CONDENSED HISTORY

The Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby Club is without a doubt the most successful Rugby club in the history of the Quebec Rugby Federation. Through the years the club has won more provincial championships than any other in the province. In addition, beyond the championships, the Club has been a place where athletes of all shapes, sizes, and abilities have found a competitive and fun environment to develop themselves and to learn the great game of Rugby.

THE EARLY YEARS: 1964 - 1980

Putting a date on the first Rugby game in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue and the precise origins of the club will always be difficult. With certainty however, we know the 

origins of the club to be Macdonald College. This is where a group of students

formed a Rugby team sometime around 1964. This seems like a good start date. As the years went by, the college team grew into a Club as the players graduated from Macdonald, but  continued to play the game under the Macdonald College colors.

 In the 1970's the Club continued to develop with leadership from Bill Tierney, and began calling itself the "Association Sportive de Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue." The first set of jerseys worn by the club was the distinctive gold "bras d'or" kit that was donated by the Brasserie Bellevue in Ste-Anne. Through these early years the club consisted of only one men's team. However, with the approach of the '80's, interest in the sport grew in Ste-Annes. The game was picked up by John Abbott College and the women's game both in John Abbott and Macdonald, began to develop.

THE '80's

In 1981 the club was officially incorporated as the "Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby 

Football Club" becoming an autonomous and independent entity in the Quebec Rugby Union, and providing a convenient date for all future anniversary celebrations. The early eighties were a period of explosive growth for the Club. By 1982 the club was fielding three men's teams and one women's team. In 1981 the Club won its first Men's first division title, the first of thirteen such titles that would see Ste-Anne's dominate the Quebec Rugby scene for the next 15 years. Much of what is now taken for granted as part of the Ste-Anne de- Bellevue Rugby tradition was laid down in the early eighties. 

The club first played with its now trademark white jerseys in 1982, although the old yellow bras d'or kit would continue to be worn by the third team well into the latter part of the decade.  A navy blue kit was also used and was worn by the lower division teams. It is now the color worn by the second teams on both the men's and women's sides.

In 1983 the club moved to its new grounds at Ecole St-Georges, where it still plays to this day. In 1986, the club took its first overseas tour with a trip to Wales, Ireland, and England. By any account, it laid the foundation for the Club's success over the next ten years. By the end of the eighties the club was firmly established as the most dominant in Quebec. At the close of the decade the first team had won six championships and the second team four. The women's team continued to develop and captured two provincial titles in the process, but much of their success would have to wait for the coming decade.

THE '90's

The early part of the '90's found the club at its most developed. Ste-Anne's was fielding four men's teams and two women's teams. Championships continued to roll in for the men's teams. In 1991, the club became the first in Quebec to sweep all three men's cups. The second team won their last title in 1993 for a total of six. The first division side won its last title in 2008 for a total of 13, but its greatest string of success was when the team won an amazing string of nine consecutive annual championships from 1986- 1994. It's a feat that will not likely be matched any time soon.

Players from overseas came to play at the Club. We remember the late Richard Tsimba, the first black player for Zimbabwe, who played in two Rugby World Cups; Tony Walker, an Australian,  who played professional Rugby in France; Greg Thaggard, a Fijian Sevens player who more recently has been coaching the Ottawa Harlequins in the RCSL; Peter Frances, a Welsh  international prop, who played fro Ste-Anne's while on his honeymoon; Martin Tsimba, Richard's brother; Andy Leitch from Cowbridge Wales; and, more recently, Irish and others..

The departure of many veteran players in the middle part of the decade strained the men's teams through the latter part of the '90's,  and by 1996 the Club was committed to rebuilding the men's program. The number of senior men's teams had shrunk to two. The decline in fortune of the men's teams was matched however, by the rise of the women's program to Provincial dominance. Through the '90's, the women's teams won six first division titles and established their own record with 5 consecutive titles from 1992 to 1996. The women's team would continue to develop and at the turn of the millennium they were again poised to regain provincial dominance.

THE 3rd MILLENIUM

The women's program has shone brightly as they have matched the Men's success in winning a total of 13 Provincial Cup championships including 2000 - 2002 and 2007 - 2008. At the start of this new era for the Club, fortunes are looking up once again. With the leadership of Jean-Marie Fontaine as President and the ageless Stone at the centre of all activities, a flood of  young, energetic members has rejuvenated the senior programs as the Club looks to recapture some of the spirit of its earlier days.

The Club embarked on only its second overseas tour in 2001, a return visit to Ireland and Wales. On this tour, however the 50+ strong tour group included both the men's and women's sides. it continues to fulfill it's mandate of being a fun and competitive environment for any athlete to learn and play the great game of Rugby football. 

By 2008, the Club was running three Men's teams, two women's teams and new emphasis was placed on Junior teams. Under the leadership of Mark Sibthorpe, junior flag and touch Rugby grew on the West Island to the benefit of all Clubs. Then, under Lee Bieber's influence, the Club's Saints Junior Women's program exploded onto the scene. Junior Men's teams were set up too, and Club members were influential in coaching local High School Rugby teams.

The attraction of the Club is easy to see. There are now traditions like the Club's formal Awards banquet which attracts well over 150 people every year; there are events like the Valentines' Day fundraiser, the fun poker nights, cross country ski tours to the Laurentians, carol singing, the Easter egg hunt, Halloween and the toy bazaar. There is charity work for the Ste-Anne's food bank and the toy duck release. There is even a third tour, this time to the warmth of Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.