Ravensbourne Rugby Club

Club History

The Ravensbourne Rugby Club was a historic Dunedin-based rugby club representing the West Harbour suburb of Ravensbourne along the Otago Harbour.

Key Historical Milestones

• Foundation (1887):

The club was established in 1887 to serve the rugby-playing community of Ravensbourne and the surrounding West Harbour area.

• Home Ground:

The club was headquartered at Moller Park on Ravensbourne Road, which featured playing fields and clubrooms serving as a central hub for the local community.

• Centennial Jubilee (1987):

Ravensbourne RFC celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1987 with a series of centennial matches and events.

• Senior Status & Competitions:

Throughout its history, the club enjoyed senior status at various periods within the Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) metropolitan competitions, regularly fielding senior, reserve, and junior grade sides.

The 1992 Merger & Legacy

• Formation of Harbour RFC (1992):

In the late 1980s, economic shifts and a decline in industrial work opportunities across the West Harbour and Port Chalmers districts led to declining playing numbers. In 1992, Ravensbourne Rugby Club amalgamated with neighboring rival Port Chalmers Rugby Club (est. 1883) to form the Harbour Rugby Football Club (known as the Harbour Hawks).

• Ongoing Presence:

Today, Harbour RFC continues to utilize Moller Park in Ravensbourne as one of its primary home facilities and clubhouses alongside Watson Park in Port Chalmers.

Published History

Title: Ravensbourne Rugby Club Centennial Match Programme 1887–1987 (1987)
An 8-page historical publication produced for the 100-year celebration, detailing early club history, key figures, and provincial achievements.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Centennial Match Programme 1887 – 1987

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Ravensbourne Rugby Club

1987

Not stated

8 pages

Match programme to celebrate the clubs centennial in 1987. It does include early history of the Ravensbourne Rugby Club

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Centennial Match Programme 1887 – 1987

Club:

Ravensbourne Rugby Club

Year:

1987

Author:

Not stated

Pages:

8 pages

Notes:

Match programme to celebrate the clubs centennial in 1987. It does include early history of the Ravensbourne Rugby Club

Club History