Last countries without rugby
Re: Last countries without rugby
Updating after the news from Asia Rugby
I know Morocco is suspended, but it will return, so they don't fit in the list. I "relegated" Ethiopia and Cape Verde because couldn't find any references that Rugby Afrique is still doing some work there. I also scraped Albania in the countries with national teams because it is already more than 10 years since it was formed. Also promote Cuba because rugby is indeed part of their Instituto Nacional de Esporte.
The section "Countries working with sports organizations (continental unions, NOCs, Sports Ministries...) " is important. If there's reference that rugby is linked to official entities, please report.
EDIT: Updated with Comoros news.
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UPDATE OF COUNTRIES THAT AREN'T MEMBERS OF WORLD RUGBY OR THE 6 CONTINENTAL UNIONS
List of IOC-eligible countries
Former continental unions members:
EUROPE: Greece (suspended/not listed anymore, but alive https://www.facebook.com/hellasrugby), Armenia (dissolved, reborn https://www.facebook.com/armrugby/)
NORTH AMERICA: St. Kitts and Nevis (unclear)
AFRICA: Mauritania (suspended/not listed anymore)
FORMER FIRA: North Korea (out in 1997)
Countries with other rugby organizations membership (non-World Rugby member) https://www.yallarugby.com/arab-rugby-f ... dubai-uae/
Arab Rugby Federation: https://www.yallarugby.com/arab-rugby-f ... dubai-uae/
AFRICA: Sudan, Libya
Indic Ocean Rugby Association: http://lagazettedescomores.com/sport/fédération-comorienne-de-rugby-/-le-rugby-de-locéan-indien-accueille-les-comores-.html
AFRICA: Comoros
Countries working with sports organizations (continental unions, NOCs, Sports Ministries...)
EUROPE: Kosovo (Sports Ministry) https://twitter.com/KosovoRugby/status/ ... 4904318978
NORTH AMERICA: Cuba (Instituto Nacional de Deportes) http://www.inder.gob.cu/descargas/docum ... 20-WEB.pdf
ASIA: Vietnam https://www.asiarugby.com/2019/12/14/pr ... o-vietnam/
OCEANIA: Kiribati (Get Into Rugby)
Countries with active national teams in the past 10 years - 7s at least
NORTH AMERICA: Aruba (2019), US Virgin Islands (2016), Haiti (2015), Puerto Rico (2012?)
Countries with rugby clubs but no national team in the past 10 years
ASIA: Myanmar, Bhutan, Tajikstan, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Timor Leste
AFRICA: Ethiopia, Angola, Gambia, Liberia, South Sudan, Djibouti, Cape Verde, Guiné Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia
NORTH AMERICA: Antigua & Barbuda
EUROPE: North Macedonia, Albania (League now)
OCEANIA: Micronesia, Palau
Countries with at least active beach rugby
ASIA: Maldives
Countries without active rugby (no references)
ASIA: Yemen, Turkmenistan;
AFRICA: Eritrea, São Tomé and Príncipe;
NORTH AMERICA (RAN zone): Suriname*, Grenada, Dominica;
OCEANIA: Marshall Islands ;
*Not sure
_____
Non-IOC-eligible territories (included countries with disputed recognition)
Countries with active national teams in the past 10 years - 7s at least
EUROPE: Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey
OCEANIA: Tokelau
Territories recognised by the French Rugby Federation
NORTH AMERICA: Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Pierre & Miquelon
AFRICA: Mayotte, Reunion
With rugby clubs but no national team in the past 10 years
EUROPE: Northern Cyprus, Transnistria, Åland, Isle of Man, Alderney, Sark
NORTH AMERICA: Anguilla, Bonaire, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Greenland (tag/touch indoor rugby)
OCEANIA: Northern Marianas, Bougainville (independence process)
Without active rugby (no references)
EUROPE: Vatican**, Faroe Islands, Artsakh, Abkhazia*, South Ossetia*
NORTH AMERICA: Montserrat, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius
AFRICA: Western Sahara, Somaliland, Saint Helena & Dependencies
OCEANIA: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Pitcairn Islands
SOUTH AMERICA: Falkland Islands*
*Not sure about local rugby scene
**Could be IOC-member but it isn't

I know Morocco is suspended, but it will return, so they don't fit in the list. I "relegated" Ethiopia and Cape Verde because couldn't find any references that Rugby Afrique is still doing some work there. I also scraped Albania in the countries with national teams because it is already more than 10 years since it was formed. Also promote Cuba because rugby is indeed part of their Instituto Nacional de Esporte.
