The New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU), formerly known as the Southern Rugby Football Union (SRFU) between 1874 and 1892,[2] is the governing body of rugby union within most of the state of New South Wales in Australia. It is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia, known as the Australian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) at the time of its founding. Within Australia it is considered the strongest Union. It has the largest player base, biggest population, most suburban clubs, and the oldest running club rugby competition in the country. The New South Wales Rugby Union is the third oldest continuous rugby union ever, behind only the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU).
The southern areas of New South Wales encompassing the Monaro, Far South Coast, and Southern Inland unions are not affiliated with the NSWRU. They are now within the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union. The New South Wales Rugby Union was founded in 1874 as the Southern Rugby Union, before changing to the present name in 1893.
Due to the merging of Union's by the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union, the New South Wales Rugby Union does not encompass all of New South Wales. However, it does include major cities and towns, making up roughly two-thirds (and/or more) of the state. Such cities and towns include: Newcastle, the Central Coast, Wollongong, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Orange, Dubbo, Bathurst, Lismore, Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, and Sydney.
