Rugby has a rich history at Yale dating to the 1870s. Yale was at the forefront of the development of both rugby on American soil and what would eventually become the game of football. Walter Camp, the "Father of American Football," played rugby as a student at Yale. 

Director of Rugby at Yale, Greg McWilliams, heads the men’s rugby program. After an incredible first year with Yale Rugby, Coach McWilliams seeks to build on recent success. His attention to individual skill work and emphasis on improvement of strength and conditioning during the 2014-15 Winter off-season transformed a team rebounding off a rocky Fall season into one vying for a national title in the Spring of 2015. He approaches the upcoming 2015-2016 Season with the same vigor for the cultivation of players at the collegiate level.