SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Saint Louis University Rugby
SLU Men's Rugby Club was founded in 1957 and is recognized as one of the premier club sports at Saint Louis University. The club has continued to develop skilled players over the years who have gone on to contribute to successful men’s clubs throughout the country.
The SLU Rugby CLub is the oldest active collegiate mens club in the Missouri Rugby Football Union and competes in the Western Rugby Football Union and USA Rugby's Collegiate Division 2.
In the early 1990’s SLU Rugby had already sent many former players on to prominent playing careers with area man’s clubs such as the St. Louis Falcons, St, Louis Bombers, and the St. Louis Ramblers, as it grew in popularity and esteem both on campus and amongst these local area clubs. Coached by Bill Brandt, SLU teams of the early 90’s began dominating local competitions, setting the framework for the continued success SLU Rugby sees today.
Since 1996, SLU has won the Missouri Union Langenberg Cup Championship six times and has participated in five Western Territorial Championships, placing 4th in DI in 1996, 6th in DII in 2002, 3rd in DII in 2009, and 1st in 2010. After the MRFU dismantled the Langenberg Cup, SLU rugby won the MRFU in 2005, 2009, 2010. During that timeframe the boys can also boast top-4 finishes in the Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Tournament, St. Louis Ruggerfest, Carbondale All Fools, Heart of America, and a number of other regional competitions. Our most recent tournament success came in Western Rugby Football Union DII Tournament in 2010, SLU Rugby took home first place and earned a spot in USA Rugby's elite 8. Bill “Binky” Brandt became somewhat of a Rugby Icon over the course of his career. After graduating from the University of Iowa where he played tight-end for the Hawkeyes’ gridiron squad for three years, Bill took up the game of rugby and soon became a stalwart in the front row for the storied Gentlemen of Aspen in the mid 1970’s. After a number of successful seasons in Colorado, Bill moved to St. Louis in 1981 and started coaching the St. Louis Druids at the high school level. In the height of a successful run at HS National Tournament appearances, Bill decided to make it his goal to make Saint Louis University Rugby into a competitive club on the national level. He took over the club in the late 1980’s, and never looked back. Bill was the backbone of a program rich with tradition and success, and gave everything he had to the game of rugby, and to the men who are honored enough to have played for him. The Druids, under Bill's leadership, achieved high levels of success throughout the years. At the National HS Tournament, they earned second place in 1988 and third in 1989 and 1991. They had only failed to reach the National Tournament three times in his 15 years as coach. Coach Brandt was a tremendous influence on the lives of countless young men over his 15 years as coach. A great role model and leader, Bill was like a father to many of his players. His death in 2004 abruptly ended the life of a man who gave so much to the rugby community here in St. Louis and deeply sadened everyone involved with Saint Louis University rugby. Coach Brandt always worked hard to drive SLU Rugby towards the ultimate goal of every student athlete to ever come through the program: to gain a bid to the National Championships. We will always remember Bill wherever we play and in whatever we do.
2010 Western Champions - Baton Rouge, LA
Drawing from a strong winning traditions passed on throughout the decades by the alumni and the University, the Saint Louis University Rugby Club continually strives for success at the highest levels of athletic competition, creating an environment in which it's student-athletes can develop both as rugby players and as men for others.
Coach Bill Brandt
On Wednesday, July 14, 2004 the St. Louis University Rugby Club lost a long-time coach, mentor, and friend.
