Rugby Club Odense (RC Odense) is a rugby union club in Odense, on the island of Funen (Fyn), Denmark. It is the rugby department of the multi-sport association Holluf Pile Tornbjerg Idrætsforening (HPTI), and is also known as Odense Rugby Club. The club plays fifteen-a-side and sevens rugby and has men's, women's and youth teams.
History
The club was founded on 27 June 1980 as part of Holluf Pile Idrætsforening, now called Holluf Pile og Tornbjerg Idrætsforening (HPTI). It began with junior teams, later added senior teams and then a women's team. The senior side withdrew from the league after a single season because it did not have enough players; by April 1990 the club again had a senior team, which played in the Jutland and Funen championships.
In another account, the club, founded in 1980, later became part of Holluf-Pile-Taarnbjerg Idrætsforening and first fielded a senior side in 1991.
By the club's count, its "first DM silver came in 2000, when the men's team won the DM in 7s". The 2000 Danish sevens title went to Holluf Pile Rugby.
In 2025 RC Odense had fixtures in the men's second division (2. Div). The club hosted the 2025 Danish sevens championship (DM Sevens) on 6 September 2025, where its women finished fifth. On 18 August 2026 RC Odense were tenth in the combined table of the 2026 Danish men's championship (DM Herrer) after five matches.
Ground
The club's clubhouse and pitch are at Holluf Pile Skole, Nøglens Kvarter 12, 5220 Odense SØ. In winter, training moves indoors to the hall beside the pitch.
Teams and training
The senior men play fifteen-a-side as a rule and enter some sevens tournaments. The women's team plays sevens and enters tournaments across the country. The club also has a mixed touch team for those who prefer rugby without tackling.
Youth rugby runs from tumble rugby (tumlerugby) for children aged up to six, through mixed teams from under-8 to under-14, to a mixed under-14 to under-16 team that trains outdoors twice a week. Youth teams are mixed up to under-16. The youngest players, up to under-10, play tag rugby, which has no tackling; tackling is introduced from under-10. The club also runs Super3, a sevens project for girls. For adults there is a rugby-inspired fitness group for women aged 35 and over, which the club calls a group "where community is just as important as the workout".
As of August 2026, the training times were:
| Team | Training |
|---|---|
| Senior men and women | Tuesday and Thursday 18:30–20:00 |
| U8 to U14 | Tuesday 17:00–18:30, at the Holluf Pile pitch |
| Tumble rugby | Sunday 10:00–11:00, at Nøglens Kvarter 12 |
Everyone is welcome, and the club offers free trial sessions for seniors, women and youth players.
As of August 2026, the membership fees were:
| Membership | Fee |
|---|---|
| Senior men and women | 425 kr, four times a season |
| U8 to U14, and U14 to U16 | 225 kr, four times a season |
| Supporting member or Old Boys | 300 kr a season |
Members and supporting members can add gym access at Iron House, a partner gym, for 150 kr a month.
Club life
The club's slogan is "Rugby i hjertet af Danmark" ("Rugby in the heart of Denmark"). It calls rugby "a lifestyle built on passion, discipline, respect, togetherness and fair play".
Rugby is one of HPTI's five departments, alongside badminton, football, gymnastics and tennis.
The club hires out rugby sessions to private parties and companies: in August 2026 a one-hour session with two instructors for up to 15 people cost about 1,400 kr. Most of the club's information is published in Danish, but its fitness group for women is presented in English, and its 2026 calendar included an International Welcome Day.