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Lakeland Lancers Rugby is our city’s first and foremost rugby union team. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, sanctioned by the Florida Rugby Union, and we compete with Division I, II, III, IV, collegiate, and community teams around the state.
The Lancers were founded in 2017 and currently have 30+ players. We play rugby year-round. During the fall and spring, we compete in the classic 15-player form of the game, with a full schedule of matches in Florida. And in the summer, we play rugby 7s, a faster-paced version, joining dozens of other teams in multiple weekend-long tournaments.

Courage, responsibility, health, and respect: these four core values drive us as a team. We work hard to make sure every player grows as an individual and can represent the city of Lakeland well.

Not only are we striving to become the best rugby team in the state, we also stay highly involved in the local community. Events we’ve participated in include volunteering for the Polk County Special Olympics, the Red Ribbon 5K and Half-Marathon, engaging with students at college recruitment nights, and constructing a float for participation in the Annual Lakeland Christmas Parade.

In the past year, the Lancers have played matches against Tampa, Orlando, Central Florida, Daytona, Palm Beach, St. Pete, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, and Eckerd College. In addition, the team competed in several tournaments during the summer. We have USA Rugby certified coaches, strength and conditioning trainers, and dedicated volunteers.

The club has recently joined the USAR/FRU Division IV Fifteens competition and the Southern Conference Open Sevens Qualifiers. This development will give us over a dozen sanctioned games as determined by the FRU & Southern Committee, which comes with state-wide visibility, higher team status, and a better sports environment for Lakeland.