# Tasmanian Rugby Union

The Tasmanian Rugby Union, or TRU, is the governing body for the sport of rugby union within the state of Tasmania in Australia. The TRU was established in 1933. It is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia.
Currently, the Tasmanian Rugby Union holds a variety of competitions for male and female players, in several age groups and divisions.
The headquarters for the Tasmanian Rugby Union are at Rugby Park, Cornelian Bay, Tasmania.

## Affiliated Clubs

As at the end of 2019, there are 13 clubs which make up the TRU.
Ten of these clubs field senior men's sides, eight field senior women's sides, and five field junior sides. There is also a "golden oldies" club for players aged 35+.
| Club | Colours | Teams | Nickname(s) | Home Ground | Entered Union |
| Burnie RUFC | Blue & Red | Men's | Emus | Upper Burnie Sports Ground | 1961 (reformed 1997) |
| Devonport RUFC | Green with Black | Men's, Women's, Junior's | Bulls | Don Oval | 1964 |
| Eastern Suburbs RUFC | Maroon with White | Men's, Women's, Juniors, Golden Oldies (35+) | Roosters, Chicks | North Warrane Oval | 1964 |
| Glenorchy RUFC | Black | Men's, Women's, Juniors | Stags | Eady Street Sports Ground | 1935 |
| Hobart Convicts RUFC | Grey & Black | Golden Oldies (35+) | Convicts | No set Ground | ??? |
| Hobart Harlequins RUFC | Green, Blue, Red & Black | Men's, Women's, Golden Oldies (35+) | Quins, Queens | Rugby Park | 1933 |
| Hobart Hutchins Lions RUFC | Grey, Black, Yellow & Magenta | Men's, Juniors (assoc. with The Hutchins School) | Lions | War Memorial Oval | 1974 |
| Launceston RUFC | Black, Red & Gold | Men's | Tigers | Royal Park | 1999 |
| North West RUFC | Purple with Black | Women's | Panthers | Upper Burnie Sports Ground | 2018 |
| Tamar Valley RUFC | Orange & Teal | Women's | Vixens | Royal Park | 2017 |
| Taroona RUFC | Blue & White | Men's, Women's, Juniors, Golden Oldies (35+) | Penguins | Rugby Park | 1947 |
| University of Tasmania RUFC | Red | Men's, Women's | Red Men, Red Women | UTAS Rugby Ground | 1933 |
| Australian Maritime College RUFC currently in recess | Light Blue with Royal Blue Trim | Men's | Vikings | Royal Park | 2012 |
The Tasmanian Rugby Union Referee's Association is also directly affiliated with the TRU.

### Defunct clubs

* Associates
** The club was formed in 1964 as the University Associates Rugby Football Club. The club won six First Grade Southern and State Premierships in 1965, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1984. The club also won 3 Reserve Grade Premierships in 1965, 1981 and 1982.
* West Coast
* George Town
* Wellington
* Port Dalrymple
* Glen Dhu
* Riverview
** Glen Dhu and Riverview merged in 1998 to become the Launceston Rugby Union Club (Tigers)
* Williamsford
* Australian Maritime College Vikings
* Army Rugby Club
** Reportedly played in a dark green jumper with a white V

## Divisions

Rugby Union in Tasmania consists of the following divisions : Men's Premiership (First Grade), Men's Championship (Reserve Grade), Women's, Junior Under 18, Junior Under 16, Juniors Under 14 and Tassie Devils (under 12).

## Partnerships
### Rugby Balls

The Tasmanian Rugby Union uses W RUGBY branded rugby balls across all divisions during matches.

