Harlequins

History of Harlequins Rugby

Harlequins Rugby Club is one of the oldest and most historic in the English game. The club was founded way back in 1886 as The Hampstead Football Club and was even a founding member of the Rugby Football Union.

The club was only known as The Hampstead Football Club for four years. This is because, in 1867, a disagreement caused half of the club's membership to leave and form Wasps Rugby Club. As the membership was no longer purely local, the team decided to change their name but keep the monogram HFC. Harlequins Rugby Club was then formed (officially as Harlequin Football Club) and the team has been known by this name ever since.

Fast-forward to the creation of the league system in 1987 and Harlequins Rugby Club thrived in the more competitive environment. They won the John Player Cup in 1988 and the side also went on to win the Pilkington Cup in 1991. 

This was a golden period for the Harlequins rugby team, who also appeared in the 1992 and 1993 finals of the competition. In fact, the Harlequins rugby team was so competitive during this period that eight Harlequins rugby players featured in the 1991 Rugby World Cup final.

In the professional era of rugby union, Harlequins have only ever been relegated from the Premiership on one occasion. Plus, even when the side was relegated in the 2004-05 season, they bounced back at the first attempt. They dominated National Division 1 (now the RFU Championship), claiming 121 points across the season. Since then, the team has won the Premiership Rugby title twice, in 2011-12 and 2020-21. 

Harlequins have also been highly successful while representing England on the European stage. Since 2000, they've won the EPCR Challenge Cup on three occasions and they have finished in the runners-up spot once.

However, it's important to say that Harlequins have also been wrapped-up in controversy over the years. In 2009, the Harlequins rugby team was embroiled in the 'bloodgate scandal' when the side faked a blood injury in the Heineken Cup (European Rugby Champions Cup) so they could use an additional tactical substitution. 

Upon investigation, it was found that Harlequins Rugby Club had used this tactic on four previous occasions. Although the team narrowly avoided being thrown out of the competition, they were fined and several of those involved were suspended.

Today, Harlequins have put these controversies behind them and the team regularly reaches the knockout stages of the Premiership Rugby season while competing admirably in both the EPCR Challenge Cup or the European Rugby Champions Cup. Their next piece of silverware can’t be too far away.