Rugby club Herceg () is an amateur rugby union club based in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club was founded in 2011 by a group of friends which previously never had contact with rugby. It competes in national leagues of Bosnia and Herzegovina and regional league Adria 7s, of which they are co-founders. Their home ground is Stadion Raà ¡tani, located in place of the same name, Raà ¡tani, Mostar suburb.
History of rugby club Herceg was made in mid-summer of 2011. Group of friends, while on barbecue, played football and their ball deflated. Since they did not have a way to inflate it, they took the deflated football ball in hands and started to play rugby. Of course, that first game was a version of some tackling game that they thought is rugby, but it was enough to spark an interest and set the foundation for future rugby club.
Rugby club Herceg was founded on 13 October 2011 by a same group of friends. Since there is no store selling rugby equipment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, first rugby ball they got from friends of a member from South Africa which said: "South Africa to Mostar". They spent their time researching and improving their knowledge of rugby using only Google and YouTube. This is where the internal joke started about "Youtube club". Soon after foundation they managed to get in touch with another rugby club, RK Tomislav from Tomislavgrad, which donated rugby equipment and other training aids. They improved their knowledge and rugby skills to the point that they decided it is time for next step, joining Rugby Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its competitions.
First tournament they played was a rugby sevens tournament in Nemila on 13 May 2012. RK Herceg had four games on schedule against RK Gladijatori Derventa, RK Rudar II, RK ÃÂelik and RK Rudar. They lost in their first game ever against RK Gladijatori 0âÂÂ22, second game they managed to draw 5âÂÂ5, losing to RK ÃÂelik 5âÂÂ34 and losing in last minute to RK Rudar 12âÂÂ19. In second tournament which was held in Sarajevo one week after, RK Herceg showed that the first tournament was a learning experience. First game they won against RK Vitez 19âÂÂ0, lost second to RK ÃÂelik 7âÂÂ35 and losing a win to a draw in last minute to RK Gladijtori 12âÂÂ12. RK Herceg finished 4th in their first rugby sevens season behind RK Rudar, RK ÃÂelik and RK Gladijatori.
In June RK Herceg participated in humanitarian rugby sevens tournament "Viteà ¡ko srce" hosted by RK Vitez in Vitez. They finished third, behind RK ÃÂelik and RFC Arsenal Tivat. In group stage they beat Vitez 12âÂÂ0 and lost to Tivat 0âÂÂ26, finishing second. In play-off for third place they beat RK Tomislav 24âÂÂ12.
On 1 July RK Herceg played their first, friendly, rugby 15s game against RK Vitez. More experienced RK Vitez won 10âÂÂ29.
RK Herceg concluded their first season on 15 July with participation on traditional Beach rugby tournament, hosted by RK Tomislav on Buà ¡ko jezero.
In new season RK Herceg started with another friendly rugby 15s game, this time against RK Atletiko from Sveti Filip i Jakov. RK Herceg lost the game 19-34.
From this season RK Herceg joined the Bosnia and Herzegovina 15s championship. First game was played in Mostar on 3 March against combined teams of Teà ¡anj RK and RK Warriors Nemila. RK Herceg won in their first official rugby 15s game 15âÂÂ10. Second match was played od 10 March against RK Rudar, where RK Herceg lost 5âÂÂ57. Next match, on 28 April, Herceg was scheduled to play against RK ÃÂelik, team where majority of national team players come from. RK Herceg experienced their biggest ever lost in any competition they played. Result was 0-104. RK Herceg finished third, behind RK ÃÂelik and RK Rudar.
Same as previous year, RK Herceg participated in Beach rugby tournament on Buà ¡ko Jezero.
New season started with Bosnia and Herzegovina national 15s championship. RK Herceg played away match against combined teams of RK Gladijatori and Teà ¡anjski RK, ending with lose 13:36.
On 16 November Herceg had their first rugby tens tournament in Nikà ¡iÃÂ, Montenegro. They won in their first two games against Ragbi klub Nikà ¡ià12âÂÂ5 and RFC Arsenal Tivat 12âÂÂ5. In last match for the winner of the tournament RK Herceg lost 5âÂÂ10, even though scoring first and leading most of the match.
15s championship continued on 16 March, where RK Herceg played home game against combined teams of RK Gladijatori and Teà ¡anjski RK, but this time winning 14-12. Next game was on 30 March against RK ÃÂelik. Herceg lost again with big difference, 0âÂÂ87, but showed huge improvement. Last two games of season RK Herceg was supposed to play RK Vitez, but Vitez forfeited both games, registering them both 20âÂÂ0 in favor of RK Herceg. RK Herceg, in their second 15s season, finished second, right behind champions RK ÃÂelik.
This year national rugby sevens championship had only one tournament which was held in Teà ¡anj. RK Herceg won against RK Gladijatori 12âÂÂ5, RK Tomislav 27âÂÂ0 and TRK 22âÂÂ7. Only lost happened against RK ÃÂelik 0âÂÂ47, thus placing RK Herceg on second place.
Very successful season was ended with the Beach Rugby on Buà ¡ko jezero.
Name, colours and crest of the club are inspired by herzog Stjepan VukÃÂiÃÂ KosaÃÂa. Because of the Stjepan VukÃÂiÃÂ KosaÃÂa and his title of herzog, the whole region he ruled was named Herzegovina. Herzog translated to Serbo-Croatian is herceg, where from the name of the club comes. Crests shield, ribbon above the shield, red and white colours were taken from herzog's KosaÃÂa family crest. Lastly, the shape of rugby player running while rugby ball is in his hands was added.