The lost prodigal sons

[victorsra Profile Website]

I've found that the Armenian Rugby Federation is still a member of the Armenian Olympic Comitee http://www.armnoc.am/eng/anoc/federations/

Any news about how the game is in the country? Any chance to see the Armenians back to RE soon?

[Canalina Profile]

Armenia Rugby Federation has a facebook page, but with just 15 followers; the absence of local rugby in the images and the content of some posts give the feeling that they are at basic steps, searching whoever wants to play to form a first group
https://www.facebook.com/Հայաստանի-Ռեգբիի-Ֆեդերացիա-1571778106175093/

[FLIDTA RISXVA Profile Website]

How about ARMENIAN ice hockey?

Around 2010 they were expelled from | suspended by
IIHF for the THIRD time beacuse of fielding INELIGIBLE players EN MASSE

[gibbs Profile]

Shame rugby couldn't develop in Armenia, especially given the French based population and their Georgian neighbors

I've found that the Armenian Rugby Federation is still a member of the Armenian Olympic Comitee http://www.armnoc.am/eng/anoc/federations/

Any news about how the game is in the country? Any chance to see the Armenians back to RE soon?

Actually, Rugby Union in India wouldn't have survived if it weren't for the Armenians domiciled there, Especially in West Bengal, For decades since the early 90's Indian national sides were dominated by Armenian expats.. They do have a pedigree in Rugby both in France and elsewhere but it is indeed a paradox why the game haven't caught on in the country and given the caucuses population have physical attributes as well

http://www.azad-hye.net/news/viewnews.a ... =734azhf67

http://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/4zDFY ... style.html


This is the first Indian national team that took part in the Asiad in the early 90's, Vast majority in that pic are Armenian expats

[FLIDTA RISXVA Profile Website]

given the caucuses population have physical attributes as well

Very simple -- Armenians are NOT Caucasians, they are Indo-Europeans

Azeris are Turks, mixed with Caucasian ancestors

Over the Caucasian range, many - but NOT all -
autonomies within Russian Federation
are also Caucasians

Hence, like Georgians, they are very strong in WRESTLING but
have almost ZILCH rugby tradition -- Nalshiq is an exception

@

[victorsra Profile Website]

Was there rugby in Soviet Armenia?

[FLIDTA RISXVA Profile Website]

Yes, but very weak
Never played in Top Division

Check this FINE source
http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/Over ... ontiAnchor
year by year
and discover Armenian side = X Yerevan | Y Erevan

In 1968 you should find it as sharing 5-8 places

For the rest, in lower dovision | bottom 8 in 24-team system | or even NOWHERE

[victorsra Profile Website]

Interesting how the Uzbek club was strong in Soviet era and now rugby is very weak there...

[4N Profile]

I'm sure rugby would have been all Slavs and mostly military in Soviet times. Now it's mainly the Uzbek community playing there. An Uzbek player signed to play in Malaysia recently.

[FLIDTA RISXVA Profile Website]

Interesting how the Uzbek club was strong in Soviet era and now rugby is very weak there...

pls, check same source and you'll retract from your inaccurate impressions

Tashkent appeared in Top League
for the very first time in 1988 and finished

* 10th that year,
* 9th in 1989,
* 10th in 1990,
** 4th in 1991 (after withdrawal of GEO clubs and demise of others because of advent of free-market economy)

So, where they have been during 1966 - 1987 ?

[victorsra Profile Website]

FR, the source is exactly the one you sent me. If they finished 4th in 1991 what happened after the independence? That's a my question.

[FLIDTA RISXVA Profile Website]

Moved to Kaliningrad | Konigsberg and then closed down
Since late 1980s they were an army team - before students'


Take a NOTE of this HISTORICAL file >>
http://files.rugby.ge/VARIA/REGBI-IN-CCCP.pdf

SOVIET ERA 1966-1990

To pre-empt next query, I would emphasize
that LATVIA never got to Top League

Nevertheless, they were classed above Georgia
in every EARLY International Rankings - of about 1995