BRFC announces highly experienced coaching team for 2010-2011
Berkeley RFC is delighted to welcome back the coaching team that had led us to great success in recent seasons. Our coaching panel is made of highly experienced rugby veterans from Argentina, New Zealand (two) and the USA who have had a long association with the club. Boasting over 100 years rugby experience between them, they will cater to players of all levels of experience, and provide excellent support for the growing numbers of BRFC players.
See the lineup here

Playoff participants for the fourth year in a row!!
Once again BRFC were a highly competitive force in the toughest D3 League in the nation.  9-2 BRFC made it through to the 3rd round of postseason play, just missing out on a trip to the national championships. 

BRFC now training on world class facilities
With the opening of the $7 million Gilman Sports complex, BRFC can boast the best training facilities of any Bay Area men's team - the same type of field as used by the NFL, MLB and at the All Blacks training facilities. Featuring state of the art all-weather turf, the fields ensure an even surface and great traction, excellent illumination, and the spacious fields are never closed for rain. Adjacent to the I-80, the field is convenient for players traveling to training from San Francisco and the greater East Bay area.  While other local teams are contending with dark, muddy and rained out fields over winter, the BRFC players will have a top class, safe and reliable training venue to hone their skills. 

Congratulations to the latest BRFC Rugby Internationals!!
Over the summer, founding BRFC forward Hector Iriate (23 caps) was re-selected to the Mexican national team, and competed in a IRB 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament. And BRFC scrum-half Zack Abbott (21 caps) competed with the USA team at the 2009 Maccabiah Games.  Zack is the 12th club member to earn national rep honors.

Team History: Berkeley RFC were founded in 2004, and complete in NCRFU Division III. In seven seasons the team has drawn together players from 41 different countries, including 12 players that have earned caps at a national level. BRFC field a competitive team, and a B side for part-time, rookie and social players. With a single training session each week, BRFC is a magnet for many players who no longer have the time to commit to the training and fitness demands required of upper-division teams yet still have the burning desire to get out on the field and enjoy the ethos and camaraderie unique to rugby. The club also provides great opportunity for new players to get exposed to this wonderful sport and to play alongside those who were born breathing rugby and a number of rookies have graduated on to achieve higher honors.

In 2005-2006 the team put together some good performances on the way to notching ten wins. After a summer tour to Mexico City, where Berkeley reached the semifinals of the Juanco 10s tournament, the team came within a whisker of winning the Thunderbird invitational (November: Arizona) after progressing to the playoffs as #1 seeds. Berkeley rounded out the season with a memorable roadtrip to the 30th Montana Maggotfest tournament.

BRFC had a successful 2007 League season, finishing second place in the Central Pool. BRFC advanced to playoffs, where they were knocked out by the 2006 National Champs, Mission - who continued on to the National finals. The Berkeley RFC B side team finished the season unbeaten, notching several comprehensive wins. Berkeley concluded their season by returning to Maggotfest (Missoula, Montanta April 26-29), as the 2007 Special Hosted Side, playing the Maggots on Thursday, rafting in Idaho on Friday, and then enjoying another memorable festival.

In 2008, BRFC collected 11 wins, going 8-1 against DIII sides. Their single league play loss was a 15-17 decision to the national champion team, with the failure to award the impeccable 80th-minute match winning kick still a point of conversation. They fielded a full B side team after every A side match, who notched a number of wins over other A-side teams. For the 3rd consecutive year, BRFC's path forward was cut off by a team that would continue on to the National Championship match, being knocked out of the post-season by eventual USA Champions Reno in a tight and very competitive playoff match. 45 BRFC players made the trip to Reno, and the two teams went full-throttle at each other showing some attacking and exciting rugby. Reno would go on to be a dominant force in D1 the following season, while BRFC would regroup from some heavy loss of experience to notch another succesful campaign in 2009, with some new blood helping to sweep the club once again into post-season play. The team built upon this in 2010 notching a 10-2 competitive record and making a strong post-season showing.

Berkeley also have a proud Boat Race record, and can boast of a 65-match, 4 1/2 season unbeaten streak. After regrouping from their single lifetime loss they have put together another multi-season unbeaten run.

Interested in playing with us? Contact us for information. We welcome serious, social, and rookie players throughout the greater Bay Area - of all ages and sizes - to join us in enjoying the worlds greatest game! 

Please support our sponsor pubs, the Missouri Lounge in Oakland, The Up & Under Rugby pub in Point Richmond, and our post match events are hosted by the Kezar Sports Bar in San Francisco. Offical brewer of the BRFC is Linden Street Brewery, Oakland's one and only brewhouse.  

Below: Gilman Sports Complex at Gilman and Buchanan in Berkeley