{{Short description|Australian rugby union club, based in Sydney}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox rugby team | teamname = Balmain | fullname = Balmain Rugby Club | image = Balmain Rugby Club logo.png | imagesize = 90px | nickname = ''Muzzled Wolves'' | location = Balmain, Sydney, Australia | founded = {{start date and age|2005}} | ground = Billy Murdoch Field, Glover Street, Lilyfield | capacity = 5.000 | league = NSWSRU | season = 2015 | position = <!--1st--> | url = https://www.balmainrugby.com/ | pattern_la1= _thin_blackhoops | pattern_b1= _thin_blackhoops | pattern_ra1= _thin_blackhoops | pattern_so1= _hoops_black | leftarm1=ffcc00 | body1=ffcc00 | rightarm1=ffcc00 | shorts1=000000 | socks1=ffcc00 }} The '''Balmain Rugby Football Club''' is an Australian rugby union football club, based in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales. The original club established in 1873 is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Australia.<ref name = balmain-hist/><ref name = oldest-2013/> Balmain was one of the founding members in 1874 of the Southern Rugby Union,{{sfn|Mulford|2005a|page=22}} later renamed the New South Wales Rugby Union, which was the first governing body for the sport in the Southern Hemisphere.{{sfn|Mulford|2005a|pages=20–21}} Billy Murdoch, who would later go on to captain the Australian cricket team,<ref name = adb-1974/> was Balmain's first captain,<ref name = evening-news-1894/> and he represented the club at the Southern Rugby Union's formation.
Over the years, Balmain has provided several players who have represented Australia in international rugby, including Bob Craig,<ref name = smh-1935/> Robert Graves,<ref name = singleton-1907/> and Herbert Moran,<ref name = ddrfc-hist/> who was captain of the 1908 Australian side and served as Balmain's president in 1911–12. Bill McKell who would later become Australia's Governor General also played for Balmain in 1909–10.<ref name = balmain-hist/>
More recently, international players including Wallabies Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Matt Dunning and Ryan Cross, and French representative Sébastien Chabal have all played for the club run by Warren Livingstone,<ref name = dt-2013/> re-established in 2005.<ref name = balmain-hist/>
Balmain currently competes in the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union competition and won the first grade premiership Kentwell Cup in 2013, shared with St Patrick's Rugby Club after a 33-all extra-time draw.<ref name = nswsu-2013/> The club won the Kentwell Cup two years later with a 43–29 win over Knox in the 2015 Grand Final.<ref name=subbies-ar-2015/>
==Bibliography== {{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |year=2005a |first=John G. |last=Mulford |title=Guardians of the Game: The History of the New South Wales Rugby Union 1874-2004 |publisher=ABC Books |url=http://browseinside.harpercollins.com.au/index.aspx?isbn13=9780733316258 |isbn=0-7333-1625-5 |archive-date=19 January 2015 |access-date=19 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119234124/http://browseinside.harpercollins.com.au/index.aspx?isbn13=9780733316258 |url-status=dead }} * {{cite book |year=2005b |first= John G.|last=Mulford |title= Men in scarlet: history of the Balmain, Glebe and Drummoyne Rugby clubs 1874-2004 |publisher= John Mulford MacMasters Beach, N.S.W |isbn=0-646-44931-1 }} * Pollard, Jack: ''Australian Rugby: The game and the players''. (1994) Pan Macmillan. ISBN 0-330-35619-4 {{refend}}
==References== {{Reflist |colwidth=25em |refs=
<ref name = evening-news-1894>{{cite web |date= 27 June 1874 |title= News of the Day |work= Evening News |page=2 |access-date= 29 August 2014 |url= http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107139449}} </ref>
<ref name = adb-1974>{{cite web |year= 1974 |first= Christopher |last= Morris |title= Murdoch, William Lloyd (Billy) (1854–1911) |work= Australian Dictionary of Biography |volume= 5 |pages= 314–315 |publisher= MUP |access-date= 19 September 2014 |url= https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murdoch-william-lloyd-billy-4272 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121011194022/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murdoch-william-lloyd-billy-4272 |archive-date= 11 October 2012}} </ref>
<ref name = oldest-2013>{{cite web |first= Sean |last= Fagan |date= 30 December 2013 |title= What are Australia's oldest Rugby clubs? |work= The Roar |url= http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/06/12/what-are-australias-oldest-rugby-clubs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160915053108/http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/06/12/what-are-australias-oldest-rugby-clubs/ |archive-date= 15 September 2016 }} <!-- {{cite web| |first= Sean |last= Fagan |date= 30 December 2013 |title= Who are Australia’s oldest Rugby clubs? |url= http://saintsandheathens.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/australias-oldest-rugby-clubs/ |archiveurl= http://archive dot is/a9Qhu |work= Saints and heathens |accessdate= 19 September 2014 }} --> </ref>
<ref name = smh-1935>{{cite web |date= 6 March 1935 |title= Noted Footballer. Death of R.R. Craig |work= Sydney Morning Herald |page=18 |access-date= 29 August 2014 |url= http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17143224}} </ref>
<ref name = singleton-1907>{{cite web |date= 10 August 1907 |title= Football in Sydney |work= Singleton Argus |page=4 |access-date= 29 August 2014 |url= http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79605242}} </ref>
<ref name = balmain-hist>{{cite web |title= Club History |publisher= Balmain Rugby |access-date= 21 May 2014 |url= http://www.balmainrugby.com/about-us/club-history/ |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140425024719/http://www.balmainrugby.com/about-us/club-history/ |archive-date= 25 April 2014}} </ref>
<ref name = ddrfc-hist>{{cite web |title= Club History |publisher= DDRFC |access-date= 21 May 2014 |url= http://www.drummoynerugby.com.au/SNR/About/default.asp |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140126073634/http://drummoynerugby.com.au/SNR/About/default.asp |archive-date= 26 January 2014}} </ref>
<ref name=dt-2013>{{cite web |date=30 September 2013 |first=Iain |last=Payten |title=Balmain positioning themselves for opportunity at proposed third tier of Australian rugby |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=21 May 2014 |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/balmain-positioning-themselves-for-opportunity-at-proposed-third-tier-of-australian-rugby/story-fnii0ksb-1226723055776 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116134145/http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/balmain-positioning-themselves-for-opportunity-at-proposed-third-tier-of-australian-rugby/story-fnii0ksb-1226723055776 |archive-date=16 January 2014 }} </ref>
<ref name = nswsu-2013>{{cite web |title= St Pats and Balmain crowned joint Kentwell Cup Premiers |publisher= NSW Rugby |access-date= 29 September 2013 |url= http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/News/NewsArticle/tabid/157/ArticleID/10249/St-Pats-and-Balmain-crowned-joint-Kentwell-Cup-Premiers.aspx |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140317054743/http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/News/NewsArticle/tabid/157/ArticleID/10249/St-Pats-and-Balmain-crowned-joint-Kentwell-Cup-Premiers.aspx |archive-date= 17 March 2014 }} </ref>
<ref name=subbies-ar-2015>{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Annual Report |page=12 |publisher=NSW Suburban Rugby Union |url=https://admin.fusesport.com/_uploads/res/132_11034.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810221845/https://admin.fusesport.com/_uploads/res/132_11034.PDF |archive-date=10 August 2016 }}</ref> }}
== External links == * {{official website}}
{{NSWSRU}}
Category:Rugby union teams in Sydney Category:Rugby clubs established in 1873 Category:1873 establishments in Australia Category:Balmain, New South Wales