The club was established in 1962 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union.
East Tamaki was initially founded as a "branch" of Otahuhu RFC.
Today, the club has junior and senior teams, with age grades ranging from under-6 to over-60.
To date, the club has never won the Gallaher Shield, the premier senior men's trophy in Auckland rugby.
The club has produced a number of players who have gone on to play international rugby: