The Original London Italians RFC was created in the late 1970’s by a group of school friends who wanted to continue playing together after they had finished school. With the majority of them being Italian they decided to start London Italians, although they had the occasional non-Italian playing for them.

The original crest was the Italian Tri-Colore with LIRFC on top (as below). The team originally started playing in Blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks, but after a while they changed the strip to a Leicester style kit. Some of the players included the Belli Brothers, Mick Rastelli, Stefano Fraquelli, the Orsi’s and many more.

The team didn’t have a home ground as such, playing most of their games away. Their base was at Pallotti’s next to the Italian church where they met to socialise and bond as a team! The team was never entered in to a league, playing only friendly (not so friendly in some encounters) games against other club sides or corporations with rugby teams. During their time together the team went back to the homeland to tour, bond as a team and have fun!

As the years passed the players aged, wives and children came in to the picture, joints began to weaken and momentum in the club slowed and the team petered out in the late 1980’s.

Throughout the 1990’s there was talk of starting the team again from different camps, but nothing ever materialised. The closest was the setting up of the London Italians Supporters Club in early 2000’s, it was set up as a means of following the Italian national team with the idea to eventually set up a playing side. The Supporters Club still remains and has pledged to support the new playing team and collaborate where possible. The Supporters Club president is Mr. Vincent Dallaglio and the secretary is Mr. Aldo Bevaqua.

That takes us up to 2007…now WE are making history.

© 2009 London Italians RFC