Bond University Rugby Club
Full nameBond University Rugby Club
UnionQueensland Rugby Union
BranchQueensland Country
Gold Coast D.R.U.
Founded1996
(Gold Coast Breakers)

2013
(Bond University)
LocationVarsity Lakes
Ground(s)Bond University Field No.1
League(s)Queensland Premier Rugby
20041st
Team kit
Official website
bondrugby.com.au

The Bond University Rugby Club is an Australian rugby union football club that competes in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition. The club is based at the Bond University campus on Queensland's Gold Coast.[1]

Bond University entered into a partnership in 2013 with the Gold Coast Breakers team that had played in the Premier Rugby competition since 1997.[2] After the Breakers disbanded following the 2013 season, a restructured club under the Bond University name was established for the 2014 season.[1]

History

The Gold Coast Eagles, who became the founding club of the GCDRU, played one season in the Brisbane first grade premiership in 1968 before returning to the Queensland Sub-district competition.[3] Almost three decades passed before a Gold Coast team played in the first grade premiership again.

Gold Coast Breakers

In the 1990s, a group of businessmen including Terry Jackman and former Wallaby Greg Cornelsen approached the QRU about forming a team on the Gold Coast to join the first grade premiership. The aim was to cater for the talented local players who were commuting to Brisbane to play in the stronger competition. The Gold Coast Breakers team was established in 1996 as an offshoot from the Gold Coast District Rugby Union. The Breakers joined the QRU first grade competition in 1997,[4] and won the premiership in 2004 under the coaching guidance of Alec Evans.[5]

At the start of the 2013 season, the Breakers entered into a partnership with Bond University, with access to the university's high-performance sports facilities and sports fields. The club relocated to the Bond campus at Varsity Lakes in 2013.[2]

Bond University

The Bond University Rugby Club was established in 2013. After a reduction in funding from the Australian Rugby Union to the premier clubs following the 2013 season,[6][7] the Gold Coast Breakers were forced to disband.[8] The team was reformed under the Bond University name, with about three-quarters of the players from the Breakers joining with Bond in a revamped structure for the 2014 Premier Rugby season.[8]

Premiership finals results

Gold Coast Breakers kit and logo (early 2010s)

Gold Coast Breakers (1997–2013)

Premiers (Hospital Challenge Cup)
Runners-Up (Vince Nicholls Memorial Trophy)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Bond University Rugby club launches into elite competition". Bond University. 26 March 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Grego, Dominique (19 March 2013). "Bond University Breakers' season kicks off". Gold Coast Breakers Rugby. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  3. ^ Sinclair, Bob. "A Brief History". Gold Coast & District Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Gold Coast Rugby Club". QRU. 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Hall of Fame Shortlist: Alec Evans". Queensland Rugby. 2013. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. ^ Brand, Anthony (2 October 2014). "'Rays quit Premier Rugby Stingrays opt to call it quits". Sunshine Coast Daily. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  7. ^ Taylor, Nick (21 June 2013). "Force to field team in third-tier competition". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  8. ^ a b Meyn, Travis (20 March 2014). "Breakers bust up forms a new bond for the Gold Coast to play top-tier rugby". Gold Coast Bulletin. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014.

External links

Queensland Rugby Union
Sporting teams based on the Gold Coast
Categories