Rugby union in Belgium
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
in Belgium is a growing sport. They are currently ranked twenty-fifth in the International Rugby Board
's world rankings.
(FBRB - Fédération Belge de Rugby in French and Belgische Rugby Bond in Dutch) which is headquartered in Brussels
. The Belgian Rugby Federation was formed in 1931, and joined the IRFB in 1988.
Rugby union is governed by two regional bodies that answer to FBRB, the national governing body. Most of the clubs in the northern region of Belgium are governed by the Vlaamse Rugby Bond (VRB). The remaining clubs are governed by the Ligue Belge Francophone de Rugby (LBFR).
Rugby union in Belgium is also structured into four districts for competition purposes. These districts are; Brabant, Hainaut, Liège
/Namur
/Luxembourg, and Flanders
.
Within these districts, there are also several leagues and divisions that are structured based on the skill level of the clubs.
Rugby union in Belgium has not been popular historically, but due to its recent international successes, it is a quickly growing sport. As of the December 2007, more than half of the nearly seven thousand registered players are pre-teens or teenagers. In addition, there are currently forty-eight domestic clubs that compete against each other on various levels.
, nicknamed the Black Devils , has been competing in international tests since 1930.
. They have put forth a good showing so far, and if they win the competition, they will advance to the First Division in 2009.
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...
in Belgium is a growing sport. They are currently ranked twenty-fifth in 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...
's world rankings.
Governing body
The national governing body for rugby union in Belgium is the Belgian Rugby FederationBelgian Rugby Federation
The Belgian Rugby Federation is the governing body for rugby union in Belgium. It was founded in 1931 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1988....
(FBRB - Fédération Belge de Rugby in French and Belgische Rugby Bond in Dutch) which is headquartered in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. The Belgian Rugby Federation was formed in 1931, and joined the IRFB in 1988.
Rugby union is governed by two regional bodies that answer to FBRB, the national governing body. Most of the clubs in the northern region of Belgium are governed by the Vlaamse Rugby Bond (VRB). The remaining clubs are governed by the Ligue Belge Francophone de Rugby (LBFR).
Rugby union in Belgium is also structured into four districts for competition purposes. These districts are; Brabant, Hainaut, Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
/Namur
Namur (province)
Namur is a province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Walloon provinces of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Liège and Luxembourg in Belgium, and on France. Its capital is the city of Namur...
/Luxembourg, and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
.
Within these districts, there are also several leagues and divisions that are structured based on the skill level of the clubs.
History
For a long time, Belgian rugby's most high profile personality was the former international referee, Teddy Lacroix, who became president of the union.Rugby union in Belgium has not been popular historically, but due to its recent international successes, it is a quickly growing sport. As of the December 2007, more than half of the nearly seven thousand registered players are pre-teens or teenagers. In addition, there are currently forty-eight domestic clubs that compete against each other on various levels.
Notable players
Notable Belgian rugby players include:- Jacques RoggeJacques RoggeJacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
, best known as the eighth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), played on the Belgium national rugby team. - John RaphaelJohn Raphael (sportsman)John Edward Raphael was a Belgian born English sportsman who was capped nine times for England at rugby union and played first-class cricket with Surrey.-Biography:...
, born and died in Belgium, but moved to England as a child and was educated there. He was capped nine times for EnglandEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in 1905 and 1906. In 1910 he captained the British LionsBritish and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
in a tour of Argentina, consisting of the South American nation's inaugural Test match. - James AtkinsJames Atkins (rugby)James Atkins is an English-born Belgian rugby union footballer. He plays as scrum half for the Brussels Barbarians. A native Englishman, he has four international caps for Belgium.James was the Baba's vice-captain for 2006-2007...
- Mat HockenMat HockenMat Hocken is a former New Zealand under 21 Rugby International player currently playing for the Brussels Barbarians. He won 2 Blues for Cambridge University before moving to Brussels to work in Public Affairs....
- Oli Hockley
- Jimmy ParkerJimmy ParkerJimmy Parker is a former Belgian International rugby player who currently plays his trade for the Brussels Barbarians.He was captain of the Brussels Barbarians for the 1994-95 season.He is interviewed here...
National team
The national teamBelgium national rugby union team
The Belgium national rugby union team represents the third tier rugby playing nation of Belgium. They first played in 1930 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Belgium is administered by the Belgian Rugby Federation...
, nicknamed the Black Devils , has been competing in international tests since 1930.
2006-08 European Nations Cup
The national team is currently engaged in competition in the Second Division at the 2006-2008 European Nations Cup2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division
The 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Second Division will be contested over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The winner of Division 2A, Germany, will be promoted to Division 1 and fifth place,Netherlands, relegated to Division 2B...
. They have put forth a good showing so far, and if they win the competition, they will advance to the First Division in 2009.
Results
The Black Devils currently own a record of four wins and two losses.| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2006 | Belgium - Ukraine Ukraine national rugby union team The Ukraine national rugby union team represents Ukraine at the sport of rugby union. Ukraine have been playing international rugby union since the early 1990s. So far they have not qualified for a Rugby World Cup. They participate in the European Nations Cup.... |
24 - 11 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... (Belgium) |
| 18-Nov-2006 | Germany Germany national rugby union team Germany is a third-tier Rugby Union playing nation. Germany currently plays at the second level of European rugby but has never managed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup... - Belgium |
32 - 13 | Heidelberg Heidelberg -Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of... (Germany) |
| 21-Apr-2007 | Belgium - Moldova Moldova national rugby union team The Moldova national rugby union team represent Moldova at rugby union. They are governed by the Moldovan Rugby Federation , and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.-History:... |
27 - 29 | Brussels (Belgium) |
| 05-May-2007 | Netherlands Netherlands national rugby union team The Netherlands national rugby union team are a national sporting side of the Netherlands, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 1930.-History:... - Belgium |
20 - 27 | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... (Netherlands) |
| 10-Nov-2007 | Belgium - Germany | 32 - 18 | Brussels (Belgium) |
| 24-Nov-2007 | Ukraine - Belgium | 15 - 18 | Feodosia (Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... ) |
| 12-Apr-2008 | Moldova - Belgium | 19 - 22 | Chişinău Chisinau Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc... (Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... ) |
| 3-May-2008 | Belgium - Netherlands | 51 - 3 | Brussels (Belgium) |
| 5-Nov-2011 | Belgium - Tsjechië | 55 - 0 | Brussels (Belgium) |
See also
- Belgian Rugby FederationBelgian Rugby FederationThe Belgian Rugby Federation is the governing body for rugby union in Belgium. It was founded in 1931 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1988....
- Belgium national rugby union teamBelgium national rugby union teamThe Belgium national rugby union team represents the third tier rugby playing nation of Belgium. They first played in 1930 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Belgium is administered by the Belgian Rugby Federation...
- Belgium national rugby union team (sevens)Belgium national rugby union team (sevens)The Belgium national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side.-2008 Hannover Sevens:Group B matches --Belgium :Head coach: Neil Massinon...
- Belgium women's national rugby union teamBelgium women's national rugby union teamThe Belgium women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Belgium, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 1986.-Results summary:-Results:...