History of the Huns

The Austin Huns Rugby Football Club was founded in 1972 as a result of the second side of the Austin Rugby Club breaking away in order to establish their own team. At that time in Texas, there were not very many teams playing Rugby and the Golds, Austin Rugby Club’s second side, often found itself playing the Blacks, Austin Rugby Club’s first side. These intra-team games were among the most brutal ever in the history of Texas Rugby. While still the Golds, the Huns won the Austin Rugby Tournament in 1972 and decided it was time to found a new team.

Since 1972, the Huns have consistently put together strong sides and have regularly competed in the Texas Rugby Union Championships. Furthermore, in 1993, the Austin Huns advanced to the Men’s Division II National Championships, in Mobile, Alabama, by winning both the TRU Championships and the Western Rugby Union Championships. In March 2004, the Austin Huns won its second Texas Rugby Union Championship, and eventually reached the USA Rugby Division II Sweet 16. In 2016, the Huns partnered with Huns Rugby Management to contract players in a move towards professionalism. In 2017 the Austin Huns won the USA Rugby Division 1 Men’s Championship.

The Huns have built a reputation for hosting first-class rugby events. The Huns’ Bloodfest 7s Tournament is the premier sevens tourney in Texas, and was the first ever Western RFU Super-Regional Qualifier.  In 1994, the Huns hosted the Division II Championship tournament at Zilker Park, and in 1995 the Huns hosted the Division I and Division II Championships also at Zilker Park. The club also hosted the 2002 & 2003 USA U-19 Girls Elite Camp at its Burnet Middle School training facility.

Over the years, the Huns have maintained a tradition of tough and scrappy rugby while always exemplifying the solidarity and camaraderie of a true team. The Huns have embarked on several foreign tours.  In addition to those memorable trips to play the Laredo Bandido’s, the Austin Huns have toured England and Scotland (1995), Australia (1996),  the Cayman Islands (1999), and Wales (2002).

Huns come from all walks of life and all parts of the world as well.  Players from Australia, Canada, China, England, Fiji, France, Guam, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Rwanda, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa, Trinidad, Uruguay, Wales, and Zimbabwe have all proudly worn the black, blue, and white Huns’ jersey.  Several Huns have earned representative honors with the Texas Select and the Western Select Sides.

Accomplishments:

• TRU Division II-A Champions: 1993, 1995, 2004

• TRU Division II-A Finalist: 2005

• TRU Division II-A Semi-Finalist: 1983, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2003

• TRU Division II-B Finalist: 2000, 2004, 2005

• Western RFU Division II Champions: 1993

• Western RFU Division II Finalist: 1995, 2004

• National Division II Sweet 16: 2004

• National Division II Championship Semi-Finalist: 1993

• Hosts of the 1994 Division II National Championships

• Hosts of the 1995 Division I and II National Championships

• Hosts of the USA U-19 Girls Elite Camp: 2002, 2003, 2004

• Hosts of the first ever Western RFU Super-Regional 7s Qualifier

• 2017 USA RUGBY DIVISION 1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

• 2020 TRU D1 XVs Champions 

• 2018, 2019, 2021 TRU 7s TOLA Champions 

• 2021 USA Rugby 7s Championships 5th Place Overall

Hun Headlines- 1992