Arabian Gulf rugby union team
Encyclopedia
The Arabian Gulf rugby union team was a combined team of players from Arab states of Persian Gulf
— Bahrain
, Kuwait
, Oman
, Qatar
, Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates
that represented the Arabian Peninsula
area in international rugby union
competitions. The team competed in international matches between 1993 and 2010, and was governed by the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
(AGRFU). Associate members were Egypt
, Lebanon
and Jordan
.
As early as 2007, rumours of a break-up of the Arabian Gulf side surfaced, with Qatar
participating separately in the 2007 Asia Rugby Cup in Sri Lanka
. These rumours were apparently quashed with the Arabian Gulf team recently expanding to add the three associate nations. However, the eventual breakup was later confirmed; on 16 January 2009, the sport's international governing body, the International Rugby Board
, announced that the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
, which organised the national team, would be split into separate national unions and would cease to exist by the end of 2010. The first new union to be formed was expected to be that of the UAE.
The team's final tournament before the breakup was the 2010 Asian Five Nations, which doubled as the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
. The Arabian Gulf team won two of their four matches, including a 21–19 win in their final match in history at The Sevens
in Dubai
against Korea
.
alongside Korea
, Japan
, Hong Kong
and Kazakhstan
. After losing all four of their matches and subsequently finishing last, the team was relegated to Division One for the 2009 tournament. The team proceeded to win Division One in 2009, securing promotion to the Asian Five Nations for 2010.
The team will not take part in the 2015 tournament qualifying as it shall have been broken up by then.
teams, taking part in the first ever women's tournament in 1997, playing over 70 internationals between 1997 and 2010. At the time they were 10th busiest team in the world.
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
— Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
that represented the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
area in international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competitions. The team competed in international matches between 1993 and 2010, and was governed by the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
The Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union was the governing body for rugby union in the Gulf Cooperation Council member countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. To begin with most matches were played on sand but today almost all matches are played on grass...
(AGRFU). Associate members were Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
As early as 2007, rumours of a break-up of the Arabian Gulf side surfaced, with Qatar
Qatar national rugby union team
The Qatar national rugby union team represents Qatar in international rugby union. Qatar is a member of the International Rugby Board , and will make its Asian 5 Nations debut in 2011...
participating separately in the 2007 Asia Rugby Cup in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. These rumours were apparently quashed with the Arabian Gulf team recently expanding to add the three associate nations. However, the eventual breakup was later confirmed; on 16 January 2009, the sport's international governing body, the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
, announced that the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
The Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union was the governing body for rugby union in the Gulf Cooperation Council member countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. To begin with most matches were played on sand but today almost all matches are played on grass...
, which organised the national team, would be split into separate national unions and would cease to exist by the end of 2010. The first new union to be formed was expected to be that of the UAE.
The team's final tournament before the breakup was the 2010 Asian Five Nations, which doubled as the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. The Arabian Gulf team won two of their four matches, including a 21–19 win in their final match in history at The Sevens
The Sevens (stadium)
The Sevens, also written as "7he Sevens", is a purpose-built rugby sevens stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.It was the venue for the first HSBC A5N Youth Rugby Festival in February 2009.-External links:* * *...
in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
against Korea
Korea national rugby union team
The Korea national rugby union team represents South Korea in international rugby union. The team is recognized as Korea by the International Rugby Board. Korea has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup finals....
.
Asian Five Nations
The Arabian Gulf participated in the highest tier of the inaugural 2008 Asian Five NationsAsian Five Nations
The Asian Five Nations, known as the HSBC Asian 5 Nations due to its sponsorship by HSBC, is an annual international rugby union competition held between the top five Asian national rugby sides...
alongside Korea
Korea national rugby union team
The Korea national rugby union team represents South Korea in international rugby union. The team is recognized as Korea by the International Rugby Board. Korea has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup finals....
, Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong national rugby union team
The Hong Kong national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side. Hong Kong first played in 1969 and since then have always been in the group of the best Asian teams. Their team is made mostly from British origin players, with some natives from Hong Kong. They have yet to qualify for the...
and Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan national rugby union team
The Kazakhstan national rugby union team represents Kazakhstan at international level of rugby union. The team are nicknamed "The Nomads" and are controlled by the Kazakhstan Rugby Union....
. After losing all four of their matches and subsequently finishing last, the team was relegated to Division One for the 2009 tournament. The team proceeded to win Division One in 2009, securing promotion to the Asian Five Nations for 2010.
World Cup record
- 1987 - Not invited
- 1991 - Did not qualify.
- 1995 - Did not qualify.
- 1999 - Did not qualify.
- 2003 - Did not qualify.
- 2007 - Did not qualify. (See 2007 Rugby World Cup - Asia qualification2007 Rugby World Cup - Asia qualificationIn qualification for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, thirteen Asian Rugby Football Union nations compete for one full place, and one repechage place . No Asian teams qualified for the quarter finals in 2003, so none qualify automatically in 2007...
) - 2011 - Did not qualify. (See 2011 Rugby World Cup – Asia qualification)
The team will not take part in the 2015 tournament qualifying as it shall have been broken up by then.
Women's rugby
Although Arabian Gulf's women never played test match rugby, they were at the time one of the most active international sevens rugbyWomen's International Rugby Union Sevens
Rugby Union Sevens - a short form of the sport of rugby union - was first played in 1883, with the first internationals taking place in 1973...
teams, taking part in the first ever women's tournament in 1997, playing over 70 internationals between 1997 and 2010. At the time they were 10th busiest team in the world.