South Australia Rugby Union

Provincial History

The establishment of the South Australia Rugby Union (SARU). officially began on July 28, 1932. This followed a public meeting in March of the same year, initiated by a journalist from The Advertiser, Ian Sabey. The meeting led to the formation of the Adelaide Rugby Club, which initially fielded two seven-a-side teams. Interest in the game grew quickly. By the end of 1932, new clubs like the Royal Australian Navy, Adelaide University, and the Waratahs had formed, creating a local, albeit ad hoc, competition. This growth was significant enough that within a year, South Australia played its first interstate match against Victoria. The game faced a decline during World War II but was revitalized in the post-war period. By the 1950s, the number of clubs had grown to eight. In 1951, as the management and finances of the competition became more complex, the SARU was incorporated to provide greater stability. Over the next two decades, rugby continued to expand across the metropolitan region, with a number of clubs coming and going. The South Australian representative team, known as the Black Falcons, began competing in the Southern States Carnivals against teams from Western Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. A key development for a number of clubs was the establishment of women’s teams in the 1990s, with Adelaide University and Old Collegians RFC leading the way. The game’s structure was further modernized in 1999 when the SARU became a Company Limited by Guarantee, and in 2006, it merged with the South Australian Junior Rugby Union to create a unified body.

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S.A.R.U. 50 Years of Progress Golden Jubilee 1932 – 1982

Province:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

South Australia Rugby Union

1982

SARU

8 pages

Progamme celebrating 50 years of the South Australia Rugby Union. Printed paper covers

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

S.A.R.U. 50 Years of Progress Golden Jubilee 1932 – 1982

Province:

South Australia Rugby Union

Year:

1982

Author:

SARU

Pages:

8 pages

Notes:

Progamme celebrating 50 years of the South Australia Rugby Union. Printed paper covers

Provincial History