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Our HistoryA brief overview... During the 2001 rugby season, Helsinki and Jyväskylä were, and had been, the only two registered rugby teams in Finland. In an effort to develop the game from this situation, when the season drew to an end, three Helsinki players broke away and founded their own team, In October 2001, the ‘Espoo Rugby and Sports Club’ was established by Didier and Kaisu Rezé, and Roy Casey, who were joined by Michael Byars a week later. The board was quickly formed with Reze as Chairman and treasurer, Byars: Vice-Chairman and Casey as Secretary. The home field, it was decided, would be the ‘open’ field in Mätinkylä, Espoo, where practices twice a weekly soon began. Throughout the next few months the new club and its board ran on a ‘trial and error’ system. With recruitment for the club and teaching in schools throughout Espoo and neighbouring districts, the main idea was to introduce and educate the Finnish population about the universal sport of Rugby Union. In November of that year, the club went through three dramatic changes;  2002 brought a whole range of new surprises and trials. But, by and large, it saw the beginning of Finland’s first league, with five teams, Warriors in their first year came through in third place, first out of three new teams. The Warriors have as their credo the creation of a good atmosphere on and off the field for the betterment of rugby, fitness and sportsmanship. They are a team that is built on enthusiasm, love of the game and friendship amongst team mates, whom will stick together through blood sweat and tears. Although at it’s inception a little over 4 years ago the team was comprised mainly of expatriates of rugby-playing countries resident in Finland, native Finns, many of whom had never played rugby as little as eighteen months ago, form a the major part of our club. Quite a few of our team represented Finland in the past seasons. We continue to grow, and always welcome new and experienced male and female players. -The Warriors |
