We are Black, We are White

A celebration of more than three decades of New York's most offbeat rugby club, from its humble beginnings back in 1989 to the Village Lions' 30th anniversary in 2019, and beyond. Dublin-reared rugby zealot Alan Whelan launched the club out of his Red Lion Pub in Greenwich Village, with many of his bouncers, bartenders, waiters and customers, men from all over the world, playing for the team. The Village Lions took the New York rugby scene by storm, making the first division in a few years, only to soon slide back to the bottom division. Coaches and overseas players departed, but the Village Lions, fueled by the extraordinary bond between players, kept at it. In 2000, a Village Lions women's team was born. Nicknamed the Leonas, the women's side quickly found success, and that uncommon connection among players that long defined the men's club. In 2019, the Village Lions celebrated the club's 30th anniversary, players flying in from all over the world for the gala affair, and beers at the various downtown New York bars the rugby club has called home over the decades. The Village Lions men and women are both looking ahead, keen to return to the national stage and elite-level rugby. We are Black, We are White details what makes the Lions, the Lions, including quirky club traditions and how they began, the colorful cast of characters within the club, overseas tours, and the men's and women's teams' trips to nationals to compete against the country's top clubs. Amidst it all are the unique challenges of playing the sport of rugby in America, and in New York City, which have always served to bring the Village Lions closer together.