Hamilton's Rugby Club

Hamilton, aka Hammies, was founded in 1875 and recognized as being the oldest rugby club in South Africa. Although rugby was played spasmodically in the Cape earlier than 1875, a game was played on Green Point common between Mother Country vs Colonial Born.

It came into being in March 1875 at a meeting convened by W Nightingale who hailed from Scotland. A number of enthusiasts attended in the offices of Messrs Hamilton Ross & Co in Cape Town. This meeting also decided the name of Hamilton Football Club which is derived from Nightingales club in Scotland, founded in 1868 and which ultimately went over to professional soccer.

The clubs first uniform was that of the Scottish club from which Hamilton Football Club was named ... which jersey with a scarlet diagonal sash from right shoulder to waist with a scarlet Maltese Cross on the left breast. The clubs colors changed when Hamilton Football Rugby Club and Sea Point Rugby Football Club amalgamated in 1910 and finally in 1914 into current colors of red, black and yellow in three wide bands.

The inception of the Grand Challenge was in 1883 and is still competed for today. Hamiltons most successful period was the mid 1940s when the club entered 12 teams in various competitions, with a playing staff of over 300.