Kansas City Blues (rugby union)

Based on a loose affiliation with both University of Missouri-Kansas City and Rockhurst College, the Kansas City Blues Rugby Club was established in 1966. The founding members focused on developing a unique club identity and culture. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Blues elevated their rugby knowledge and skills, becoming one of the dominant teams in the United States and winning prominent annual tournaments, like Aspen Ruggerfest, Heart of America, and St. Louis Ruggerfest. The club built a reputation for playing hard nosed rugby, always leaving the game on the field, and maintaining close social connections with teammates off the field.

In 1993, the Blues won their league, advanced to Nationals, and lost in the Final Four. In 1997, the Blues became founding members of the United States Rugby Super League (USA / 1997-2012), composed of the top 14 teams in the nation. In the inaugural year, the Blues made it to the Super League Final Four. Over the next ten years, the Blues competed in RSL with several winning seasons.

In 2007, the Blues decided to restructure and move back to Division 1. The club successfully rebuilt and, in 2012, the Blues became just the second club to send two separate teams to the National 15s playoffs round of 8, competing in the Division 1 and the Division 3 National Playoffs. Ultimately, the Division 1 team lost a close match (23-20) to Belmont Shore (California), which won the National Championship. In 2014-2015, the Blues went to the Division 1 National Championship but lost in the round of eight to Mystic River (Boston).

The Blues field a Division 1 team that competes in the Midwest Rugby Premiership along with other teams from Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Columbus, and Cincinnati. The Division 2 team competes in the Heart of America League with other regional teams, like St. Louis and Omaha. Since the Blues joined the Midwest Premiership, they amassed an impressive Division 1 league record of 40-18 from 2013 to 2017.

2009 Kansas City Blues team

In addition to success on the field in 15s, the Blues are a perennial national power in the game of 7s rugby. The Blues have qualified for and appeared at the 7s National Championship Tournament 14 times from 1990 to 2017. In those 14 appearances, the Blues made the Final Four five times, were National Runner Up three times, but never won the National Championship.

In 1993, the Blues made their first ever 7s Final Four, finishing National Runner-Up in a close loss to New York Old Blue. Seven years later, the Blues returned to the 2000 National Championship Match and lost. In 2014, the Blues lost in the National Semi-Finals but won a spirited match against regional foe, rival Denver Barbarians, to take 3rd place. Most recently, in 2016, the Blues advanced to the 7s National Championship Match but lost to Utah. The Blues currently host one of the largest and most successful 7s programs in the country. In 2014, the Blues debuted their Sporting 7s Academy program, which takes college-aged players and places them in a special training program designed to increase their fitness and advance their rugby skills and acumen. Many summer weekends, the Blues can field three Blues and Academy in various local and regional tournaments.

• Official website