A brief history of MURFC

The Melbourne University Rugby Football Club was founded in 1909 and has been active since that time, apart from a period from the start of the First World War through to the early depression years, and again during the Second World War when there was no organised rugby competition in Victoria.The club has always fielded a team in the top grade of any Victorian Competition, winning its fair share of premierships over the years. It was the dominant Victorian Club in the early thirties and the late fifties and early sixties, in each of these periods producing several Wallabies, including Sir Edward (Weary) Dunlop. 

The Club went through a difficult period in the eighties and early nineties when it still did not have a Clubhouse and was slow to realise the facilities needed for a more professional and organised approach to its management.

Since then the Club has had a resurgence with the building of the Clubrooms at Smith Oval and the involvement of a balanced mix of players and supporters to run its activities.

Most teams now reach the finals and the Club was very unlucky not to be premiers in 1997.

Up until the 1960’s the Club, like most other 1st Division Clubs in Victoria, fielded a first and second grade side only. Since that time, with the expansion of the University and rugby generally in Victoria, the Club has expanded its player base and in addition to fielding three sides in the 1st Division, now has a strong Colts side, a Gents (social) team, and a Women’s team.

The Club’s history is encapsulated in its honour boards which list 1st XV Captains going back to the official foundation of the club in 1909; Presidents, Club Captains, and Secretaries back to the early 50’s; and those who have contributed financially to the new clubhouse. The winners of the three most important Club trophies are:

• Justin Hobbs Trophy for the ‘Spirit of Attack’
• Gordon Sturtridge Trophy for outsanding service to the Club each year.
• Geoff Vaughan Trophy for the Best Front Row Player

Gordon Sturtridge was the first Melbourne University player to represent Australia (1929) and captained the 1st XV from 1928 to 1932.