Leeds have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated in four consecutive seasons starting in 2006.

The original rugby union team was Leeds St John's and it played at the Militia Barracks ground before moving to Cardigan Fields.

In 1888, the Cardigan Estate was sold at auction and Lot 17a was purchased by a group of Leeds citizens, who intended to form the city's leading sports club.

With Headingley still being completed, Leeds' first game was staged at Cardigan Fields, the home side defeating Otley.

The development of the playing fields into the Headingley ground was down to Lord Hawke, who was also behind the creation of the Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Company and the purchase of lot 17A of the Cardigan Estate.

Former Scotland coach Frank Hadden also had a spell at Headingley, where his and McGeechan's playing paths crossed, at the tail end of his career.

Richard Cardus, Bev Dovey, Denis Wilkins and Keith Smith all won international caps while in the Roundhay ranks.

Smith featured in England's first full tour of Australia in 1975, but had to return home injured and Wilkins, who was also in the Royal Navy, won 13 caps, between 1951 and 1953.

The Leeds Tykes team for their first game in the Premiership on 2 September 2001 against Bath was Shelley, Holt, Wring, C. Murphy, Palmer, Mather, Ponton, Fea'unati, Benton, Bachop, Emmerson, Woof, Mayer, Scarbrough, Benson.

In 2005, they were mid-table by early November, but at the turn of the year, following injuries to key players, they were bottom of the Zurich Premiership and some way adrift of their rivals.

Phil Davies relinquished control of some coaching duties to concentrate on his role as Director of Rugby in 2005 following another poor start to the season which saw the Tykes lose their first eight games in three different competitions.

After losing three successive away matches in injury time to Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers, in January 2006 former Rugby League international Daryl Powell was promoted from the back room staff to First Team coach.

Other players who left were: Iain Balshaw, Chris Bell, Gordon Bulloch, Danny Care, Andy Craig, David Doherty, Dan Hyde, Mark McMillan, Tom Palmer, Richard Parks, Roland Reid, Gordon Ross, David Rees, Roland De Marigny, Scott Morgan, Chris Murphy and Nathan Thomas.

At the end of April 2006, Phil Davies resigned as Director of Rugby to be replaced by academy coach Stuart Lancaster.

The new players signed for the new season under Lancaster were Leigh Hinton from Newport Gwent Dragons, Leinster centre Jonny Hepworth, wing/full-back Richard Welding from Cornish Pirates, scrum-half Jacob Rauluni ex-Earth Titans and Bristol, scrum-half Darren Edwards from London Irish, winger John Holtby from Earth Titans, and centre Anitelia Tuilagi, on loan from Leicester Tigers.

New forwards include flanker Mark Lock from London Wasps, Argentinian 7s and ex-Plymouth Albion flanker Martín Schusterman, Former Bristol Rugby No 8 Rhys Oakley from Newport Gwent Dragons, hooker James Parkes from Gloucester and props USA international Mike MacDonald, ex-Worcester who helped the Eagles to qualify for the World Cup, and Colin Noon from Biarritz.

In 2008, Lancaster left Leeds to take a job at the RFU, replaced by England World Cup winner Neil Back, and Andy Key, both of whom were previously on the coaching staff at Leicester Tigers.

[6] The restructuring saw former Wales and British and Irish Lions international Gareth Davies join a new board of directors representing the university.

[11] In September 2020, it was confirmed that the club had reverted to the Leeds Tykes ahead of the (eventually cancelled) 2020–21 National League 1 season.

Built to replace the old eastern terrace, it was opened on 1 September 2006 for the Super League match between Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves.

In November 2017 it again changed its name to Emerald Headingley Stadium, just after a major rebuilding project started to replace both main pitchside stands, completed in 2019.