A bit of Barbos history…

The Denver Barbarians Rugby Football Club was founded in 1967. It is an amateur organization which has consistently performed at a professional caliber over the decades. Since the club was founded, it has been one of the top performing men’s rugby clubs in the USA in both the 7s and 15s codes.

The initial members in 1967 were men that had been playing rugby with some of the local collegiate teams or were lacrosse players that wanted to develop different skills and try something new. The Barbos were one of the first club sides in Colorado and became the standard for post-collegiate rugby in the region.

With the growth of the sport in the ensuing decades, the Barbos played a larger role in the game on and off the field. The Barbos have supplied 7s and 15s players to all levels of select side play including PRO Rugby, Major League Rugby (MLR), and the US National Side, the Eagles. The Barbos have fielded over 40 national side players, 28 of whom were Barbos before becoming Eagles.

Additionally, many referees, coaches, and administrators at all levels have emerged from the Barbos ranks. The Club has won championships at the local, regional, and national level in both 7s and 15s.

Just as importantly, the club has helped forge countless memories and lifelong friendships between men over the decades. There’s something about putting on a clean green and white jersey with the “DB” badge on the chest, fighting with your teammates for 80 minutes, then taking off a blood, sweat, and dirt covered jersey, which brings guys together in a way only a Barbo could understand. Whether the match ends in a triumphant win or a heartbreaking loss, the experience of playing rugby for the Barbos is a special one which will turn teammates into lifelong friends.

Today the club has 60+ players fielding teams in three different leagues of play including a competitive 7s and 15s side. Most recently, the Barbos 7s side finished 3rd at the 2021 DI National Club 7s Championship, and the 15s side won the 2018 and 2023 DII Club 15s National Championship (finishing 1st out of 135 teams nationwide). In 2022 the club finished runners up and came 2nd.

The club supports grassroots rugby via our partnership with the Denver Lions; a local youth rugby organization. The club is also involved in community service activities promoting several charitable events throughout the year.

In 2021, the club partnered with Rugby Rent Scholarships; an organization which aims to help provide housing to aspiring young men wanting to take their rugby game to the next level.