Budapest Exiles RFC is a Hungarianrugby club in Budapest. They are the currently champions in the Hungarian Extra Liga. The club used to be confined to expatriates, but since 2000 Hungarian players have been welcomed to join.[1]
History
The club was founded in 1991 by Thomas Bain (the ball) and Neil Curray (the men). They were rapidly followed by Nick Langford (the kit) and Jean-Claude Fédou (the pitch), who both had significant management skills. Other players played a prominent role in the launching such as Tom Howard (the logo) and Mike Caroll (more men), and Philippe Marcheteau (the French). Bain coined the club name "The Exiles" on a recommendation from the former dissident Sulyok Miklos. The management was against a political and provocative title but it stuck with the team. Bain was "called in" to the UK Embassy for explanations, the ambassador having been a 1956 exile he did not take it lightly. The team had a steep initiation curve that culminated in the drafting of the Statutes. Bain insisted on the educative role of the team at the national level, and Niel Curray ended up advising the referees country-wide, and refereeing international matches such as Romania / Hungary and the Sevens in Vienna. The sport was very young in Hungary, it was difficult to get complex rules such as the off-side rule respected on the pitch.
It later merged with Yeti RK, a club from the nearby village of Leányfalu.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Francois Taillo