The section "Countries working with sports organizations (continental unions, NOCs, Sports Ministries...) " is important. If there's reference that rugby is linked to official entities, please report.
EDIT: Updated with Comoros news.
---
UPDATE OF COUNTRIES THAT AREN'T MEMBERS OF WORLD RUGBY OR THE 6 CONTINENTAL UNIONS
List of IOC-eligible countries
Former continental unions members:
EUROPE: Greece (suspended/not listed anymore, but alive https://www.facebook.com/hellasrugby), Armenia (dissolved, reborn https://www.facebook.com/armrugby/)
NORTH AMERICA: St. Kitts and Nevis (unclear)
AFRICA: Mauritania (suspended/not listed anymore)
FORMER FIRA: North Korea (out in 1997)
Countries with other rugby organizations membership (non-World Rugby member) https://www.yallarugby.com/arab-rugby-f ... dubai-uae/
Arab Rugby Federation: https://www.yallarugby.com/arab-rugby-f ... dubai-uae/
AFRICA: Sudan, Libya
Indic Ocean Rugby Association: http://lagazettedescomores.com/sport/fédération-comorienne-de-rugby-/-le-rugby-de-locéan-indien-accueille-les-comores-.html
AFRICA: Comoros
Countries working with sports organizations (continental unions, NOCs, Sports Ministries...)
EUROPE: Kosovo (Sports Ministry) https://twitter.com/KosovoRugby/status/ ... 4904318978
NORTH AMERICA: Cuba (Instituto Nacional de Deportes) http://www.inder.gob.cu/descargas/docum ... 20-WEB.pdf
ASIA: Vietnam https://www.asiarugby.com/2019/12/14/pr ... o-vietnam/
OCEANIA: Kiribati (Get Into Rugby)
Countries with active national teams in the past 10 years - 7s at least
NORTH AMERICA: Aruba (2019), US Virgin Islands (2016), Haiti (2015), Puerto Rico (2012?)
Countries with rugby clubs but no national team in the past 10 years
ASIA: Myanmar, Bhutan, Tajikstan, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Timor Leste
AFRICA: Ethiopia, Angola, Gambia, Liberia, South Sudan, Djibouti, Cape Verde, Guiné Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia
NORTH AMERICA: Antigua & Barbuda
EUROPE: North Macedonia, Albania (League now)
OCEANIA: Micronesia, Palau
Countries with at least active beach rugby
ASIA: Maldives
Countries without active rugby (no references)
ASIA: Yemen, Turkmenistan;
AFRICA: Eritrea, São Tomé and Príncipe;
NORTH AMERICA (RAN zone): Suriname*, Grenada, Dominica;
OCEANIA: Marshall Islands ;
*Not sure
_____
Non-IOC-eligible territories (included countries with disputed recognition)
Countries with active national teams in the past 10 years - 7s at least
EUROPE: Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey
OCEANIA: Tokelau
Territories recognised by the French Rugby Federation
NORTH AMERICA: Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Pierre & Miquelon
AFRICA: Mayotte, Reunion
With rugby clubs but no national team in the past 10 years
EUROPE: Northern Cyprus, Transnistria, Åland, Isle of Man, Alderney, Sark
NORTH AMERICA: Anguilla, Bonaire, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Greenland (tag/touch indoor rugby)
OCEANIA: Northern Marianas, Bougainville (independence process)
Without active rugby (no references)
EUROPE: Vatican**, Faroe Islands, Artsakh, Abkhazia*, South Ossetia*
NORTH AMERICA: Montserrat, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius
AFRICA: Western Sahara, Somaliland, Saint Helena & Dependencies
OCEANIA: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Pitcairn Islands
SOUTH AMERICA: Falkland Islands*
*Not sure about local rugby scene
**Could be IOC-member but it isn't
Last edited by victorsra on Sat, 18 Jul 2020, 16:36, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Comoros entered in AROI (Association de Rugby Ocean Indien) seven months ago and they plan to take part to the Aroi 7s 2021.
