History of the Club

The Denver Harlequins Rugby Football Club came to life in 1970 as the Denver Barristers, recognizing the legal background of most of the players. Many of them were attorneys; most of them simply had legal problems.

While enjoying success as the Barristers, the demographics of the team changed as they absorbed many of the players from the Mile High RFC. As a smaller percentage were lawyers (although the legal problems didn’t change…), the team decided to rename themselves. Reflecting his happy-go-lucky nature, former Green Beret Ray Dissinger proposed the name “Harlequins”.

In 1974, when the Aspen Ruggerfest served as the de facto national championships, the Denver Harlequins came in second, losing to the Bay Area Touring Side (BATS) out of San Francisco. It was the mark of a club on the rise.

The Denver Harlequins merged with the Littleton RFC in 1976, and the rest is history. Club colors are scarlet red and royal blue from the Harlequins, with grey accents recognizing Littleton RFC.

As a traditional powerhouse in Colorado Club Rugby, the Quins have represented the Rocky Mountain Rugby Union (formerly known as the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union) throughout the United States and internationally.

We are strong competitors on the field, in the pub, and in our community, aggressively bringing rugby and its values of fitness, athleticism and tradition to Denver. We tour actively and compete nationwide in the USA Rugby playoffs.

Our Legacy

  • 2014 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Division 3 Runner Up

    2013 – Western Rugby Football Union Division 3 Championships Third Place

    2013 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Division 3 Champions

    2013 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Division 2 Runner Up

    2006 – Western Rugby Football Union Championships Third Place

    2005 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Division 2 Runner Up

    2005 – Western Rugby Football Union Championships Fourth Place

    2004 – Western Rugby Football Union Championships Sixth Place

    2004 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Division 2 Runner Up

    2003 – USA Rugby Sweet Sixteen – Fourth Place

    2003 – Western Rugby Football Union Runner Up

    2003 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions

    2002 – Western Rugby Football Union Seventh Place

    2002 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions

    2001 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Runner Up

    1998 – Western Rugby Football Union Second Place

    1998 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions

    1997 – Western Rugby Football Union Third Place

    1997 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions

    1987 – National Western 7’s Runner Up

    1977 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions (Miller Cup)

    1977 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union B-Side Champions (Stuart Harris Cup)

    1976 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Runner Up (Oly Cup)

    1975 – Eastern Rockies Rugby Union Champions (Oly Cup)

  • 2023 – NashBash Social Division Runner Up

    2019 – Ibiza 10s Runner Up

    2018 – Stockholm 10s Runner Up

    2014 – Santa Barbara Sevens Social Division Runner Up

    2014 – Denver Summer Sevens Runner Up

    2014 – Aspen Sevens Runner Up

    2013 – Santa Barbara Sevens Social Division Runner Up

    2003 – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (Breckenridge, CO) Winner

    2002 – High Desert Rugby Classic (Albuquerque, NM) Winner

    1997 – 12th Annual Cowtown Classic (Ft Worth, TX) Runner Up

    1978 – Austin Texas Rugby Tournament Champions

    1974 – Aspen Ruggerfest Runner Up

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