Rugby union in Vanuatu

Rugby union in Vanuatu
Country Vanuatu
Governing body Vanuatu Rugby Football Union
National team Vanuatu
Registered players 2,143
Clubs 15

Rugby union in Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides is a popular sport.[1] Vanuatu is a tier three rugby union playing nation. They began playing international rugby union in 1966 and have yet to make the Rugby World Cup.

Despite its size and lack of club infrastructure, there are 2143 registered players of rugby union, 100 of whom are female, and there are fifteen clubs.[2]

The national side is ranked 91st in the world (as of June, 2009)[2] and has played just 8 matches.

Governing body

The governing body is the Vanuatu Rugby Football Union based at Port Vila.[2][3]

History

Rugby union reached Vanuatu via both the French and the British, as well as contacts with neighbouring islands. Before independence in 1980, the New Hebrides were a unique form of colonial territory in which sovereignty was shared by two great powers - Britain and France - instead of exercised by just one. The Condominium divided the New Hebrides into two separate communities — one Anglophone and one Francophone. This divide continues even after independence, with schools either teaching in one language or the other, and between different political parties.

Teams from Vanuatu have competed with teams from the Solomon Islands.

See also

References

  1. ↑ South Pacific and Micronesia. Lonely Planet. 2006. p. 53. ISBN 1-74104-304-2.
  2. 1 2 3 http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000097/index.html IRB.com accessed on 28 June 2009
  3. ↑ http://www.oceaniarugby.com/member_unions/foru_member_union_vanuatu.html accessed on 20 July 2009

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, February 17, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.