MARK HAMPTON – PLAYER | Winnipeg Assassins Rugby Football Club

Mark first played rugby in Grade 12 at Churchill High School in 1991, followed by nearly 20 seasons (1993 to 2010) with the Winnipeg Assassins Rugby Football Club and two seasons (1998 to 1999) with the Old Wesley RFC, Dublin, Ireland in the All Ireland League. While with the Assassins they won five Premier (1st Division) League Championships, five Provincial Premier Championships and a Second Division Provincial Championship. Mark also played for the Manitoba Senior Men’s Provincial Team from 1994 to 1997 and 2000 to 2002, encompassing 35 test (cap) matches, culminating with the Manitoba Senior Men’s Tier II National Championship Team in 1997. Over the course of his playing career Mark received multiple awards from the Assassins, the Manitoba Senior Men’s Provincial Team and the 1997 SNAFU $10,000 Cash Tournament. Mark should be proud of his rugby career and his induction into the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame.

RAY HOEMSEN – BUILDER | Manitoba Wombats Rugby Football Club

Ray started his rugby career with the University of Manitoba (now Manitoba Wombats) Rugby Football Club in 1977, playing until the early 1990s. Ray, along with Honoured Members (HMs) Wilf Erichsen, Gary MacDonald and Wayne Guenther helped to organize and run a Saturday morning youth rugby program in the early 1990s. Ray helped coach the Vincent Massey Trojans/Kelvin Clippers, with Billy Bien, Andy Young and HMs Mike Brown, Larry Cherrett and Peter Nolan to the 1999 Division 1 High School Rugby Championship. As an assistant coach and manager (with HMs Jim Russell, Brent Tomchuk and Mike Brown) of the Manitoba U18 Boys he organized tours to Kansas and Denver/Colorado Springs (where they played the USA’s U19 Junior Eagles twice). Ray went on to serve as President of Rugby Manitoba, a Director of Rugby Canada (and liaison to several (Japanese) Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournaments) and the Canadian Rugby Foundation. Ray has also helped coach and/or manage hockey and youth soccer teams and volunteered with many organizations such as Sport Manitoba, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame (since its inception in 2010).

WINNIPEG WANDERERS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – 1926 to 2026 | PIONEER 

The Winnipeg Wanderers Rugby Football Club, the oldest existing community-based rugby football club in Rugby Manitoba (formerly the Manitoba Rugby Union), are celebrating their 100th Anniversary in 2026. The Wanderers draw members from Winnipeg, Selkirk and surrounding areas, practice in North Winnipeg (Teddy Bass field in Kildonan Park) and play home games at Maple Grove Rugby Park. The Wanderers currently field a Men’s Union 15s side, their first Senior Women’s team was in 1979. The Wanderers support rugby development in Manitoba by running U12 and U14 youth programs and through their members who coach high school teams (boys and girls); they were also one of the founding clubs of Maple Grove Rugby Park over 40 years ago. Throughout the last century the Wanderers have had much success on the pitch – winning numerous provincial (men’s and women’s) championships and tournaments. At least 14 of the current (nearly 80) Honoured Members in the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame have connections with Wanderers. The Winnipeg Wanderers Rugby Football Club are indeed a Pioneer of rugby in Manitoba, worthy of their induction into the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame.
The Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame will hold its 16th Induction Dinner Saturday October 17th, 2026 at The Gates in Winnipeg to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of the individuals and organization featured above who have been selected to be inducted as Honoured Members in 2026. 
To purchase Tickets to this event, please click the button below.
The deadline for ticket purchases is Midnight October 8th 2026.