Côte d'Ivoire national rugby union team
Encyclopedia
The Ivory Coast national rugby union team, nicknamed Les Éléphants, represents Côte d'Ivoire
(also known as Ivory Coast) in rugby union
. The team is recognised as Ivory Coast by the International Rugby Board
. Ivory Coast participate in the annual Africa Cup
and are considered a third tier rugby team.
Formed in 1990, the team's most significant achievement to date was their success in qualifying for the Rugby World Cup
for their first and so far only time in 1995
. They have not qualified since, though they did reach the semi-finals of the African qualifying competition for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
, achieving a home draw against eventual qualifiers Namibia
before being defeated in their away match.
Rugby union in Côte d'Ivoire
is popular among school children, but the rugby union playing population in Côte d'Ivoire is still relatively small with only 14 clubs and 470 registered senior players.
, the national rugby union federation, was formed in March 1990, the same month that it joined the International Rugby Board
. They qualified for the World Cup the first time in 1995 and suffered defeats by Scotland
, France
and Tonga
.
With a small player base, and starved of strong competition, the team has deteriorated in recent years. Recent defeats to Morocco
mean they are ranked below the North African side. Their record in the World Cup has been poor, and they haven't managed a win. Their record defeat, 89-0 against Scotland
in the 1995
tournament, led to some questioning the presence of the minor teams at the tournament. Ivory Coast, however, played much better in the following match, losing to France
by 54-18, with 2 tries scored. The final match with Tonga, lost by 29-11, in the 1995 World Cup saw a major tragedy, as Max Brito
suffered a cervical spine injury that left him a quadriplegic
.
After the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Ivory Coast took a three years break from international competition, only returning for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
qualifyings, in September 1998. Ivory Coast was very unfortunate, losing all the three matches, to Namibia
(10-22), Zimbabwe
(0-32), and Morocco
(3-6), in a tournament held in Casablanca
, Morocco
.
After another hiatus of two years and a half, the Elephants returned for the Africa Championship, in 2001, losing both matches with Morocco, 11-18 at home and 18-20 away, and achieving a 11-11 draw with Tunisia
, abroad, and a 47-0 win at home.
Ivory Coast missed the 2003 Rugby World Cup
qualification, after losses to Tunisia (8-13) and Morocco (21-23). In the 2007 Rugby World Cup
qualifyings, they started promisingly with two wins with Senegal (20-6) and Zimbabwe
(33-3), but had mixed results with Morocco, a 9-9 draw at home and a 7-23 loss abroad, and Uganda, with a 7-32 loss abroad and a 18-9 win at home, and were subsequently eliminated.
The Ivorians achieved the qualification for the final stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
finals, after a surprising 21-9 win over Morocco
, in Casablanca
. They faced Namibia afterwards, reaching a 13-13 draw at Abidjan
, but losing by 14-54 in Windhoek
, being unable to qualify once again.
. Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup match Morocco
(3-60) is available here.
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
(also known as Ivory Coast) in 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...
. The team is recognised as Ivory Coast by 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...
. Ivory Coast participate in the annual Africa Cup
Africa Cup
The Africa Cup is an annual rugby union tournament involving African nations, organised by the Confederation of African Rugby . The tournament was first held in 2000, and has since been contested on an annual basis...
and are considered a third tier rugby team.
Formed in 1990, the team's most significant achievement to date was their success in qualifying 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....
for their first and so far only time in 1995
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
. They have not qualified since, though they did reach the semi-finals of the African qualifying competition 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...
, achieving a home draw against eventual qualifiers Namibia
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
before being defeated in their away match.
Rugby union in Côte d'Ivoire
Rugby union in Côte d'Ivoire
Rugby union in Côte d'Ivoire, also known as "the Ivory Coast", is essentially amateur, with some degree of semi-professionalization in its top flight league and the national rugby union team....
is popular among school children, but the rugby union playing population in Côte d'Ivoire is still relatively small with only 14 clubs and 470 registered senior players.
History
The Fédération Ivoirienne de RugbyFédération Ivoirienne de Rugby
Fédération Ivoirienne de Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in the Ivory Coast. It was founded in 1961 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1988.-References:...
, the national rugby union federation, was formed in March 1990, the same month that it joined 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...
. They qualified for the World Cup the first time in 1995 and suffered defeats by Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
, France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
and Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
.
