Club History
1976
Club Rugby in the Moscow-Pullman region of Idaho and Washington has a rich history and bright future. It all started back in 1976 the the creation of the Blue Mountain Rugby men’s team. Blue Mountain competed against some of the best teams in the Inland Northwest. Unfortunately, in 2010 the club disbanded.
2012
Larson Hicks, who played rugby in college, decided to revive rugby on the Palouse. His attempts to contact Blue Mountain having failed, he started a new men’s rugby team - the Moscow Magpies - and recruited a bunch of his friends and former college teammates to play. The Magpies competed in friendly matches against club teams from the University of Idaho and Washington State University. But Hicks also wanted an opportunity for his sons to play rugby. So, that fall he also started the first youth rugby program on the Palouse and persuaded a few of his teammates, Curtis Spencer and Austin Anderson, to help coach.
2014
Larson and several other key members of the men’s team moved away and the men's team did not have enough players to continue playing. However, Curtis and Austin remained active in the sport, organizing weekly men’s touch rugby games, and continued to grow the youth program. What had started with a handful of boys had grown to around 40 boys in two age groups.
2016
After a couple years of continued grown in the youth club and a renewed interest in re-starting a men’s team, Moscow Rugby Football Club was officially established and the men’s team was renamed to the Moscow Mules. Touch rugby games regularly turned out 12-15 players, including players from the University of Idaho and Washington State University. The youth program adds its first
2017
The men’s team has gained significant traction and hosts it first sevens tournament in Moscow, with teams from Spokane and University of Idaho.
2018
Moscow Rugby creates a U19 7s team and competes in it’s first youth tournament in Sandpoint, ID in the spring of 2019. The mens team combines with Spokane to compete in PNARFU.
2021
Moscow’s youth rugby program nearly doubles in size from the fall 2020 season, reaching over 100 players for the first time, and fields its first 15s side, competing in the Cascade Rugby Union.
2023
Moscow Rugby doubles in size again, with over 200 registered players between the the men’s and youth programs. The men’s team fields its own 15s side and switches to competing in the Montana Rugby Union. Moscow U19 places second in the Cascade Rugby Union and multiple players are selected for the Cascade Selects side, playing with the Loggers in tournaments across Canada.
2024
Moscow Rugby continues to grow. The men’s team finishes 6th in the MRU and the U19 team notches another second place finish in the Cascade Rugby Union.