Meet RSRC, the Rotterdam Student Rugby Club, where red and green clash with student spirit, and rugby isn’t just played, it’s lived. Founded on 2 May 1968, RSRC’s legacy is as deep as its club colours. From the famous Bears Cave clubhouse, the lowest rugby pitch in the world, this is student rugby with grit, heart, and a side of Rotterdam swagger. And yes, Rugby Culture has captured that spirit in a design-forward rugby polo. Let’s break it down.
Club Roots, Identity & Atmosphere
RSRC began as a student offshoot of RSC, open exclusively to students since its founding in 1968. Its red and green colours nod to both Rotterdam's city palette (green-white) and the Kralingen Crooswijk district (red-yellow). The club’s emblem, two bear cubs gripping the sacred oval, is a cheeky homage to their lair, the Bears Cave, established in 2008 at Lucie Vuylstekeweg 40, famously 5.94 meters below sea level.
Teams, Training & Student Spirit
RSRC runs three men’s XVs, a sevens squad, and the ever-popular “Young Dogs” team, built for brand-new players to get a taste of rugby thrill. Training fires up every Tuesday and Thursday at 19:00, followed by a home-cooked meal courtesy of the club’s Chef’s Board: sweat, strategy, and supper—student rugby at its best.
Super Sundays, where all teams play at home, are legendary. The third halves? “Always (or never) remembered,” as the club puts it.
History, Growth & Community
RSRC has roots deeper than its 1968 founding. A century earlier, students from Rotterdam and Delft even squared off in a snow-covered rugby match—a sign that student rugby had a pulse in the city long before the club formally existed.
After four decades of playing at other clubs, 2008 marked the arrival of their own Bears Cave—fulfilling a long-time dream and claiming a spot in Guinness territory as the lowest rugby pitch worldwide.
Between 2011 and 2014, they briefly rebranded as Erasmus RSRC, but “three cheers for Erasmus” led them back to their true name—student pride carried the day. And mark the date, 2 May 2023 saw the club celebrate its 55th anniversary, a true club milestone.
Growing Ambition & Recent Highlights
RSRC made headlines when an underdog revival saw them pull off a gritty 32–19 victory a true student comeback that took many by surprise, even themselves. Head coaches Michiel Snijders and Barro Kessler helped spark that resurgence, melding ambition with unity.
In 2024, they launched a coaching reboot, with Duncan Robertson and Cameron Stewart stepping in to lead RSRC toward the Futureklasse and beyond. Earlier, headlines noted that RSRC had defied expectations, rising from the bottom of the Tweede Klasse to contend in the Eerste Klasse.
The Rugby Culture X RSRC Polo, Student Spirit in Every Stitch
Partnering with RSRC, Rugby Culture has designed a rugby polo that brings the club’s spirited student ethos, red-green identity, and legendary camaraderie into wearable form. It’s built for the pitch, the pub, and the post-match third-half alike—your new symbol of student rugby pride.
Want to Collaborate with Rugby Culture?
If your club wants to team up with Rugby Culture to create a custom polo or collab piece, we’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email us at info@rugbyculture.store
📱 Or DM us on socials: @RUGBYCULTURE
📍 Address: The Bears Cave, Lucie Vuylstekeweg 40, 3066 GS Rotterdam
🌐 Website: www.rsrc.nl