## 2019 Senior Men's competition

There were 11 teams from 9 clubs competing in the club rugby divisions These were:
Premiership Grade
* Devonport Rugby Union Club
* Glenorchy Rugby Union Club
* Hobart Harlequins Rugby Union Club
* Hobart Lions Rugby Union Club
* Taroona Rugby Union Club
* Australian Maritime College Rugby Union Club – withdrawn from competition prior to start of season
Championship Grade
* Burnie Rugby Union Club
* Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Club
* Hobart Harlequins Rugby Union Club
* Launceston Rugby Union Club
* Taroona Rugby Union Club
* University of Tasmania Rugby Union Club

### Premierships

| Season | Grand Final winners | Grand Final winners |
| Season | Premiership/First Grade | Championship/Reserve Grade |
| 2024 | Launceston | Hobart Lions |
| 2023 | Launceston | |
| 2022 | Launceston | Launceston |
| 2021 | Devonport | Launceston |
| 2020 | Taroona | Launceston |
| 2019 | Devonport | Eastern Suburbs |
| 2018 | Taroona | Glenorchy |
| 2017 | Devonport | University of Tasmania |
| 2016 | Taroona | |
| 2015 | Taroona | |
| 2014 | Devonport | |
| 2013 | Hobart Harlequins | University of Tasmania |
| 2012 | Taroona | |
| 2011 | Glenorchy | |
| 2010 | Taroona | |
| 2009 | Hobart Lions | |
| 2008 | Glenorchy | |
| 2007 | Taroona | |
| 2006 | Launceston | |
| '2005 | University of Tasmania | |
| 2004 | Launceston | |
| 2003 | Glenorchy | |
| 2002 | Glenorchy | |
| 2001 | Glenorchy | |
| 2000 | University of Tasmania | |
| 1999 | Launceston | |
| 1998 | Launceston | |
| 1997 | No record | Riverview (Launceston) |
| 1996 | No record | |
| 1995 | Glenorchy | |
| 1994 | Glenorchy | |
| 1993 | Glenorchy | |
| 1992 | Glenorchy | Glenorchy |
| 1991 | Glenorchy | Glenorchy |
| 1990 | University | |
| 1989 | No record | |
| 1988 | Hobart Harlequins | |
| 1987 | Taroona | |
| 1986 | Glenorchy | |
| 1985 | Glenorchy | |
| 1984 | No record | |
| 1983 | Taroona | Glenorchy |
| 1982 | Taroona | |
| 1981 | Eastern Suburbs | |
| 1980 | Glenorchy | |
| 1979 | Taroona | Glenorchy |
| 1978 | No record | |
| 1977 | Glenorchy | |
| 1976 | Glenorchy | Glenorchy |
| 1975 | Glenorchy | |
| 1974 | Hobart Harlequins | |
| 1973 | Glenorchy | |
| 1968 | Taroona | |
| 1967 | No record | Glenorchy |

## 2019 Senior Women's competition

Generally, senior women's competitions consist of a series of sevens tournaments spread across the year along with several games of 15s format. There were nine clubs competing in the club rugby divisions These were:
* Devonport Rugby Club
* Eastern Suburbs RUFC, identified from the men's team as "the Chicks"
* Glenorchy Rugby Union Football Club
* Hobart Harlequins Rugby Union Club, identified from the men's team as "the Queens"
* North West Panthers Rugby Club
* Tamar Valley Vixens Rugby Club
* Taroona Rugby Club
* University of Tasmania Rugby Union Club, identified from the men's team as the "Red Women"

## Representative teams

The senior men's state representative side for the Tasmanian Rugby Union are the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers, named for the jack jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula), a species of venomous bull ant commonly found in Tasmania.
From 2018 an additional competition was formed for teams from so-called "Minor States", called the Emerging States Championship, featuring the Jack Jumpers, Northern Territory Mosquitoes, Adelaide Black Falcons and Victoria Country Barbarians. The first Competition was held in Adelaide in September 2018, and the Black Falcons were the inaugural winners.
* 2018 NRC Division 2 Runner Up

## Notable players

* Adam Coleman, Wallaby 895, and currently playing for London Irish
* Eddie Jones, Head Coach of the Wallabies, Japan Sakuras and England national team, born in Burnie, Tasmania
* Jack Ford, Wallaby 224,11 caps, born in Sheffield, Tasmania
* Eric E. Ford, Wallaby 240, 7 caps, born in Launceston, Tasmania
* Justin Collins, Flanker – Chiefs 1998-1999 (10 caps), Blues 1999-2009 (92 caps)
* Ollie Atkins, Waratahs, Edinburgh, Scotland A, Exeter Chiefs, Rouen-Normandie