Rugby union in Slovenia

Rugby union in Slovenia
Country Slovenia
National team(s) Slovenia
First played 1900
Registered players 1,065
Clubs 16
National competitions

Rugby union in Slovenia is a minor but growing sport. They are currently ranked 43rd by the IRB.[1]

Governing body

The governing body is Rugby Zveza Slovenije (Rugby Union of Slovenia).[2]

History

Yugoslav period

Rugby union was a moderately popular sport in Yugoslavia (a name which Serbia retained long after the disintegration of that state). Although rugby union in Croatia was the main centre for the sport in the former Yugoslavia, there was still quite a bit of rugby played in Slovenia. The Rugby Championship of Yugoslavia ran from 1957-1991.

Post independence

The breakup of Yugoslavia broke up many of the Slovenian rugby structures, which had to be started afresh.

In the early 1990s, former Italian cap, Dr Giancarlo Tizanini was a major driving force in Austrian rugby. Before his death in 1994, he tried hard to establish a Central European equivalent of the Six Nations between Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia.[3]

Slovenia also borders Italy, which is a major rugby playing nation. In recent years, however, there have been serious attempts by rugby league to expand into the Balkans, using substantial financial incentives, and expats from Australia.

Clubs

As of 2009, the following clubs were active:[4]

  • RAK Olimpija
  • RFC BEŽIGRAD
  • RFC Doberman
  • RFC Emoona
  • RFC Maribor
  • RFC Ribnica
  • RFC Ris
  • RK Ljubljana
  • RK Sokol Maribor(Maribor Sokol)
  • VRK Hermes (Veterans Rugby Club)

See also

References

  1. ↑ IRB.com retrieved on 23 June 2009
  2. ↑ http://www.rugby.si/
  3. ↑ Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ISBN 1-86200-013-1) p63
  4. ↑ http://www.rugby.si/htm/klubi.htm
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