South Sydney Rabbitohs



The South Sydney Rabbitohs (often shortened to Souths or called Redfern Rabbitohs) are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital. The club was formed in 1908 as one of the founding members of the New South Wales Rugby Football League, Australia's first governing body for the sport and predecessor of the current National Rugby League. They are one of only two foundation clubs still present in the league, the other being the Sydney Roosters.

The Rabbitohs' traditional heartland covers the once-typically working class suburbs of inner-south and south eastern Sydney, however they have long held a wide supporter base spread all over New South Wales. The team's home ground is currently ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.

At the elite competition level, South Sydney are the most successful professional team in the history of Australian rugby league in terms of total championships won, having claimed 20 first grade premierships. However, they have not won a premiership since 1971. In 2007 Souths qualified for their first finals series since 1989.

There is such reverence for the Rabbitohs in Australian rugby league that there is the saying "When Souths are going well, rugby league is going well". Over the years, especially during their many golden runs they have been referred to as "The Pride of the League".

The Rabbitohs are one of the few "foundation clubs" playing in Australia's top rugby league competition to have survived in their original form (even after having been excluded and reinstated), with the likes of North Sydney Bears, Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies having recently been replaced by newer "hybrid" teams.