Our Club

Riviera Rugby Club was officially launched on 5 October 2010 in Blonay. A group of rugby friends had been meeting for the previous two summers to play touch rugby and the occasional friendly 15 a side match. Interest grew to the point where more than 20 players would regularly join the touch games so the decision was made to form a local rugby club meeting the needs of interested rugby players of all ages and abilities in the Swiss Riviera region.

At the same time, a group of fathers had started organizing sessions for their children to play and train together, and it was decided to create a rugby school as a key part of the club.

Since then, the rugby school has expanded rapidly moving, from 15 players to over 200 trying the sport every year. Child membership has risen from 15 to over 140 members in recent years. The adults briefly entered the swiss league west , but had insufficient numbers to complete the season. Since then, the adults have restricted themselves to touch and veterans games, whilst offering more energetic members the option of joining the entente team with Haut Broye.

We are building on a tradition of rugby that has existed in the area for much longer, as there was a Rugby Club Riviera based in the area in the 1970s, but eventually stopped due to a lack of home pitch. Even earlier in the 1930s, Vevey was one of the founding teams in the first ever swiss league.

To create, in the Riviera Region of Switzerland, a popular and inclusive rugby club comprised of local Swiss residents as well as members of the expatriate community living here.

By offering a safe, fun and welcoming rugby environment for all ages, abilities and genders, our ambition is to stimulate and develop rugby in the region.

We believe that by building a strong rugby school, we will create a solid platform for the future development of an adult Riviera team.

We owe our existence as a rugby club, to a small and dedicated band of coaches, whose commitment and enthusiasm is second to none. Our coaches come from all over world, from France to Argentina, and the UK to the Netherlands, and every age group has both English and French speaking coaches. All our lead coaches are experienced rugby players, and generally have coaching certificates from either the Swiss Rugby Federation or other International rugby bodies.

The Club is based in the commune of Blonay near to Lac Leman and the town of Vevey. The Club name derives from the fact that we are located in an area often referred to as the Swiss Riviera. The club symbols are a reflection of our local flora (the Narcisse are found on the alpages above Blonay) and fauna (the Lynx is found in the forests above Blonay). We see it as our responsibility to build a positive image of the club by supporting the local commune and engage in local activities. We typically support the biannual Fete de Blonay (we run a bar), the annual des Alpes (we normally run the grilled sausage stall), and the Welcome sessions for new residents (we run a stall providing information on the club). We have also organized events supporting the Suisse Bouge.

Why do Riviera Rugby Club have a Narcisse logo on their shorts ?

Find about the protection and promotion of the narcisse in the Riviera Region here: L’association Narcisses Riviera