Wanderers Rugby Football Club are the foundation club of the Newcastle Rugby Union (NRU) revival in 1925.
Founded by a small yet enthusiastic group of players and administrators, many of whom had played schoolboy rugby with either Newcastle Boys' High or private colleges in Sydney, the majority of the club's founding members had played the previous season under the banner of the GPS Old Boys. Use of the Wanderers name is synonious with oldboy teams from GPS schools. Research indicates that "Wanderers" was was adopted by the original GPS Oldboys in 1925 when they amalgamated with a group of similar background. Wanderers RFC stopped playing midseason in 1939 due to a lack of players due to WWII committments and reformed in 1941. The reformed club consisted of players of similar background to the original founders and adopted the original jersey design of Sky Blue with Royal Blue.
Wanderers established their Junior Club in 1945 and has since that time been recognised as a leading junior rugby club in the Newcastle and Hunter region.
Wanderers Women’s Rugby was established as part of our senior Rugby operation in 2000. The women’s team has consistently maintained a quality of rugby and results consistent with the legacy estalished the founders of Wanderers. Wanderers is undoubtedly the most successful women's rugby Club, achieving 17 Grand Finals, 11 Minor Premierships, 9 Major Premierships & the only Club to achieve 3 consecutive Premierships.
Founded by a small yet enthusiastic group of players and administrators, many of whom had played schoolboy rugby with either Newcastle Boys' High or private colleges in Sydney, the majority of the club's founding members had played the previous season under the banner of the GPS Old Boys. Use of the Wanderers name is synonious with oldboy teams from GPS schools. Research indicates that "Wanderers" was was adopted by the original GPS Oldboys in 1925 when they amalgamated with a group of similar background. Wanderers RFC stopped playing midseason in 1939 due to a lack of players due to WWII committments and reformed in 1941. The reformed club consisted of players of similar background to the original founders and adopted the original jersey design of Sky Blue with Royal Blue.
Wanderers established their Junior Club in 1945 and has since that time been recognised as a leading junior rugby club in the Newcastle and Hunter region.
Wanderers Women’s Rugby was established as part of our senior Rugby operation in 2000. The women’s team has consistently maintained a quality of rugby and results consistent with the legacy estalished the founders of Wanderers. Wanderers is undoubtedly the most successful women's rugby Club, achieving 17 Grand Finals, 11 Minor Premierships, 9 Major Premierships & the only Club to achieve 3 consecutive Premierships.
THe centenary chronicle
The Wanderers centenary chronicle is contained in Volume 1 and Volume 2, including the associated chapters listed below. Further refinement, formatting and inclusion of photographs will continue likely into the latter half of 2023 given the large volume of material available.
The chronicle provides validated research that will be used to write a centenary publication. This is on schedule for completion by late June 2023. The publication outline can be viewed using this link.
Please use the centenary contact form to let us know if you have any material that can be incorporated into the chronicle. The next job is the games played records!
Stalwarts and Family Connections
Watering Holes
Wandering Wanderers (Tours)
Women's Rugby & Netball
Junior Rugby
Wanderers Dwellings (Home Grounds)
Representative Players (seniors only, other reps are within their respective chapter)
History Database
The chronicle provides validated research that will be used to write a centenary publication. This is on schedule for completion by late June 2023. The publication outline can be viewed using this link.
Please use the centenary contact form to let us know if you have any material that can be incorporated into the chronicle. The next job is the games played records!
Stalwarts and Family Connections
Watering Holes
Wandering Wanderers (Tours)
Women's Rugby & Netball
Junior Rugby
Wanderers Dwellings (Home Grounds)
Representative Players (seniors only, other reps are within their respective chapter)
History Database
