Playing rugby means belonging to a local club and also being part of a sports family with global reach. The Gotham Knights is a local rugby club that is part of the Empire RFU Geographic Union. The Empire GU operates under USA Rugby with World Rugby as the global parent. Gotham is also a full member of International Gay Rugby.

Governing Organizations

USA Rugby

Founded in 1975, USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby in America, a Full Sport Member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and World Rugby (WR). USA Rugby oversees four national teams, multiple collegiate and high school All-American sides, and an emerging Olympic development pathway for elite athletes.

Empire RFU Geographic Union

Empire RFU is a member of USAR and is a Geographic Union within the USAR administrative structure. Empire RFU organizes, administers, controls, regulates, improves, teaches and fosters the growth and maintains the standards of the game of Rugby Union Football for the clubs that are its members.

IGR - International gay Rugby

IGR is an organization of member clubs providing opportunities for members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community (LGBT) to compete in rugby through tolerant and accepting clubs and teams. IGR also works with the rugby governing bodies and other partner organizations worldwide to improve tolerance and acceptance at all levels of rugby, ensuring that no individual shall be excluded from participating in rugby on the basis of sexual orientation or identification.

Rugby Referees Society of New York

The referees society promotes the advancement and enjoyment of the game of rugby by providing qualified, volunteer match officials to clubs at all levels within the Empire GU and to USA Rugby. The Society recruits and trains referees, helping them achieve their highest potential. 

World Rugby

World Rugby delivers a whole range of development services and programmes to help develop rugby globally. These resources can be access through the World Rugby Passport. The online facilities provide a wealth of information, resources and assistance on all aspects of rugby from getting into rugby, playing all forms of the game, officiating and coaching as well as details that are important to you, the player, on welfare and training.

Additional Affiliations

Play Rugby USA

We’re a non-profit organization on a mission of developing Youth Through Rugby. We use flag and tackle rugby programs to teach positive life skills to thousands of children per week nationwide.

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