Mosman Rugby Club
Encyclopedia
Mosman Rugby Club is an Australia
n rugby union
club. It is based is Mosman on the Lower North Shore of Sydney
. Home games are played at Rawson Oval and Balmoral Oval. Mosman won the first Kentwell Cup
in 1923 and Mosman continues to compete in Division One of the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
.
The suburb's first rugby club was formed in 1894 as Mosman's Bay Junior Football Club and entered the Third Junior 'B' Division involving ten teams. The club's colours were officially listed as 'Navy with 4 inch Pink Band'.
Mosman played its first match on 26 May 1894 against 'Union', a junior club from inner-Sydney, and finished its inaugural season in 7th place with four wins and five losses.
One of Mosman's foundation players was Denis 'Dinny' Lutge
who would become Mosman's only dual rugby international. After joining North Sydney in 1900 he played in Australia's inaugural Rugby Union test against New Zealand in August 1903 and three tests against the visiting Great Britain side in 1904.
In 1908 Lutge joined the switch to Rugby League and played against New Zealand in Australia's first official Rugby League series. When the first Kangaroos were selected to visit Great Britain in 1908-09, he was elected tour captain by the players.
Sydney's sub-districts rugby (now known as the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
or Subbies) gained its first major trophy in 1923, when W. H. Kentwell, then president of Mosman Rugby, presented the Kentwell Cup
. Eight teams competed in that first Kentwell Cup, with Mosman the winner. It remains the trophy of Subbies First Division. In 1924, Mosman's Vice-President, James A. Burke, presented the Burke Cup for subdistricts second graders.
In 1989 the Club embarked on its most ambitious project, the refurbishment of its home ground facilities at Rawson Park. This required a huge effort on the part of the Committee of the day - dealing with Local Council and State and Federal Governments of different political persuasions proved interesting. Four years and $500,000 later, and with the help of Mosman Council and Telecom, the doors to the Clubhouse were opened on 26 September 1992.
Mosman fields up to seven grade teams and Colts (Under 21's in the NSW Suburban Rugby Union's 1st Division competition) as well as 15 junior teams. Registrations in general represent over 200 grade players and over 250 juniors drawn predominantly from the local area.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club. It is based is Mosman on the Lower North Shore of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Home games are played at Rawson Oval and Balmoral Oval. Mosman won the first Kentwell Cup
Kentwell Cup
The Kentwell Cup is the major trophy for the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union , colloquially known as the "Subbies" competition. It is awarded to the first grade premiers of the first division competition....
in 1923 and Mosman continues to compete in Division One of the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
The New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union is affiliated to the New South Wales Rugby Union and runs the competition affectionately known as "Subbies" rugby. There are around 7500 players and 55 clubs competing across 6 divisions, making "Subbies" the largest centrally administered rugby competition...
.
The Early Days
Mosman's first rugby team was formed in 1893 and played its first match wearing a variety of dark jumpers with single white stars stitched on the front. It did not become a club or compete in official competitions until the following year.The suburb's first rugby club was formed in 1894 as Mosman's Bay Junior Football Club and entered the Third Junior 'B' Division involving ten teams. The club's colours were officially listed as 'Navy with 4 inch Pink Band'.
Mosman played its first match on 26 May 1894 against 'Union', a junior club from inner-Sydney, and finished its inaugural season in 7th place with four wins and five losses.
One of Mosman's foundation players was Denis 'Dinny' Lutge
Denis Lutge
Denis "Dinny" Lutge was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union player, a dual-code international...
who would become Mosman's only dual rugby international. After joining North Sydney in 1900 he played in Australia's inaugural Rugby Union test against New Zealand in August 1903 and three tests against the visiting Great Britain side in 1904.
In 1908 Lutge joined the switch to Rugby League and played against New Zealand in Australia's first official Rugby League series. When the first Kangaroos were selected to visit Great Britain in 1908-09, he was elected tour captain by the players.
Sydney's sub-districts rugby (now known as the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
The New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union is affiliated to the New South Wales Rugby Union and runs the competition affectionately known as "Subbies" rugby. There are around 7500 players and 55 clubs competing across 6 divisions, making "Subbies" the largest centrally administered rugby competition...
or Subbies) gained its first major trophy in 1923, when W. H. Kentwell, then president of Mosman Rugby, presented the Kentwell Cup
Kentwell Cup
The Kentwell Cup is the major trophy for the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union , colloquially known as the "Subbies" competition. It is awarded to the first grade premiers of the first division competition....
. Eight teams competed in that first Kentwell Cup, with Mosman the winner. It remains the trophy of Subbies First Division. In 1924, Mosman's Vice-President, James A. Burke, presented the Burke Cup for subdistricts second graders.
Recent Developments
Since its foundation Mosman has competed at a high level in many different competitions and grades but has always valued a balance between playing success and mateship and camaraderie off the field.In 1989 the Club embarked on its most ambitious project, the refurbishment of its home ground facilities at Rawson Park. This required a huge effort on the part of the Committee of the day - dealing with Local Council and State and Federal Governments of different political persuasions proved interesting. Four years and $500,000 later, and with the help of Mosman Council and Telecom, the doors to the Clubhouse were opened on 26 September 1992.
Mosman fields up to seven grade teams and Colts (Under 21's in the NSW Suburban Rugby Union's 1st Division competition) as well as 15 junior teams. Registrations in general represent over 200 grade players and over 250 juniors drawn predominantly from the local area.
Premierships
- Non District Seconds (1st Grade): 1922 (Mosman's first premiership)
- District Second Division (1st Grade): 1972, 1975, 1977
- District Second Division (2nd Grade): 1971, 1974, 1978
- District Second Division (3rd Grade): 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977
- District Second Division (4th Grade): 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977
- District Third Division (1st Grade): 1979
- District Third Division (2nd Grade): 1979
- Kentwell Cup (1st Grade): 1923, 1927, 1954
- Burke Cup (2nd Grade): 1924, 1953, 1996, 2009
- Whiddon Cup (3rd Grade): 2003, 2007
- Judd Cup (4th Grade): 2007
- Sutherland Cup (5th Grade): 1995
- Halligan Cup (6th Grade): 1999, 2009
- Barbour Cup (Colts): 2002, 2004, 2007
- Under 85kg: 2007, 2009