With a small player base, and starved of strong competition, the team has deteriorated in recent years. Recent defeats to Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
mean they are ranked below the North African side. Their record in the World Cup has been poor, and they haven't managed a win. Their record defeat, 89-0 against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in the 1995
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
tournament, led to some questioning the presence of the minor teams at the tournament. Ivory Coast, however, played much better in the following match, losing to France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
by 54-18, with 2 tries scored. The final match with Tonga, lost by 29-11, in the 1995 World Cup saw a major tragedy, as Max Brito
Max Brito
Max Brito Max Brito Max Brito (born April 8, 1971 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast is a former rugby union player who represented the Ivory Coast at international level. As a result of injuries sustained at the 1995 Rugby Union World Cup in South Africa, he was paralyzed...
suffered a cervical spine injury that left him a quadriplegic
Quadriplegia
Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is paralysis caused by illness or injury to a human that results in the partial or total loss of use of all their limbs and torso; paraplegia is similar but does not affect the arms...
.
After the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Ivory Coast took a three years break from international competition, only returning for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
qualifyings, in September 1998. Ivory Coast was very unfortunate, losing all the three matches, to Namibia
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
(10-22), Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national rugby union team
The Zimbabwe national rugby union team is the rugby union team representing Zimbabwe. They are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation...
(0-32), and Morocco
Morocco national rugby union team
The Morocco national rugby union team are a national sporting side, representing Morocco in rugby union. The team is also known as the Atlas Lions. Morocco is governed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Rugby. Morocco competes in the Africa Cup annually. The team has won the competition in 2003...
(3-6), in a tournament held in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
After another hiatus of two years and a half, the Elephants returned for the Africa Championship, in 2001, losing both matches with Morocco, 11-18 at home and 18-20 away, and achieving a 11-11 draw with Tunisia
Tunisia national rugby union team
The Tunisia national rugby union team is the national team of Tunisia, a third tier rugby union nation. They first started competing in 1979 and they competed, unsuccessfully in the African qualification for the 2007 Rugby World Cup....
, abroad, and a 47-0 win at home.
Ivory Coast missed the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
qualification, after losses to Tunisia (8-13) and Morocco (21-23). In the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
qualifyings, they started promisingly with two wins with Senegal (20-6) and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national rugby union team
The Zimbabwe national rugby union team is the rugby union team representing Zimbabwe. They are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation...
(33-3), but had mixed results with Morocco, a 9-9 draw at home and a 7-23 loss abroad, and Uganda, with a 7-32 loss abroad and a 18-9 win at home, and were subsequently eliminated.
The Ivorians achieved the qualification for the final stage of 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...
finals, after a surprising 21-9 win over Morocco
Morocco national rugby union team
The Morocco national rugby union team are a national sporting side, representing Morocco in rugby union. The team is also known as the Atlas Lions. Morocco is governed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Rugby. Morocco competes in the Africa Cup annually. The team has won the competition in 2003...
, in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. They faced Namibia afterwards, reaching a 13-13 draw at Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, but losing by 14-54 in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, being unable to qualify once again.
Results summary
As of 8 July 2011 their record against all nations is as follows:| Against | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 15 | |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66 | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 63 | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50 | |
| Total | 39 | 14 | 22 | 3 | 36 |
World Cup record
- 1987 - No qualifying tournament held
- 1991 - Did not qualify
- 1995 - Pool stages
- 1999 - Did not qualify
- 2003 - Did not qualify
- 2007 - Did not qualify
- 2011 - Did not qualify
Current squad
Squad for the 2011 World Cup qualifiers against NamibiaNamibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
. Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup match Morocco
Morocco national rugby union team
The Morocco national rugby union team are a national sporting side, representing Morocco in rugby union. The team is also known as the Atlas Lions. Morocco is governed by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Rugby. Morocco competes in the Africa Cup annually. The team has won the competition in 2003...
(3-60) is available here.
