Harlequin History
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.
Championships:
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)
Trophies and Tournaments:
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
