Wanderers Football Club is a senior rugby union club based in Dublin, Ireland, playing in Division 2B of the All-Ireland League. It is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Ireland, however its exact date of foundation is open to question. In 1860 a team by the name of Wanderers played against Dublin University in a two-day match, and while some sources point to the formation of the club as 1869, the current club gives its foundation date as 1870. While the link between the two teams is unclear, they both seem to have been founded by former Dublin University players. In 1879 Wanderers were among the founding members of the Irish Rugby Football Union. They have also regularly provided international players for Ireland, including five captains. In 1959, Ronnie Dawson also went on to captain the British and Irish Lions. They have also provided one captain each for both England and Australia.
Since 1880 Wanderers have shared Lansdowne Road with Lansdowne Football Club, with each club having their own clubhouse at opposite ends of the ground. However, since 1974 the ground itself has been owned by the IRFU.
Contents
Notable players
British and Irish Lions
Several Wanderers players have represented the British and Irish Lions. These include:
Andrew Clinch: 1896
Thomas Crean: 1896
Robert Johnston: 1896
Robertson Smyth: 1903
Joseph Wallace: 1903
James Wallace: 1903
Paul Murray: 1930
Bob Graves: 1938
Ronnie Dawson: 1959
Andy Mulligan: 1959
Ireland
At least 87 Wanderers players have represented Ireland. These include the following:
Ned Byrne
Paddy Kenny
Thomas Crean
Ronnie Dawson
Tony Ensor
Kevin Flynn
Michael Gibson
Bob Graves
Gary Halpin
Frederick Harvey
Robert Johnston
Ronnie Kavanagh
Phil Matthews
Robbie McGrath
Paul McNaughton
Andy Mulligan
Paul Murray
Jack Notley
Bethel Solomons
Mark Sugden
Kelvin Leahy
Joseph Wallace
Freddie McLennan
Other internationals
Pat Howard
Andrew Slack
Jack Gregory
Bob Gemmill
Peter Dalton Young
Ireland coaches
Ronnie Dawson
Roly Meates
Gerry Murphy
Victoria Cross
Three former Wanderers players and Ireland internationals have also been awarded the Victoria Cross. Crean and Johnston served with the British Army during the Second Boer War while Harvey served with the Canadian Army during the First World War.
Thomas Crean
Frederick Harvey
Robert Johnston
Honours
Leinster Senior League
Winners: 1885, 1888, 1894 1906, 1911, 1947, 1954, 1959, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1990: 13
Leinster Senior Cup
Winners: 1973, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1990 : 5
Leinster Club Senior League Shield
Winners: 2014-15: 1
Metropolitan Cup
Winners: 1924, 1954, 1986, 1987, 1992: 5