The proud heritage and history of the Golden Lions Rugby Union stretches back to 1889. The union was formed in 1889 to look after the well-being of the Gauteng rugby clubs. Its first elected president was Bill Taylor (born 1858).

The Union celebrated its 130th birthday in 2019. A rich tapestry of rugby development and excellence on the field make for fascinating reading. The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU), formerly known as the Transvaal Rugby Union, changed to the Lions in 1993, then to the Gauteng Lions in 1997, before being re-branded the Golden Lions in 1998. In 2018 three companies were formed, Lions Rugby Company (professional rugby), Golden Lions Rugby Union (community rugby) and the group of stadiums called EPS (Pty) Ltd.