![UC_DINOS_FULL_RGB_TRANSPARENTBG[396] (2)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/766ef7_b2f4181296fb46d58bf15cb195104f15~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_18,y_179,w_1438,h_1028/fill/w_216,h_152,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/UC_DINOS_FULL_RGB_TRANSPARENTBG%5B396%5D%20(2).png)
The Dinos Men's Rugby Program is a competitive club that competes in the Prairie University Championship League consisting of Mount Royal University, University of Lethbridge, University of Alberta, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan and UBC Okanagan.
Our program runs three squads (Black, Red, and Gold) which allows for a strong focus on player development while also maintaining a high level of competition for more seasoned players.
The fall semester is focused on 15's rugby leading up to the Prairie University Championship and the National University Men's Rugby Championship. In the winter the program competes in university 7's tournaments across the prairie provinces and trains indoors within the exceptional facilities at the University of Calgary.
The Dinos program also has a strong history of touring, having competed in England, Wales, Thailand, Scotland and the U.S.
A History of Championship Teams
Our program has a history of championship teams as the current prairies 15's and 7's champions.
University Prairie 15's Champions
2006 - 2019
University Prairie 7's Champions
2017 - 2019
Hindson Cup
Champions
2012, 2018, 2019
For a glimpse of our program see the video below...
Meet our Executive Team
Graham Selwood
Club President
Vinny McAuley
Head Coach
Every year at our AGM, current players are given the opportunity to nominate and vote for their new executive team. The majority of these roles are filled with current dinos players and the members voted in serve for one full year with the exception of the president, which is a bi-annually elected position. The executive team is responsible for keeping the club alive and well. The concept of putting the vote in the hands of the team and placing current players in charge of major club decisions is part of what makes the Dinos so special. It allows our club goals and decisions to always fall in line with our players' best interest and has built a culture of open communication and equality between our coaching staff, our executive team, and our players at every level.
The Stags
Rugby at the University of Calgary has a rich and storied past as the club was originally known as The Stags. In fact the Stags Rugby Club was the oldest sport club on campus. The Stags first played against the University of Alberta Golden Bears in 1960 in a game which spawned the annual Little Brown Jug competition starting in 1962 between the 2 campuses (see summary below). The Stags competed in the Calgary and Alberta rugby union leagues as well as competing against teams from the University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Victoria (UVic), University of Montana, University of Oregon and Oregon State. The Stag’s first big success was winning the Meraloma Tournament in Vancouver in 1969 going on to become a dominant force in the city and provincial competitions winning championships between 1969-1975.
The successes of the club resulted in many of the Stags playing representative rugby for Calgary and Alberta. Four Stags, Chas Burford, Lou Dryden, Ken Myhre and Bill Thomson went on to play for Canada and one, Scott Kelso played for the USA.
Not only did players gain recognition but the Stags coaching staff during those early years, Colin Lumby and Peter Reichenbach both university professors and later Lou Dryden provided great leadership and guidance. Peter Reichenbach also coached the Calgary and Alberta representative teams taking Alberta to its first national championship losing 7-3 to Ontario. The coaching was part of the strength of the Stags but also became part of the downfall when lack of support from the university led to a team without coaching and staff liaison forcing the club to fold in the mid ‘70s.
The presence of rugby on campus was sporadic for over 2 decades until finally in 1999, rugby returned to the university with the formation of a women’s rugby club and a men’s team in 2000. Since then, the club grew and on November 22nd, 2001, the University of Calgary Rugby Football Club (UCFRC) was officially formed with the election of an executive committee and a ratified constitution. Today the club competes under the Dinos moniker within the athletic department. Current student athlete players are "Dinos" but once a player graduates or leaves the club he becomes a "Stag" thus maintaining a strong link to the past.
Little Brown Jug
The Little Brown Jug competition is an annually contested trophy against the University of Alberta which began in 1962. Even though there are gaps when the teams did not play, it is safe to say the Jug is the oldest contested trophy on campus. The Little Brown Jug is a highly sought after trophy and is one of the most important games each year in the Dinos schedule.
Past Results
1962 Stags 8 Golden Bears 13
1963 Stags 9 Golden Bears 9
1964 Stags 13 Golden Bears 6
1965 Stags 27 Golden Bears 3
1966 Stags 30 Golden Bears 15
1967 Stags 13 Golden Bears 12
1968 Stags 27 Golden Bears 14
1969 Stags 65 Golden Bears 3
1970 Stags 32 Golden Bears 17
1971 Stags 24 Golden Bears 13
1972 Stags 24 Golden Bears 14
1973 to 1985 no games were played
1986 Stags 12 Golden Bears 21
1987 to 2000 no games were played
2001 UCRFC 17 Golden Bears 25
2002 UCRFC 17 Golden Bears 10
2003 UCRFC 29 Golden Bears 48
2004 UCRFC 29 Golden Bears 26
2005 UCRFC 0 Golden Bears 31
2006 UCRFC 53 Golden Bears 32
2007 UCRFC 5 Golden Bears 0 Default
2008 UCRFC 23 Golden Bears 15
2009 UCRFC 67 Golden Bears 7
2010 UCRFC 10 Golden Bears 0
2011 UCRFC 41 Golden Bears 17
Remembering Brian and Joah
In 2003, the University of Calgary Rugby Football Club and the rugby community tragically lost two members, Brian Collins and Joah Atkinson. In honour of their contributions, both on and off the pitch, an athletic award has been established in their name. Information on how to qualify for the award can be found HERE
Also, to continually remember Brian and Joah, annual memorial games are played in their honour. The men face Brian’s club team, the Saracens, with the women facing off against Joah’s club, the Irish.
Brian Collins
Brian was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He attended Bowness High School, and it was there that Brian began to develop his passion for rugby. Brian studied Political Science at the University and was the teams captain when he tragically passed. Brian played club for the Calgary Saracens RFC and was known as a warrior on the field and a humble, respected and gifted person with a knack for making anyone feel welcome. Brian will never be forgotten.
Joah Atkinson
Joah was born and raised in White Rock, B.C., a suburb of Vancouver. She began school at the university majoring in general studies with ambitions to venture into teaching. Joah played rugby for the Calgary Irish Women’s RFC where she made many lifelong friends. Her contagious smile and caring heart made her a favourite of anyone she met. Those who knew her considered themselves lucky. She will be forever missed.
Contact Us
For general inquiries about the Dinos rugby program you can contact us using the form below. If you are a prospective player, please use the recruitment form on our recruiting page.