Cincinnati Kelts Rugby Football Club

Join us this Saturday to watch some rugby! This Saturday is Cincinnati Kelt's Maul Ball, where teams will be duking it out in their finest of clothes. It's free to attend, so why not come down and have some fun? We'll also be having a clothing drive for Transform Cincy 🏳️‍⚧️!

💚💙❤️ 20 Years of Kelts Women’s Rugby ❤️💙💚

In 2000, women’s rugby was born in Cincinnati.

What started with a handful of determined women training alongside the Cincinnati Kelts men—learning, tackling, competing, and growing their love for the game—quickly became something much bigger. By joining forces with women from Dayton, the Cincinnati-Dayton Women’s Rugby team was formed, laying the foundation for what would become a lasting legacy.

From those humble beginnings, the team immediately made its mark, earning a Midwest Rugby Football Union Championship in 2002, finishing 3rd at the DII National Championships, and returning in 2003 to finish as National Runners-Up.

In 2006, the program had grown enough to establish separate city teams, and the Cincinnati Kelts Women’s Rugby Football Club was officially born.

Over the years, the Kelts women have achieved incredible success on the pitch, including Midwest Championships in 2008 and 2018 and top finishes on the national stage. But the true legacy of this team goes far beyond trophies and titles.

The Kelts are a sisterhood. A place where women challenge each other, support each other, and build lifelong friendships through a shared love of rugby. The bonds formed here run deep.

Today, our roster includes players from all walks of life—teachers, firefighters, police officers, scientists, photographers, and countless other professions. Many alumni continue to grow the game as coaches and mentors throughout Cincinnati and beyond.

No matter where life takes us, one thing remains true:

Once a Kelt, always a Kelt. ☘️💙❤️💚

🏉✨ CINCINNATI MAUL BALL IS ALMOST HERE! ✨🏉

Drag. Prom. Rugby. All in one unforgettable Saturday.

Join us on June 20th for Cincinnati Maul Ball, our drag & prom-themed 7s charity tournament celebrating inclusiveness, community, and rugby. 💙💚❤️

📣 REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!You now have until Wednesday, June 10th to register your team.

🌈 This tournament is for EVERYONE.You do NOT have to be trans or non-binary to participate. Whether you’re a seasoned rugby player, new to the sport, or just looking for a fun tournament with an incredible atmosphere, all are welcome on and off the pitch.

💖 100% of proceeds benefit Athlete Ally and Transform Cincy, supporting their important work in creating more inclusive communities.

👑 Come dressed up.🏉 Come ready to play.🎉 Come ready to cheer.

Let’s celebrate rugby, pride, and community together.

Registration link in our Linktree!

The Kelts are kicking off pride by saying we are WITH YOU! We hope to see you out at your local pride event. If you see us, stop by and say hi! We may have some goodies for you to enjoy pride just a little bit more. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Kelts supporting Kelts. 💙💚❤️

This weekend, Deuce, Massimo, and Caitlyne made the trip to Lemont, Illinois to represent the Cincinnati Kelts and the Ohio Rugby Union in the Thunderbird Cup. We couldn’t be more proud of their hard work, dedication, and the way they represented our club on and off the pitch.

The support didn’t stop with the players on the field. Other Kelts made the trip north to cheer them on, while many more followed along and showed their support from afar. That’s what makes this club special—we are more than teammates, we’re a family that shows up for one another wherever rugby takes us.

And in case you were wondering, album drop TBD 😎

Congratulations to all three players on this incredible achievement. Once a Kelt, always a Kelt. 🍀

This weekend some outstanding Kelts are headed to Chicago to play in the Thunderbird Cup! Congrats to Caitlyne, Deuce, and Massimo. Link to the live stream is in the bio.

Solid showing from the women’s side this weekend to cap off a great home weekend for the Cincinnati Kelts! ❤️💙💚

The women went down early, but quickly stormed back and never looked back. With a second half shutout, the Kelts defeated Lexington 36-10. Tries came from Crash, Gina, Bella, and Wheels, with Crash adding 3 conversions on the day. Huge performances all around, especially from our new players who continue to step up in a big way.

A rainy day didn’t matter to the Kelts 🌧️💪 For our final match of the spring season, player of the Pitch went to Nati, who played the most minutes she has all season and put in an incredible effort.

We also want to recognize Coach Exline. In his first season coaching the women’s side, he has truly stepped up and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. Thank you for everything you’ve brought to this team this season.

This past Saturday your men defended their Tri-State Cup crown at home in front of a standing room only crowd on a soggy day at Kellogg, holding off a resilient side by a score of 22-19 in the championship match. A brilliant day of rugby embodied by the gutsy play of man of the match Handsome John!

That is curtains on an incredible spring season! By the numbers the Kelts men went a perfect 5 - 0 with 201 points for and only 80 points allowed. More importantly, in a spring where the mission was to develop talent, train fellas at new positions, and have an all out ball this season was a resounding success on all fronts.

40 different Kelts representing 8 different countries took the field. 13 players recorded their first appearance for the 🟢, 🔴, and 🔵. 6 players scored their first club try, and 5 different men earned man of the match honors. We are grateful to all of the fans and family that came to cheer us on at home on Saturday, that traveled to see us on the road, and supported us from a far! Playing rugby is more than just showing up and booting up the laces, it takes a community on and off the field.

Stay tuned for a summer of touch, trail runs, kickball, and some 7s/10s tourneys thrown in the mix! All are welcome to get in on the fun as we shift our focus towards the competitive fall season where the goal is now set on a deep playoff run.