The Detroit RFC was founded in 1968 and is one of the first established rugby clubs in the State of Michigan. The original seven founders were Detroiters who had been crossing the Detroit River to Windsor, Canada to play the game as members of the Walkerville Borderers. The club originally went under the nickname of the Detroit “Cobras” since most of the players were Ford Motor Company engineers working on the design of the Cobra sports car.

In the first ten years of its existence the club trained and played home fixtures on the fields at Belle Isle, hosting visiting clubs from all over the State of Michigan and the Midwest. In 1978, with club growth and changing demographics, the club moved training and fixtures to Farwell Field, then determined to be a central location for the Detroit metropolitan area.

Since our humble beginnings, over 1,500 players have proudly worn Detroit’s colors of black, red and gold. About half of these players came to the club from all over the world with varying rugby experience. The other half had their introduction to rugby and played their first games in a Detroit RFC uniform.

The Detroit Rugby Football Club empowers our diverse community through Rugby Union. Our mission is to grow and offer rugby to Detroit and its surrounding areas. We foster personal growth through sportsmanship, teamwork, and a strong community spirit. We uphold the game's spirit while inspiring members to reach their full potential on and off the field, contributing to the sport's growth among local youth.