HBS Rugby began in the fall of 1963. Prior to the team's founding, the Harvard Business School sporting culture was dominated by softball, bowling, and ping-pong. Dissatisfied with these options, two Scottish MBA students, Jim Johnstone '65 and Morris McInnes '65, founded the HBS Rugby Club.
Through advertisements, coercion and the promise of female spectators, the first contingent of forty or so interested men began to train at Soldiers Field. Despite the negative advice of the HBS Dean of Students and an attempt to merge the HBS side with the Harvard College side by force, Johnstone and McInnes persevered. The spring 1964 record of 5-2-1 was the harbinger of a glorious tradition of Eastern rugby strength, melding American athletes with the rugby culture of international players.
Since its inception, more than 1500 men have played for HBS Rugby.
Old Boys
An HBS Old Boys touring side formally began with a trip to the Freeport Bahamas Easter Festival in 1978. The Club was initially organized by Rowland Moriarty with Michael Rush and Eugene Skowronski assisting in the early days. In 2007, the Old Boys traveled to the World Cup Rugby frenzy in France and completed their thirtieth annual tour with two matches in Provence. In 2008, Grand Cayman Island was the scene for rugby plays and stingrays. The Fall of 2011 found us at the World Cup in New Zealand. Spring, 2012, we played in Bermuda. In June, 2013, the OB's travel to France. Other HBS ruggers have also toured the globe and play for various local sides throughout the world. October 2015 featured a tour to the UK for the Rugby World Cup, and in 2019 the HBS Olde Boys toured Japan in conjunction with the 2019 World Cup in Japan, playing two games vs Keio University and Doshisha University.
