Rugby union in Paraguay
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| country = Paraguay
| sport = rugby union
| image =
| imagesize = 300px
| caption =
| union = Paraguayan Rugby Union
| nickname =
| first = 1950s
| registered = 3,520
| clubs = 19
| match =
| national1 = Rugby World Cup
| national2 = Rugby World Cup Sevens
| national3 = IRB Sevens World Series
| national4 =
| club1 =
| club2 =
| countryflag = Paraguay
}}
Rugby union
in Paraguay
is a popular sport. They are currently ranked 38th worldwide and 5th in South America
, with 4,355 registered players, and nineteen clubs.
is dominated by Argentina
, and to a lesser extent Uruguay
(who have qualified for the Rugby World Cup
) and is most popular in the southern part of the continent. However, rugby can be found in almost all the South American nations, including Paraguay, partly because of massive immigration from Europe
, notably the British Isles, France and Italy. Rugby was also introduced to some regions of the continent by the Irish Marist Brothers
and their schools.
In the case of Paraguay, however, rugby did not really become established through the waves of European immigration in the 19th and early 20th century, but during the post WWII period. Mineral exploration and mining led to large numbers of foreign nationals being based in the country, from countries as diverse as the UK, Argentina and France. Thus it is difficult to point at one particular nation being the major instigator of Paraguayan rugby, for example, Asuncion Rugby Club was formed by expatriates - two Britons, two Argentines, a Dutchman, and a New Zealander. The New Zealander in question, was one Mr Gallagher [sic], a cattle breeder and distant relative of Dave Gallaher
, the famous captain.
The French, however, have taken a special interest in Paraguayan rugby to the point of supplying a paid director of coaching in Jean-Pierre Juan Chich, who later moved to Chile.
The first Paraguayan rugby player of note was Nelson Ayala who played with the English team, Saracens F.C.
in the 1950s. He has played a prominent part in developing the game in his home country.
In 1970, a second club was set up in Asuncion, the Club Universitario de Asunción (CURDA), and they toured the UK in the 1980s - the first Paraguayan team to do so. By 1988, there were over twenty rugby clubs in Paraguay, a figure which has remained relatively steady ever since. The main clubs in Paraguay are: CURDA, San José RC, Old King, Leones de Encarnación, Santa Clara, Asunción RC, Universidad Autónoma, Laque, Los Cuervos, Los Jabalíes, Paraná RC., Cristo Rey RC and C.I.T..
Touring sides occasionally visit from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil.
since 2004. (Current playing record).
| country = Paraguay
| sport = rugby union
| image =
| imagesize = 300px
| caption =
| union = Paraguayan Rugby Union
| nickname =
| first = 1950s
| registered = 3,520
| clubs = 19
| match =
| national1 = Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
| national2 = Rugby World Cup Sevens
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
| national3 = IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
| national4 =
| club1 =
| club2 =
| countryflag = Paraguay
}}
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...
in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
is a popular sport. They are currently ranked 38th worldwide and 5th in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, with 4,355 registered players, and nineteen clubs.
Governing body
The Paraguayan Rugby Union (Union de Rugby del Paraguay) was founded in 1970, and joined the IRFB in 1989.History
Rugby in South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
is dominated by Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and to a lesser extent Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
(who have qualified for the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
) and is most popular in the southern part of the continent. However, rugby can be found in almost all the South American nations, including Paraguay, partly because of massive immigration from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, notably the British Isles, France and Italy. Rugby was also introduced to some regions of the continent by the Irish Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
and their schools.
In the case of Paraguay, however, rugby did not really become established through the waves of European immigration in the 19th and early 20th century, but during the post WWII period. Mineral exploration and mining led to large numbers of foreign nationals being based in the country, from countries as diverse as the UK, Argentina and France. Thus it is difficult to point at one particular nation being the major instigator of Paraguayan rugby, for example, Asuncion Rugby Club was formed by expatriates - two Britons, two Argentines, a Dutchman, and a New Zealander. The New Zealander in question, was one Mr Gallagher [sic], a cattle breeder and distant relative of Dave Gallaher
Dave Gallaher
David "Dave" Gallaher was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the All Blacks....
, the famous captain.
The French, however, have taken a special interest in Paraguayan rugby to the point of supplying a paid director of coaching in Jean-Pierre Juan Chich, who later moved to Chile.
The first Paraguayan rugby player of note was Nelson Ayala who played with the English team, Saracens F.C.
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
in the 1950s. He has played a prominent part in developing the game in his home country.
In 1970, a second club was set up in Asuncion, the Club Universitario de Asunción (CURDA), and they toured the UK in the 1980s - the first Paraguayan team to do so. By 1988, there were over twenty rugby clubs in Paraguay, a figure which has remained relatively steady ever since. The main clubs in Paraguay are: CURDA, San José RC, Old King, Leones de Encarnación, Santa Clara, Asunción RC, Universidad Autónoma, Laque, Los Cuervos, Los Jabalíes, Paraná RC., Cristo Rey RC and C.I.T..
Touring sides occasionally visit from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil.
Women's rugby
Although Paraguay's women have not yet played test match rugby, they have been playing 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...
since 2004. (Current playing record).