A Rich History of Rugby in Alberta
Rugby football has deep roots in Alberta, stretching back over 100 years. Alberta was still a district of the Northwest Territories when the sport first took hold, with no Canadian football in sight—only rugby.
The sport’s early days in the province set the stage for the thriving rugby community we see today!
A Journey Through History
Pirates Rugby throughout the Years
Introduction
Rugby, as we know it, perished in Edmonton at the time of the Great Depression. It was revived in the spring of 1953.
Men’s Rugby
After enjoying many years of success on the fields in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.
Women’s Rugby
Junior Rugby
In the beginning, the concept of having a junior program was as foreign to the Pirates.
Tours
The Pirates have gone on several tours through the decades, Winnipeg, Hawaii, Ireland, Kalispell, Saskatoon, etc.
Ellerslie Rugby Park
The start of a dream… the Pirates can well be proud of our efforts at developing this facility home of Edmonton Rugby.
Pirates Land
With the financial situation at Ellerslie becoming more stable and the member clubs having to bear less responsibility the Pirates were to invest into their own facilities.
Honorary Life Members
Volunteers
Any organization is only as strong as its volunteer force. Over the years, we’ve been blessed with dozens of volunteers.
Special Thanks
