Eastside Banshees Rugby Club
| Full name | Eastside Banshees Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union | USA Rugby |
| Nickname(s) | The Banshees |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Ground(s) |
Eagan Community Center Lexington and Diffley Athletic Fields |
| President | Chris Edwards |
| Coach(es) | Ciarán Kelly |
| Captain(s) | Joe Feldmeier |
| Official website | |
|
www | |
Eastside Banshees Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Banshees run two sides and play in the Midwest Rugby Football Union's Division II and IV.
History
Established in 1977, the Eastside Banshees are committed to playing winning rugby in the USA Rugby Midwest Union. The current Eastside Banshees club is the result of a 1988 merger between the Twin Cities Irish Banshees and Eastside RFC, both clubs formed in the 70s. The Twin Cities Irish Banshees was started in 1977 by a group of St. John’s University alumni, while Eastside RFC was started in 1979 by a combination of University of Minnesota alumni and local rugby players. The newly formed Eastside Banshees played their first league game in the Fall season of 1989.
The Eastside Banshees are a registered 501(c) organization and consist of over thirty-five active players, a large number of social players and hundreds of supporters. The Banshees strive to promote rugby football as a sport in the twin cities and surrounding areas through youth and community development. Off the field, the club maintains various partnerships and relationships from its current and former members, to supportive local businesses and various other organizations.
Team colors
The Eastside Banshees feature blue and green in their team apparel and jerseys. The Twin Cities Irish Banshees wore white and kelly green. They often wore white jerseys with green collars and numbers, opponents referred to them as “the sheets”. Eastside RFC wore royal blue.
Club honors
- USA Rugby Division II National
- Sweet Sixteen: 2011
- USA Rugby Division II Midwest
- Runner-up: 2011
- USA Rugby Division III Midwest
- Runner-up: 2008
- USA Rugby Division IV Midwest
- Runner-up: 2015