The CSM Rugby Club was formed in the spring of 1967. Three people were responsible for its formation: Marv Kay , MN ’63, assistant football coach at the time; Ron Bills, MN ’69; and his brother, Bob Bills, MN ’70. Somehow word had filtered down from CU that in Boulder they were considering starting a rugby club and these three decided that it would be a good thing for Mines, also.
Marv had played rugby in France while stationed there with the Army. Ron and Bob had played both rugby union and amateur rugby league in Australia , where their father had worked for 10 years as a mining engineer, so there was some expertise around. The remaining players were totally ignorant of the sport but were keen to try it.
After about two weeks of practice the first organized game of rugby ever played in Colorado was contested on a sunny April Saturday afternoon at Baseline Junior High School in Boulder . Mines was the eventual winner of the contest by a score of 9-3 (tries were worth 3 points at that time). Players from both sides were initiated into the rugby culture immediately after the game as both teams retired to Bluebird Park for the mandatory "3rd Half".
Mines, along with CU and the newly formed Denver Barbarians, were charter members of the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union, formed in early 1968. Marv Kay was the first Union vice-president.
On the field Mines won the first ERRFU 7-a-side tournament in 1968 and was the first Union champion (1968) in a league that had added the Air Force Academy and the Louisville Reds, a team of ex-CU players and non-students. Mines continued to be one of the stronger sides in the Union during the ‘70s and won the Division II championship in 1979, when colleges and mens’ sides all played together. They came 2nd in 1978 and 1980.
Mines is currently in College Division II where it is very competitive and fields two sides every week against the likes of CC, Western State, UNC, DU, Metro State, Regis, Chadron State, Adams State and Mesa State. Mines Rugby is the oldest club sport on campus, having played continuously since 1967.
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