About Us
About WFRC Club Founder
The Willamette Falls Rugby Club was founded by Eric Nelsen with a clear mission: grow the sport of rugby in Oregon by introducing young athletes to the unique culture and athletic benefits the sport has to offer.
Eric's playing career started at the Kent Crusaders Rugby Club in Kent, Washington where he played for four years captaining the team to two 9th place finishes at the National High School Rugby Tournament. After his sophomore season, he was invited to play for the U19 Eagles where he took part in an Australian tour and the 2000 U19 World Cup in Santiago Chile. After high school, Eric went on to play and coach at Washington State University and played for the Del Rey 7s in the summer. He returned to Seattle after college and played men's rugby with division one OPSB and division two Eastside rugby clubs.
Eric's coaching career started as a player/coach at Washington State and continued on with the Eastside Lions high school club. He has also coached multiple levels of wrestling and football over the last 20 years.
Eric lives in Lake Oswego along with his wife Emily, sons Fritz (11) and River (9), and Australian Shepherd Teak (6).
2026 Season
Coming soon, we will be accepting registrations for our high school team (9th-12th grade). Join the team for our inaugural season, we can't wait to see you on the field.