| Position | Club | |
| Mohamed Dembele | Scrum-half |  TBO |
| Diack Gassama | Scrum-half |  ToursUS Tours Rugby US Tours Rugby is a French rugby union club that currently competes in the fourth division of French club rugby, the Fédérale 2 competition. US Tours previously competed in the higher divisions, being relegated from Rugby Pro D2 after the 2001-02 season. The club was formed in 1898 and plays in... |
| Tidiane Kamara | Fly-half | TBO |
| Silvère Tian Silvère Tian Silvère Tian is a Ivorian rugby union fullback, currently playing for the Top 14 team SU Agen.-Career:Tian started playing rugby at age 6 in Abidjan. He took part in the 1998 under-21 world championships that were held in France and attracted the attention of Rodez recruiters. He left for Flers... |
Fly-half | Bourgoin-Jallieu CS Bourgoin-Jallieu CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club... |
| Laurent Diomandé | Centre | Nîmes RC Nîmes Rugby Club Nîmes Gard are a French rugby union club that currently compete in the Fédérale 1 competition, the third division of French rugby. They have in the past played in the higher divisions, and in 1991 were quarter-finalists of the top French championship. Nîmes were established in 1963 and... |
| Sydney Edouard | Centre | Graulhet |
| Jean-Maurice Oulouma | Centre | Oyonnax Oyonnax Rugby Union sportive Oyonnax Rugby is a French rugby union club from Oyonnax in the Ain département of the région Rhône-Alpes, currently competing in the second level of the French league system . They play at Stade Charles-Mathon... |
| Arthur Tian | Centre | L'Aigle |
| Sydney Djiropo | Wing | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Bedel Dogoui | Wing | Châteaurenard |
| Landry Tian | Wing | L'Aigle |
| Louis Kouadio | Fullback | TBO |
| Position | Club | |
| Olivier Diomandé Olivier Diomandé Olivier Diomandé is a French-born Ivorian rugby union player. He plays as a hooker.Diomandé played for Club Sportif Annonay , US Romans , Stade Français , RC Nîmes , Bègles-Bordeaux , Montpellier Hérault , Racing Métro 92 and RC Nîmes,... |
Hooker | Racing Métro Racing Metro 92 Paris Racing Métro 92 is a French rugby union club based in suburban Paris that was formed in 2001 with the collaboration of the Racing Club de France and US Métro. "92" is the number of Hauts-de-Seine, the département of Île-de-France, bordering Paris to the west, where they play, and whose council... |
| Ibrahima Konate | Hooker | TBO |
| Edgar Babou Edgar Babou Edgar Babou is a Ivorian rugby union player. He plays as a prop and as a hooker.Babou is been playing in France in the most recent years... (c) Captain (sports) In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field... |
Prop | Gennevilliers |
| Guy-Pacome Yavo | Prop |  Oakville Crusaders |
| Marc Youboué | Prop | St Junien |
| Franck Acho | Lock | Poitiers Stade Poitevin Rugby Stade Poitevin Rugby is a French semi-professional rugby union team based in Poitiers. They currently play in Fédérale 1, the third division of the French rugby pyramid and the highest outside of the professional leagues.... |
| Kinafo Palo Diabaté | Lock | TBO |
| Claude Kouakou | Lock | TBO |
| Issa Meité | Lock | AUC |
| Gaoussou Dao | Flanker Flanker (rugby union) A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards... |
Drancy |
| Serge Jouve | Flanker Flanker (rugby union) A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards... |
Blagnac Blagnac SCR Blagnac Sporting Club Rugby is a French rugby union team that currently takes part in Fédérale 1, the top level of the country's amateur league system. The club is currently attempting to make a comeback to the professional ranks after having been relegated due to both sporting and financial issues... |
| Daouda Koné | Flanker Flanker (rugby union) A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards... |
Bobigny AC Bobigny 93 Rugby AC Bobigny 93 Rugby is a rugby union team from Île-de-France which plays in Fédérale 1 . The club is based in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis.... |
| Bakary Meité | Number eight | Orléans RC Orléans Rugby club Orléans is a semi-professional French rugby union team, from Orléans. They currently play at Fédérale 1.-German players:The club has recently provided a number of players for the Germany national rugby union team with Alexander Widiker and the brothers Guillaume and Matthieu Franke... |
See also
- Fédération Ivoirienne de RugbyFédération Ivoirienne de RugbyFédération Ivoirienne de Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in the Ivory Coast. It was founded in 1961 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1988.-References:...
- Rugby union in Côte d'IvoireRugby union in Côte d'IvoireRugby union in Côte d'Ivoire, also known as "the Ivory Coast", is essentially amateur, with some degree of semi-professionalization in its top flight league and the national rugby union team....
- World CupRugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
- Côte d'Ivoire at the Rugby World CupCôte d'Ivoire at the Rugby World CupThe Ivory Coast's only Rugby World Cup appearance was in 1995 when they were placed in Pool D with France, Scotland and Tonga.-By position:* 1987 Rugby World Cup Not invited* 1991 Rugby World Cup Did not qualify....