History
The Victorian Rugby Union was first instituted after provincial sides were formed to play touring English by the Melbourne Rugby Club in 1888. In 1894 the fledgling union opened official dialogue to begin intercolonial matches against NSW. Victoria won the first game 3-0.
The VRU union became defunct in the late 1890s but was re-established in 1908 to play a practice match against the Wallabies departing for an English tour. The representative Victorian side wore blue and gold, and lost 26-6 in front of 1500 people at the MCG.
The VRU administers the oldest club rugby competition in Australia. The 102-year old Dewar Shield, comprising 10 teams, was donated by scotch whisky manufacturers John Dewar & Sons in 1909, to commemorate the Union's inauguration.
The ten teams that play for the Shield in the domestic Premier League are:
- Melbourne (based in Prahran)
- Power House (Albert Park)
- Harlequin (Ashwood)
- Booroondara (Hawthorn)
- Melbourne University
- Box Hill
- Endeavour Hills
- Moorabbin
- Southern Districts (Frankston)
- Footscray
An additional eight teams play in lower divisions:
- Cerberus/Navy
- Wyndham City (Werribee)
- Northern (Reservoir)
- Eltham
- Maroondah (Croydon)
- Geelong
- Monash University
- Warnambool
Read more about this topic: Victorian Rugby Union
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