Alexandre Tichonov
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Tichonov is a former rugby union
international who represented the Soviet Union
in the 1980s and early 1990s. He had the distinction of being asked to play for the Barbarians
on their Easter 1990 tour of Wales and was one of two Soviet players, along with Igor Mironov to play in the Rest of Europe XV in 1990 against the Four Home Unions XV at Twickenham Stadium
.
. This academy, was named after the world's first astronaut, Yuri Gagarin
, who himself was reportedly a rugby enthusiast. The sports academy was a rich source of Soviet and now Russian internationals.
. The team he played in staged tours to England and New Zealand. Playing at No.8 or flanker, Tichonov standing at 6 ft. 4ins and weighing 15stones and 12 lbs, was described as athletic and close to world-class.
He had the distinction of being asked to play for the Barbarians
on their Easter 1990 tour of Wales. This was after an international schedule from November 1989 during which he had played in the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong. He was one of two Soviet players, along with Igor Mironov to play in 1990 Skilball Trophy
match for Rest of Europe XV against the Four Home Unions XV at Twickenham Stadium
to raise money for the rebuilding of Romania following the overthrow of Nicolae Ceauşescu
in December 1989. The mid-season Russian break had afforded him the time to do this, and he returned to Moscow to complete the season for his club side.
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...
international who represented the Soviet Union
Soviet Union national rugby union team
The USSR national rugby union team was a sporting side that represented the Soviet Union in rugby union until the early 1990s.-History:Although such tournaments as the Soviet Cup and the Soviet Championship existed, rugby never became a major sport in the USSR...
in the 1980s and early 1990s. He had the distinction of being asked to play for the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
on their Easter 1990 tour of Wales and was one of two Soviet players, along with Igor Mironov to play in the Rest of Europe XV in 1990 against the Four Home Unions XV at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
Early life
Alexandre Tichonov was born in around 1962 in modern day Russia. He studied at the Yuri Gagarin Academy, MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. This academy, was named after the world's first astronaut, Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
, who himself was reportedly a rugby enthusiast. The sports academy was a rich source of Soviet and now Russian internationals.
Rugby union career
Tichonov played his club rugby for Yuri Gagarin Academy. He played in the final days of the old Soviet Union and it was a golden period for Soviet rugby. Four times in succession, from 1986 to 1989, the team was runners-up in the FIRA tournament behind the first tier team, France. This tournament including both Romania and Italy, the latter of whom has since joined the first tier teams of Europe to play in the Six Nations ChampionshipSix Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
. The team he played in staged tours to England and New Zealand. Playing at No.8 or flanker, Tichonov standing at 6 ft. 4ins and weighing 15stones and 12 lbs, was described as athletic and close to world-class.
He had the distinction of being asked to play for the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
on their Easter 1990 tour of Wales. This was after an international schedule from November 1989 during which he had played in the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong. He was one of two Soviet players, along with Igor Mironov to play in 1990 Skilball Trophy
The Skilball Trophy
The Skilball Trophy was contested in 1990 by a team titled the "Four Home Unions" against a team titled the "Rest of Europe XV". This was a match to raise money for the rebuilding of Romania following the overthrow of Nicolae Ceauşescu in December 1989. The Four Nations team's logo was that used by...
match for Rest of Europe XV against the Four Home Unions XV at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
to raise money for the rebuilding of Romania following the overthrow of Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
in December 1989. The mid-season Russian break had afforded him the time to do this, and he returned to Moscow to complete the season for his club side.