The club led a nomadic existence until, shortly before World War II, they moved to their present headquarters at Holme Park, Sonning.

However, a successful colts side, organised by the late John Silverthorne, formed the basis of a revival following a disastrous 1982–83 season in which only one game was won.

Coach Jeff Owen and skipper Ian Turrell joined forces in the early 1980s and through their emphasis on forward power, Reading became known as "The Green Machine".

In the 1986–87 season, the team won 30 out of 34 matches and also reached the third round of the John Player Cup, running Coventry, then amongst the country's elite, very close before going down 26–12.

Reading played five seasons at this level, peaking at a final position of 6th, but by the time Tewkesbury left in 1999 problems were already apparent, as successive financial cuts had depleted the squad.

The 2004–05 season started badly, with defeat in the hot sunshine at Hertford, but it ended entertainingly with a 50–28 win against old rivals Lydney and a creditable sixth place.

However, there was no revival after Christmas as opportunities were missed in consecutive weeks for wins over Rosslyn Park and Southend which saw Reading return to South West Division 1.

In 2018–19 the U18 Team won the Area2 Cup by beating London Scottish U18 Girls making it the national Semi finals where they lost to Pulborough the eventual winners.