The Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR & FC) had its first roots in NCC and in its 1st four years depended on NCC and Havelocks Sports club for their practices and matches. It was then that Colonel E. H. Joseph formed the Club in 1922 as the 1st Sri Lankan only rugby playing institution. Colonel Joseph insisted that the Club colors should be the same as the regiment he commanded, and the General Committee at that time agreed that the artillery colors of Red & Blue be the Club colors.

The 1st AGM was held n 1923 with some prominent names in Sri Lankan society taking active participation in the committee. They were the Schokmans, Rockwoods, Saravanamutthu, Weinman, and Ondatjie to name a few. The 1st captain was Dr. L.O. Weinman, while the vice-captain was Rajah Hewavitharana.

The Clifford Cup was re-introduced after the 1st world war, and CR & FC lost to the burly men of the combined service team by 3-6. CR rugby continued to flourish in the next decades to come and schoolboys from Trinity, Royal, Zahira, St. Peters, St. Thomas, and subsequently, Issipathana have represented the club with great distinction. The new clubhouse was opened in December 1964 and the main gate was opened in 1965.