PETERBOROUGH RUGBY CLUB
Rugby has a long history in Peterborough, Ontario. In 1899, Ireland toured Canada and played a team from Peterborough. Interestingly, the game was played at Nicholl’s Oval, the same location that is the home of Peterborough Rugby today.
In 1956 a team, the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club was formed. The team began play in 1957, primarily against teams in Toronto. The focus for the club was to gradually expand from its immigrant roots to develop a base of Canadian players and to get rugby into local schools. The inception of Trent University in the 1960’s with its rugby program also helped the club’s development. In 1970, the club formally adopted its current team name, the Peterborough Pagans.
In 1980, a separate old timers’ club – the Krocks – was established for the noncompetitive over-35 crowd. In 1990, the Pagans and the Krocks joined together to form an umbrella organization, the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club. The joint organization provided a more efficient organization to grow and manage rugby in the community.
In the late 1980’s the club began to expand – first a men’s 2nd team, then a junior boys team, then a women’s team, then complete programs for junior girls and junior boys. Today, the club has programs for female and male from under 6, through every age group up to men and women, with 3 men’s and 2 women’s teams. The club is nearly divided equally between
female and male, with a brand new co-ed Mixed Ability team in 2023. It is among the largest clubs in Ontario.
The playing quality of the club has also grown. Both of our senior teams play in the top leagues in Ontario. The club has had numerous players represent the province. As well, four club players have gone on to play for Canada – Barbara Mervin, Brian McCarthy, Hannah Darling and Kal Sager.
In 2010, the City of Peterborough offered the club an opportunity to develop what they had long wanted – their own clubhouse. This was the Lawn Bowling Clubhouse, built in 1930, which would have to be moved to Nicholls’ Oval. In 2011, the club took ownership of the building.
In spring 2011 the Clubhouse was moved to Nicholls’ in 3 parts. Construction started in 2011 to re-connect the parts and build a large basement with six change rooms and showers. The construction was complicated, and costs went over budget, but construction was completed in 2013. In 2023, after a difficult financial period, Peterborough Rugby had fully paid all Clubhouse loans.
PETERBOROUGH RUGBY ENDOWMENT FUND
The Peterborough Rugby Endowment Fund was established in November 2024 with the Canadian Rugby Foundation. The Fund is intended to provide funding from its endowment and donations that continue the objects of the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club Inc. (Fund Sponsor) and are consistent with the broad objects and purposes of the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club Inc., Rugby Canada, and the Canadian Rugby Foundation to develop and grow rugby across Canada while meeting all CRA requirements.
The following are examples of the kinds of projects or uses for which a fund disbursement or grant may be approved:
OPERATING EXPENSES including any of the following:
- Facilities
- Labour expense
- Member services
- Administration
- Competitions and travel
- Player assistance and awards
- Small capital expenditures such as training equipment and clubhouse improvements.
- Other miscellaneous rugby-related expenses
To support the Peterborough Rugby Club and to donate to the Peterborough Rugby Endowment Fund, go here.
