JOIN US: Training Tuesday & Thursday 19.00 - Leiden University Sports Centre  rugby pitch.

Late in the night of the 4th of December in 1925, in a suitably respectable drinking establishment, a group of gentlemen students, members of the elite student fraternity Minerva, set about the creation of the first rugby club in Leiden. Agreements were reached and the first committee was formed. The evening was rounded off with hearty songs and impassioned speeches.

In the ensuing weeks everything was prepared. Rugby jerseys, the changing rooms of the Royal Student Rowing Society – Njord were made available and a playing field was laid out. When all was ready and the gentlemen had had sufficient training, Haarlem Rugby Club was invited to a match. The LSRG students threw themselves into the fray and won, with a score of 20-5 no less. With success being booked, LSRG became officially recognized by the "Collegium" of Minerva.

Changing of the guards – newly appointed committee Gentlemen’s dinner at Disco Dancing The Five Arrows

Sadly rugby faded away amongst the students of Leiden. However, on the 14th of October 1960, a group of gentlemen students, very similar to the men of 1925, decided that it was time to play rugby in Leiden again. So, LSRG in its current form was born, a sub-society of "Her Majesty’s first" Student Society, Minerva of Leiden.

Over the years LSRG has met with great success, supplying players to first division and Dutch national team selections.

Today

LSRG today is vastly different to the LSRG of 1960. One no longer needs to be a member of Minerva, or a student for that matter. Many students who finish their studies remain as active players. This makes for a diverse and easy going club atmosphere. We played in the First Division last year being back after 18 years in the lower grades through 3 years of commitment and damn hard work! After staying in the first division, our first team demoted to second division to grow strong again, Our second team was very succesful in her season 07/08 and got promoted to the third division.

After the game, particularly home games we can be found enjoying a beer in our adopted club house Café l’Esperance on the Rapenburg. We also watch the Six Nations here on Sundays after the game.

Besides having the facilities at the University Sporting Centre at our disposal we are coached by one of the best in The Netherlands today Iain Krysztofiak. Iain is also the Head Coach of The Netherlands National rugby team. Also many Old LSRG’ers provide coaching clinics, give trainings in the laws of rugby and on match days come out to support the teams. The sense of history is very strong and we are socially very active. This ensures that the old traditions and customs are maintained and lived.

Contact between Old LSRG and current LSRG is alive and well. Many LSRG’ers return to the club after playing at the highest levels in The Netherlands. Highlighting this is the emergence of the Old LSRG’er touring team The Leyden Lions. This trip team consisting of players form the generation "Snijders" (1996 – 2000) and invitational players from the current LSRG teams toured to Madrid in 2005. Thereby creating a tangible link to the generations before.

Our Colours - Sky Blue – Maroon

The sky blue comes from the Royal Rowing Society Njord. In the sixties and early seventies a prerequisite to play for LSRG was a full year of competition rowing or…..

Maroon is the colour of Her Majesty’s First Student Society Minerva of Leiden. Again, in the past one had to have had a "committee" function at Minerva before being allowed or asked to play rugby