They are the sixth member of AROI after Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte (all usual participants of the Aroi 7s) and Seychelles, which instead seems absent from the rugby scene. So the only Indian Ocean nation/territory now missing in AROI are the Maldives.
The next Indian Ocean Games (2023) will be hosted right by the Maldives, so maybe also them will try to field a team in rugby
http://lagazettedescomores.com/sport/fédération-comorienne-de-rugby-/-le-rugby-de-locéan-indien-accueille-les-comores-.html
https://www.facebook.com/Comores-Rugby-944558312553575
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean_Island_Games
They are the sixth member of AROI after Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte (all usual participants of the Aroi 7s) and Seychelles, which instead seems absent from the rugby scene. So the only Indian Ocean nation/territory now missing in AROI are the Maldives.
The next Indian Ocean Games (2023) will be hosted right by the Maldives, so maybe also them will try to field a team in rugby
http://lagazettedescomores.com/sport/fédération-comorienne-de-rugby-/-le-rugby-de-locéan-indien-accueille-les-comores-.html
https://www.facebook.com/Comores-Rugby-944558312553575
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean_Island_Games
Re: Last countries without rugby
A recent update on Albania rugby: the Tirana RK is totally focused on rugby league, right now, and they are going to take part to the greek championship next season, as already written in this forum before. There's at the moment just an other club in Albania, the Ilirët RC in the same Tirana, but the last derby between the two teams, last winter, was played 9 vs 9, so I suspect that at least the Ilirët is quite short of players. A third club could be created in Vlora
https://www.vizionplus.tv/cudia-ekipi-i ... gen-greke/
https://www.vizionplus.tv/cudia-ekipi-i ... gen-greke/
Re: Last countries without rugby
Canalina wrote:A recent update on Albania rugby: the Tirana RK is totally focused on rugby league, right now, and they are going to take part to the greek championship next season, as already written in this forum before. There's at the moment just an other club in Albania, the Ilirët RC in the same Tirana, but the last derby between the two teams, last winter, was played 9 vs 9, so I suspect that at least the Ilirët is quite short of players. A third club could be created in Vlora
https://www.vizionplus.tv/cudia-ekipi-i ... gen-greke/
Are Ilirët and Vlora playing Union?
Thanks, I've just updated the last post with Comoros news.
Last edited by victorsra on Sat, 18 Jul 2020, 16:35, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Tirana vs Iliret was played with the 9s league rules (9s is the homologue of 7s in league), while Vlora club is still just an idea.
So no rugby union at the moment in Albania, it seems.
Anyway I think/hope that it's still all very fluid and that they all could return to play union if there will be a useful chance about
So no rugby union at the moment in Albania, it seems.
Anyway I think/hope that it's still all very fluid and that they all could return to play union if there will be a useful chance about
Re: Last countries without rugby
If there's a North Macedonian club playing the Kosovo Rugby Union Championship, why not an Albanian club? Seems logical.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Bougainville will enter a crucial moment of its process of independence from Papua New Guinea https://thediplomat.com/2020/07/bougain ... -election/ The referendum was nonbinding and now they have the election of the new president (governor) of the territory, that is expected to start the independence negociations.
Anyway, Bougainville already has a local rugby union: https://www.facebook.com/Bougainville-R ... 468117758/
Anyway, Bougainville already has a local rugby union: https://www.facebook.com/Bougainville-R ... 468117758/
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Re: Last countries without rugby
Rugby league is the more popular code in Bougainville. No doubt they'll be in the rugby league world cup before too long.
