Two nations entered the rugby union event at the 1920 Summer Olympics — France and the United States.

The French team were thought to be assured of the gold medal and came in as raging favourites in the event.

Due to American football becoming an increasingly violent sport, these and other west coast universities chose to instead play rugby union from 1906–1914.

At a council of war we decided that because the ground was wet and slippery and the ball likewise, we would make it a forward game.

[5] Trainer/Selector: Harry Maloney Player/Coach: Daniel Carroll Charles Doe George Fish James Fitzpatrick Joseph Hunter Morris Kirksey Charles Mehan John Muldoon John O'Neil John Patrick Erwin Righter Rudolph Scholz Dink Templeton Charles Lee Tilden (capt) Heaton Wrenn Harold Von Schmidt (did not play the game): Matthew E. Hazeltine, Sr. Colby Slater James Winston Édouard Bader François Borde Adolphe Bousquet Jean Bruneval Alphonse Castex André Chilo René Crabos Curtet Alfred Eluère Jacques Forestier Grenet Maurice Labeyrie Robert Levasseur Pierre Petiteau Raoul Thiercelin (did not play the game): Raymond Berrurier Rugby Commissioner and President of the California Rugby Union, Harry Maloney, was Coach and Trainer of the team.