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1875 - 2025

Durham University Rugby Club (DURFC) is one of the oldest and most successful university rugby clubs in the UK.

To mark the occasion, we're delving into the Club's rich history, exploring its transformational influence on the lives of those affiliated with it. Looking across students, staff, and our alumni, we highlight how the Club unites different walks of life, opens doorways to various career pathways, and creates a sense of community and belonging through sport.
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Join us for a day of rugby in Durham

Durham University Rugby Club (DURFC) and Durham University Women's Rugby Club (DUWRFC), together with Team Durham, and with the support of Campus Living Villages, invite you to a day of rugby on Saturday 3 May. Everyone is welcome!

"To celebrate the 150th year of rugby at Durham University, the club is both honoured and proud to become only the 5th university team to take on the world famous Barbarians. To do so in the North East, where it all began for the renowned wearers of the black and white shirt (the first game ever was against Hartlepool Rovers in 1890), makes it even more of a privilege."

- Alex Keay, former Barbarians player, current Barbarians lead coach, and DURFC 150th Coordinator

If you can't make it, don't panic - our award-winning student TV station, PalTV, will be live-streaming the matches.

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Talking Team Durham with University rugby coaches Si Culley and Rob Vickers

The second episode of the newly-launched Talking Team Durham podcast features a conversation with our current Head and Assistant Coaches (and Durham alumni) Si Culley and Rob Vickers.

Listen in as they chat to hosts Dave Coldwell (our Head of Sport and Physical Activity) and Peter Warburton OBE (our former Director of Sport) about the Rugby Club's 150th Anniversary, their experience of rugby at Durham, subsequent professional rugby careers, and coming back at Durham as coaches.

Explore more of Team Durham's podcast episodes
A female rugby player in purple runs through the middle of two other female players in white trying to tackle her.

Durham Inspired: Racecourse Rugby Scholarship

The Racecourse Rugby Scholarship provides support for incoming undergraduates who wish to combine rugby as a University level sport with further education at Durham. The Scholarship has been gifted by University rugby club alumni who wish to provide the same opportunities they were afforded.

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A remarkable rugby heritage

A large number of our alumni have gone on to become famous international players. Familiar names include former England captains Peter Dixon, Will Carling, Phil de Glanville, and England World Cup Winner Will Greenwood.

This tradition continues today, and we continue to develop numerous professional players. Athletes to look out for include Josh Beaumont, who has played more than 160 times for Sale Sharks; Fitz Harding, the current Captain of Bristol Bears; and Super Rugby New South Wales (Australia) Waratahs flanker Jamie Adamson. A number of the Barbarians team playing on Saturday 3 May are themselves Durham alumni.

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Watch videos with our current and former rugby stars

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Durham University Rugby Football Club at 150 - Arthur Green

Current undergraduate Arthur Green (Sociology, Grey College) answers a few questions on his experience of playing rugby at Durham. Arthur combines his studies with a professional rugby career at Bath Rugby.

A huddle of purple shirted rugby players with coaches

The 1875 Alumni Society

Named after the year DURFC was founded, the Alumni Society provides a community to maintain the relationships and camaraderie experienced by former DURFC players. They also support the rugby club's vision to maintain its position amongst the elite rugby universities in the UK.

Read more about the Society