Nashville Grizzlies RFC

Tennessee rugby club

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Nashville Grizzlies RFC

Name | Nashville Grizzlies Rugby Football Club
Mascot | Grizzly bear
Colors | Navy blue, maroon, & gold
Founded | 2006
Motto | Tecum Fratre
Sport | Rugby Union Football
Union | MidSouth Rugby Football Union
Website | www.GrizzliesRugby.org

Nashville Grizzlies RFC (Rugby Football Club) is a men's rugby union football club in Nashville, Tennessee. The club was formed in 2006 to bring the sport to typically under-represented populations (specifically gay men) although it welcomes anyone interested in the sport. The club is made up of approximately 90 members (as of March, 2011) consisting of both active players, as well as non-playing Auxiliary members.

## Competitions

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### Local

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The club competes locally within Division III of the MidSouth Rugby Football Union, a local area union within the USA Rugby South territorial union, itself part of USA Rugby.

### National/International

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The club is also a member club of the International Gay Rugby Association & Board (IGRAB), an umbrella organization for gay rugby clubs worldwide. As an IGRAB member, the club plays against other member clubs across the United States and internationally in one-on-one matches and in formal and informal tournaments.

In October 2010, the club played in the Hellfest tournament, hosted by the Dallas Diablos RFC. The team placed fourth out of a field of eight teams. May 2011 saw the Grizzlies competing in the Chicago Dragons Midwest Invitational tournament, placing fourth of seven teams. The team placed third of six teams in Spring Fever IGRAB Invitational Tournament hosted by the St. Louis Crusaders in March 2012.

The team has thrice competed in IGRAB's Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament (aka, the Bingham Cup), the gay rugby union world cup. Club members playing as part of the World Barbarians side won the Plate Division at the 2008 tournament in Dublin, Ireland.[1] The club traveled to Manchester, England for the 2012 Bingham Cup, placing 15th out of a field of 40+ teams. The Grizzlies were named the inaugural recipients of the Ben Cohen StandUp Award,[2] given "for outstanding team sportsmanship in the game of rugby" at the Manchester awards banquet.

In 2014 the team submitted a bid and won the honor of hosting the Bingham Cup in 2016.

## Social & Community Activities

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Like most rugby clubs, the Nashville Grizzlies conduct and participate in a number of activities off the pitch. After each home match, the club holds a Third Half social which is open to the public and the opposing side. Club nights are held each month at one of several local bars as both social/recruiting functions and fundraisers.

The club also holds an annual fun run and pub crawl (the Grizzlies Red Dress Rampage[3][4]) which is a joint fundraiser for the team and for Nashville's Belcourt Theatre. The team also works with the Nashville chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and each year sponsors a roller disco party in support of Nashville Pride.

## References

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1. ^ 2008 Bingham Cup[usurped], standings
2. ^ Ben Cohen StandUp Award, Award plaque & trophy
3. ^ Grizzlies Red Dress Rampage presented by Yazoo, official event website
4. ^ Seeing Red, Out & About Newspaper

## External links

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* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Inclusive Rugby Clubs

International Gay Rugby Association and Board \- Bingham Cup \- Union Cup

Argentina|

* Pampas Rugby
* Mendoza Huarpes

Australia|

* Adelaide Sharks
* Brisbane Hustlers
* Daylesford Dragons
* Melbourne Chargers
* Perth Rams
* Sydney Convicts

Belgium|

* Brussels Straffe Ketten

Canada|

* Armada Montréal
* Muddy York
* Ottawa Wolves
* Vancouver Rogues

Chile|

* Titanes Rugby

England|

* Berkshire Unicorns
* Birmingham Bulls
* Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents
* Bristol Bisons
* Chester Centurians
* Hull Roundheads
* Kings Cross Steelers
* Leeds Hunters
* Liverpool Tritons
* Manchester Village Spartans
* Newcastle Ravens
* Northampton Outlaws
* Reading Renegades
* Sheffield Vulcans
* South London Stags
* Typhoons RUFC
* Wessex Wyverns
* Westcountry Wasps RFC

France|

* La Mêlée Alpine
* Les Coqs Festifs
* Les Gaillards Parisiens
* Los Valents de Montpellier
* Rebelyons
* Tou'Win

Germany|

* Berlin Bruisers
* Cologne Crushers

Ireland|

* Emerald Warriors

Israel|

* Tel Aviv Ibex

Italy|

* Libera Rugby Roma
* Roosters Rugby 7

Japan|

* Dym-Rugby

Netherlands|

* Amsterdam Lowlanders

New Zealand|

* New Zealand Falcons

Northern Ireland|

* Belfast Azlans

Portugal|

* Lisbon Dark Horses

Scotland|

* Aberdeen Taexali
* Caledonian Thebans
* Dundee Jutes
* Dunfermline Knights
* Glasgow Alphas

South Africa|

* Blight
* Jozi Cats
* Wham Rugby

Spain|

* Els Dragons De La Mola
* Madrid Titanes

Sweden|

* Stockholm Berserkers

Switzerland|

* Zürich Rascals

United States|

* Atlanta Bucks
* Baltimore Flamingos
* Boston Ironsides
* Charleston Blockade
* Charlotte Royals
* Chicago Dragons
* Colorado RUSH
* Columbus Coyotes
* Columbus Kodiaks
* Dallas Diablos
* Dallas Lost Souls
* Gotham Knights
* Madison Minotaurs
* Minneapolis Mayhem
* Nashville Grizzlies
* New England Valkyries
* Philadelphia Gryphons
* Phoenix Storm
* Portland Lumberjacks
* St. Louis Crusaders
* San Diego Armada
* San Francisco Fog
* Seattle Quake
* Los Angeles Rebellion
* Washington Renegades
* Washington Scandals

Wales|

* BAF Praetorians
* Cardiff Lions
* Swansea Vikings

International|

* World Barbarians

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