Re: Last countries without rugby
A very important document, the rules to apply for WR membership: https://pulse-static-files.s3.amazonaws ... nglish.pdf
2.0 Jurisdiction
2.1 Be a member of a Regional Association for two years (One year as an Associate Member / One year as a Full Member) (See schedule 1)
2.2 Be from a Country which is either a Member State of the United Nations or a Country with a National Olympic Committee recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
Well, all UN members are also IOC members, so with it is basicaly needed to be recognised by the IOC.
2.0 Jurisdiction
2.1 Be a member of a Regional Association for two years (One year as an Associate Member / One year as a Full Member) (See schedule 1)
2.2 Be from a Country which is either a Member State of the United Nations or a Country with a National Olympic Committee recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
Well, all UN members are also IOC members, so with it is basicaly needed to be recognised by the IOC.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Kiribati Touch Rugby Association changed name to Kiribati Rugby. I understood they are in charge of promoting rugby there https://www.facebook.com/pages/category ... 307628195/
Re: Last countries without rugby
A Rugby World (the magazine) article about St. Pierre et Miquelon, the two french little islands near Terranova
https://www.rugbyworld.com/countries/fr ... ris-112059
https://www.rugbyworld.com/countries/fr ... ris-112059
Re: Last countries without rugby
I think we've missed this news, but the Bahrein RFC won in March the West Asia Premiership title: https://www.yallarugby.com/mens/west-as ... gue-table/ The other clubs were from the UAE. Bahrein RFC's page: https://bahrainrfc.com/ I hope we see Bahrein soon as Asia Rugby member.
Oman's Muscat RFC played the third division https://www.yallarugby.com/mens/divisio ... gue-table/
I thought Kuwait club played it too, but not in 2019-20 apparently.
Bahrain Rugby Club started life as a section of the British Club in 1971, becoming its own separate entity in 1974. With more than 3,000 members, Bahrain has grown to become one of the largest and formidable clubs in the Gulf region.
They are the West Asia Premiership Cup holders of 2017/18 Gulf Rugby season and the Western Clubs Champions League title holders of 2018/19.
Bahrain Rugby Club are the only non UAE team to play in the West Asia Premiership as they compete along side teams from Dubai and Abu Dhabi from the United Arab Emirates.
Oman's Muscat RFC played the third division https://www.yallarugby.com/mens/divisio ... gue-table/
I thought Kuwait club played it too, but not in 2019-20 apparently.
Re: Last countries without rugby
New club in Skopje, Macedonia, "the first one providing trainings for the kids"
They will start from the juniors and apparently they have an USA organization behind them
https://rugby.mk/en/
Curios note: "Macedonia" in italian language has also the meaning of "fruit salad"; wikipedia says that also the spanish language and the portoguese one (and maybe the french one) share the same meaning. The term should come from the Alexander the Great's macedonian empire, a babel of races, cultures and habits, as well as the fruit salad is a mix of many different types of fruit
They will start from the juniors and apparently they have an USA organization behind them
https://rugby.mk/en/
Curios note: "Macedonia" in italian language has also the meaning of "fruit salad"; wikipedia says that also the spanish language and the portoguese one (and maybe the french one) share the same meaning. The term should come from the Alexander the Great's macedonian empire, a babel of races, cultures and habits, as well as the fruit salad is a mix of many different types of fruit
Last edited by Canalina on Wed, 23 Sep 2020, 18:50, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Canalina wrote:New club in Skopje, Macedonia, "the first one providing trainings for the kids"
They will start from the juniors and apparently they have an USA organization behind them
https://rugby.mk/en/
They have support of the Skopje Wild Boars: https://rugby.mk/en/history/
Re: Last countries without rugby
Canalina wrote:New club in Skopje, Macedonia, "the first one providing trainings for the kids"
They will start from the juniors and apparently they have an USA organization behind them
https://rugby.mk/en/
Curios note: "Macedonia" in italian language has also the meaning of "fruit salad"; wikipedia says that also the spanish language and the portoguese one (and maybe the french one) share the same meaning. The term should come from the Alexander the Great's macedonian empire, a babel of races, cultures and habits, as well as the fruit salad is a mix of many different types of fruit
In France, Macedoine isn't a fruit salad but a vegetables salad. You can find it everywhere, even in cans. You usually have carrots, white turnips, peas, green beans with mayonnaise. Sometimes potatoes too... Not my favorite, but a very classic of french cuisine.
