The club got its start thanks, in part, to the efforts of Dave “Ace” Zucconi, a Brown alum who learned the game while serving in the U.S. Air Force overseas. Zucconi drafted several Brown alumni to play on Sundays and in the first year (’69–’70) the team won all of the thirteen matches they played.

PRFC’s first official season was the spring of 1971. The club was recognized by NERFU after an organizational meeting by five of PRFC's founders – Mike Diffley, Jay Fluck, Bob Hoder, Bill Mullin and Hal Wilder. In it’s first season PRFC posted an 11-4 record, including a second Guinness Championship. Since then, the club has won the annual NERFU championship twice, 1975 and 1990, two championships at Saranac Lake, 1976 and 1977, plus several successful tours to England and Scotland in 1976, Ireland in 1979, and to England, Scotland and Ireland in 1987.

In more recent history, the Providence Rugby Club has continued to build upon the winning ways of the club’s founders.  In 2002, PRFC captured the regular season New England Division II championship by virtue of a 7-1 record. After finishing just out of playoff competition due to tiebreaker criteria in the fall of 2004 Providence placed second in the Spring NERFU Tournament.  The 2005 season saw the club make the National Sweet 16′s for the second time in club history.

Providence Rugby has continued to make strides each and every season since then placing in the top 3 at the NERFU Tournament almost each year. PRFC continues to show a strong commitment to not only the growth of Rugby in the Providence area, but also a commitment to the community and to each other.  Providence continues to field highly competitive and successful summer 7’s teams. The team has used the summer to foster strong relationships with returning local college players and as a stepping stone to successful conference play in the fall season.  Over the years Providence Rugby has consistently shown that a close group of people with similar goals can produce a solid and successful rugby club.