They were founded in 1880 from a merger of three smaller teams, and moved into their current ground at Welford Road, Leicester in 1892. They quickly gained a reputation and won the Midlands Cup eight times in a row, from 1898 to 1905
The Barbarians had traditionally played the team every Christmas, but this practice has now abated.
In recent years, under the captaincy of Martin Johnson, they have won the Premiership four years in a row, from 1999 to 2002, and the Heineken Cup in 2001 and 2002.
In the 2003 Rugby World Cup the club had seven representatives in the successful England squad: Martin Johnson (captain), Neil Back, Martin Corry, Ben Kay, Lewis Moody, Dorian West and Julian White. The coach, Clive Woodward, played for the club from 1979 to 1985.
In the 2004 New Year honours Woodward received a knighthood (KBE), Johnson was made a CBE and the other world cup players MBEs.