The Lion Kings were hatched in 2001, as several veteran Lions found they still wanted to play, but work and family commitments (and the occasional addiction to “Wheel of Fortune”) prevented them from turning up at training and being considered for the A- or B-side. Longtime Lion Bill McHugh first organized the Lion Kings, building the squad up from barely a full XV playing a handful of matches a season to an outfit with a deep bench and an ambitious spring and fall schedule.

McHugh gradually passed on the team organization to another veteran Lion, Alan Lobo. While the Lion Kings’ tenure has been relatively brief, the team has nonetheless established heated rivalries with other old boys teams, such as the Connecticut Greys and the Gentlemen of New York. Similar to the younger Lions squad, the Lion Kings reflect the club’s diverse roots — players hailing from Australia, Ireland, Kenya and other corners of the globe make the Kings the colorful gang of ruggers they are today.

Join the Lion Kings tradition: New players are always welcome. Fitness not required, but strong post-match social skills are.

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