The Norfolk Blues are a Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union Division I/Championship Division Club in Norfolk, Virginia. Founded in the Spring of 1978 as a result of a merger between the Norfolk Rugby and Norfolk Irish Rugby Clubs. Through the Spring of 2010, the Blues have accumulated a first side 15's record of 509-190-14. Their home playing fields are Lafayette Park in Norfolk and the

Virginia Beach Sportsplex The Virginia Beach Sportsplex is a sports complex in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The name is most commonly attached to the main stadium within the complex, which opened in 1999. It has a permanent seating capacity of 6,000, on two decks of seating, ...

in Virginia Beach. The team symbol is the Norfolk Mace, a large, ornamental (pure silver) mace that was crafted by London silversmith Fuller White and was presented to the 'Borough of Norfolk' in 1754 by the acting Royal Governor of Virginia,

Robert Dinwiddie Robert Dinwiddie (1692 – 27 July 1770) was a British colonial administrator who served as lieutenant governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758, first under Governor Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, and then, from July 1756 ...

(1693–1770) and is still used today for public ceremonies. The Blues team colors are Blue and Gold; the colors of the City of Norfolk. The Norfolk Blues are named after the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues. Originally formed in 1829 as a state militia company and prestigious social club. The Blues served through the entire war and were one of the few military units that actually increased in size, during the conflict. The Blues took an oath to "never surrender" and did not lose a single man to desertion throughout the course of the American Civil War. The NLAB's were merged with the " First Company Richmond Howitzers" (organized on 9 November 1859) and the

Portsmouth Light Artillery Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most densel ...

rganized on 15 February 1809to become the modern day 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery of the

Virginia National Guard The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by the federal government ...

. The Norfolk Blues are a member club of the Virginia Rugby Union, the

Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union The Capital Geographic Union is the Geographical Union (GU) for rugby union teams playing in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. It is an association of youth, high school, collegiate, and adult men's and women's rugby teams in the Mid-Atlanti ...

, and the USA Rugby Football Union.

References

{{Rugby union in the United States Rugby union teams in the United States Rugby union teams in Virginia