Williams College Rugby Football

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The Williams Women's Rugby Football Club (WWRFC) and the Williams Rugby Football Club (WRFC) are intercollegeiate club sports teams at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. The men's club was founded in 1958 by H. Peter Pearson. The teams have a history of promoting comaraderie and friendship among participants in the competitive (Women's Division I, Men's Division II) intercollegiate club sport. Within the Williams community, the teams provide a valuable alternative for those who wish to be athletically active at Williams, but for whom there is no obvious position on a varsity sports team. Rugby has also become a popular off-season activity for many varsity athletes as well, and is particularly accessible to non-habitual athletes regardless of their level of rugby experience. Beyond the sport itself, the teams endeavor to foster a sense of community for participants and to provide a safe social environment not only for the players on the team but for the Williams community as a whole, enriching the lives of a multitude of students at the College.

[edit] Team Colors and Motto

When Williams students chose to form a rugby team, the College refused to honor the team, and therefore the team looked for international sponsorship. The Old Millhillians in England sent their jerseys, and hence the new colors of the rugby team became claret and gold. The men's undergraduate team is known as the White Dawgs, and the men's alumni are known as the Olde Fartes. Their men's motto is "Nihil in Moderato," loosely-translated Latin for "nothing in moderation." The women's team is known as the "Lady White Dawgs" and their motto is "Scite Terroris."

[edit] Rivalries

The White Dawgs in 2003. The starting lineup is wearing the jerseys of their defeated rivals, Amherst

Like other sports teams at Williams College, both the men's and women's teams have a long-standing rivalry with their counterparts at Amherst College. The rivalry, while intense, is good-natured. Traditionally the teams compete twice a year, with the losing team donating its jerseys to the victors. These Amherst Jerseys are prized collector's items among White Dawgs and Olde Fartes.