And name seems to come from modern macedonia (greece and independent), due to the mixture of people there.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Cameroon and Greece don't appear anymore in the WR website as members https://www.world.rugby/organisation/me ... ber-unions Nigeria does.
But Cameroon still is a Rugby Afrique member: https://www.rugbyafrique.com/unions/
But Cameroon still is a Rugby Afrique member: https://www.rugbyafrique.com/unions/
Re: Last countries without rugby
Mind-blowing paradox: Macedonia is the nation in Europe where rugby is less played but it's also the one the form of which more resembles (vaguely) an oval ball!


Re: Last countries without rugby
In fact there's a third club in Macedonia, the first formed: Rudar Miners Rugby Club
It's based in Probištip, 80 km east of Skopje
Luka37 had always wrote about it some pages ago in this same thread and someone other remembered it on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/rudar.rugby/
"Do you think there's a chance to see a Macedonia national team (7s or 15) in a near future?"
"Well, yes! We (Rudar) have a lot of young players, also the Wild Boars, but they also have Macedonian players that have played rugby in other countries, and they have couches with experience, witch is very good for development of rugby in Macedonia. There are chances for senior national team in near future, also U18 or U20, but first we need at least two more clubs, that we are working for".
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 0689872550
It's based in Probištip, 80 km east of Skopje
Luka37 had always wrote about it some pages ago in this same thread and someone other remembered it on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/rudar.rugby/
"Do you think there's a chance to see a Macedonia national team (7s or 15) in a near future?"
"Well, yes! We (Rudar) have a lot of young players, also the Wild Boars, but they also have Macedonian players that have played rugby in other countries, and they have couches with experience, witch is very good for development of rugby in Macedonia. There are chances for senior national team in near future, also U18 or U20, but first we need at least two more clubs, that we are working for".
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 0689872550
Re: Last countries without rugby
Kosovo Rugby Federation is pretty active; https://www.facebook.com/RugbyFedKosovo/ Maybe we'll see them applying for Rugby Europe membership now?
Re: Last countries without rugby
With Nepal and Panama in World Rugby, there are 128 World Rugby members https://www.world.rugby/news/603777/wor ... ew-members
Re: Last countries without rugby
Considering the general situation, it's a particularly well come news
The updated map, I hope to have not forgotten something in the while

The updated map, I hope to have not forgotten something in the while

Re: Last countries without rugby
Of those countries that aren't World Rugby members, should we expect to see Montenegro and Estonia soon?
In the Americas, Honduras and El Salvador might not take much longer.
A bit difficult to bet which African nations would come next. Maybe one of the Congos? Maybe Benin or Niger? Maybe Mozambique fast tracks? We should expect that Egypt steps up.... let's see.
In Asia, maybe Bangladesh?
In the Americas, Honduras and El Salvador might not take much longer.
A bit difficult to bet which African nations would come next. Maybe one of the Congos? Maybe Benin or Niger? Maybe Mozambique fast tracks? We should expect that Egypt steps up.... let's see.
In Asia, maybe Bangladesh?
Re: Last countries without rugby
Hey, just saw Tahiti is not included as WR member anymore: https://www.world.rugby/organisation/membership
Suspended? We haven't seen a word, right? So, 127 members.
Suspended? We haven't seen a word, right? So, 127 members.
Re: Last countries without rugby
Canalina wrote:Tirana vs Iliret was played with the 9s league rules (9s is the homologue of 7s in league), while Vlora club is still just an idea.
So no rugby union at the moment in Albania, it seems.
Anyway I think/hope that it's still all very fluid and that they all could return to play union if there will be a useful chance about
Chances are created not expected,
no one in Albania whant to get involved any more with "Union politics"
As for what i am concerned union can reach Albania only through rugby 7s wich is an Olympic sport and this will be very difficult, for many reasons . The NGO of Albania RL have included in theyr statute and control every code of rugby ,and sooner will be a federation.
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