Melbourne Rugby Union Football Club is one of the two oldest clubs in Victoria (the other being Melbourne University Rugby Football Club). Officially established in 1926, some 38 years after the first game of rugby was played in Victoria, under the 'Melbourne Rugby Union' banner.
The first rugby union games were played in Victoria were in 1888. Three games are recorded as being played that year:- one against an English touring team and two against a New Zealand Maoris side. All three resulted in losses - but the game they play in heaven had arrived in Victoria.
Until the establishment of Melbourne Rugby club, Victorian rugby was a somewhat stop start affair, due in no small part to World War I. 
The Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) was also established in early 1926 which, in turn, led to the commencement, later that year of four more clubs, namely St Kilda, Kiwis, Navy and Air Force.
Melbournes' playing colours have changed over the years. Initially, the club adopted the colours of the then President H.G.Penwill's former club, Newport RFC (Wales), namely gold and black hooped jerseys, black shorts and black socks with gold tops.
During the period 1930-35, Mr D.L. Cowper became the club's and Victoria's first Australian international representative and, in 1933, captained Australia against the Springboks in South Africa.
After the Second World War, Melbourne switched to playing in an 'Australian Green' jersey,that were generously donated by Randwick RUFC (Sydney) - primarily due to the shortage of all woollen/cotton sports gear in the early days after the war. This "temporary loan" of colours lasted from 1946 to 1998.
In the early days of the late 1920s and 1930s, Melbourne Rugby Club's motto of that era was "Praemia Post Habeas Ludo" (loosely translated as "After the Battle, Enjoy the Prize"). Following the club's amalgamation in 1939 with Old Boys Rugby Club and prior to his departure, that year, to military duties in World War II, the club accepted the recommendation of club member E.E."Weary" Dunlop, that the rampant unicorn become the club emblem along with his suggested new club motto "Never a step backward"
Both the emblem and the motto along with the club's victory song "We're on the Road With Melbourne's Army" are still deeply embedded in the Melbourne Rugby Club 'psyche.' Another mark of recognition of Melbourne RUFC was introduced by R.I. Kingman in the early Sixties. The sound of 'Who's that man with the big red nose' has become synonymous with MRUFC throughout Victorian rugby circles.
In recent years, MRUFC's playing kit has reverted to the stripes of old. In 1998, Melbourne began playing in their latest strip.
In 1959 MRUFC gained the rights to play on Romanis Reserve. Commonly known as Orrong Park, it is situated on Orrong Road, between High Street and Malvern Roads, Prahran, and is regarded as one of the best playing surfaces in the Victorian union.
