade Southern and State Premierships in 1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1984. The club also won 3 Reserve Grade Premierships in 1965, 1981 and 1982.
  • West Coast
  • George Town
  • Wellington
  • Port Dalrymple
  • Glen Dhu
  • Riverview
    • Glen Dhu and Riverview merged in 1998 to become the Launceston Rugby Union Club (Tigers)
  • Williamsford
  • Australian Maritime College Vikings
  • Army Rugby Club
    • Reportedly played in a dark green jumper with a white V

Divisions

edit

Rugby Union in Tasmania consists of the following divisions : Men's Premiership (First Grade), Men's Championship (Reserve Grade), Women's, Junior Under 18, Junior Under 16, Juniors Under 14 and Tassie Devils (under 12).

Partnerships

edit

Rugby Balls

edit

The Tasmanian Rugby Union uses W RUGBY[1] branded rugby balls across all divisions during matches.

2019 Senior Men's competition

edit

There were 11 teams from 9 clubs competing in the club rugby divisions These were:

Premiership Grade

Championship Grade

Tasmanian Rugby Union
SportRugby union
Number of teams9
HoldersPremiership   Devonport Bulls Championship   Eastern Suburbs (2019)
Most titles  Glenorchy Rugby Union Football Club Est.1935 "The Black Stags" (10+ titles)

Premierships

edit
Season Grand Final winners
Premiership/First Grade Championship/Reserve Grade
2024 Launceston Hobart Lions
2023 Launceston
2022 Launceston Launceston
2021 Devonport Launceston
2020   Taroona   Launceston
2019   Devonport   Eastern Suburbs
2018   Taroona   Glenorchy
2017   Devonport   University of Tasmania
2016   Taroona
2015   Taroona
2014   Devonport
2013   Hobart Harlequins   University of Tasmania
2012   Taroona
2011   Glenorchy
2010   Taroona
2009   Hobart Lions
2008   Glenorchy
2007   Taroona
2006   Launceston
'2005 University of Tasmania
2004   Launceston
2003 Glenorchy
2002 Glenorchy
2001 Glenorchy
2000   University of Tasmania
1999   Launceston
1998   Launceston
1997 No record   Riverview (Launceston)
1996 No record
1995   Glenorchy
1994   Glenorchy
1993   Glenorchy
1992   Glenorchy   Glenorchy
1991   Glenorchy   Glenorchy
1990 University
1989 No record
1988   Hobart Harlequins
1987   Taroona
1986   Glenorchy
1985   Glenorchy
1984 No record
1983   Taroona   Glenorchy
1982   Taroona
1981   Eastern Suburbs
1980   Glenorchy
1979   Taroona   Glenorchy
1978 No record
1977   Glenorchy
1976   Glenorchy   Glenorchy
1975   Glenorchy
1974   Hobart Harlequins
1973   Glenorchy
1968   Taroona
1967 No record   Glenorchy

2019 Senior Women's competition

edit

Generally, senior women's competitions consist of a series of sevens tournaments spread across the year along with several games of 15s format. There were nine clubs competing in the club rugby divisions These were:

Representative teams

edit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jack Jumpers colours

The senior men's state representative side for the Tasmanian Rugby Union are the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers, named for the jack jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula), a species of venomous bull ant commonly found in Tasmania.

From 2018 an additional competition was formed for teams from so-called "Minor States", called the Emerging States Championship,[2] featuring the Jack Jumpers, Northern Territory Mosquitoes, Adelaide Black Falcons and Victoria Country Barbarians. The first Competition was held in Adelaide in September 2018, and the Black Falcons were the inaugural winners.[3]

Notable players

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "W RUGBY secures Tasmanian Rugby Partnership // W RUGBY". W RUGBY. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  2. ^ "South Australia claim Emerging States Championship". Rugby Australia. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  3. ^ Jack Hislop (26 September 2018). "The NT's representative rugby team has finished second at the Emerging States Championships". Northern Territory News. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
edit