In the autumn of 1908, VRC rowers seeking to keep fit during their off-season formed a rugby team. Since that fateful year, "The Rowers" have become synonymous with rugby in Vancouver. Now, VRC rugby is entering an exciting stage of redevelopment as it prepares once again to ascend familiar heights.
Our history is not only long; it is full of successes. In the past ten seasons alone the club has won numerous titles: six Vancouver league titles in various divisions; three Vancouver play-off championships; three overall club championships; four BC championships in men's rugby; four provincial championships in women's rugby and two U21 provincial men's championships. Individual successes have been common as well. Most recently, The Rowers have produced a string of international players from our men's, women's and U-21 sides: Ian Stuart, Richard Bice, Ian Cooper, Chris Mitchaluk, Ian Kennedy, Andy Wilson, Ruth Hellerud-Brown, Heather Wilson, Scott Harnden, Dawn Williams, Brad Martin, Rob Houston Mike Webb and Stirling Richmond just to name a few. While maintaining a high standard of domestic play the club has also ventured abroad to enjoy foreign competition. Over the past twenty years, the scarlet and white hoops of The Rowers have toured the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Philippines, France, Scotland, England and Wales. Each year we host touring teams from all over the world and many of them have decades of touring history with the Rowing Club.
The many hundreds of men and women who have worn the red and white have also gone on to make great contributions to our city. Rugby team members have fought in the two World Wars and the Korean Conflict. They have become captains of industry, local magistrates, famous politicians, philanthropists and pillars of the community in support of amateur sport.
Each year at our Captain's Dinner, we honor not only past captains of our victorious teams, we also acknowledge all those who have contributed, on the field or off, to our remarkable club history.