Rugby union in Chile
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
is a fairly popular sport in Chile
.
.
and neighbouring Argentina
.
It was introduced by the British in the 19th century. It is believed that the first people who played it in Chile were the English who worked at the saltmines in Iquique
. Rugby was also developed by the English private colleges. For many years it was a sport mostly played by the upper classes in Chile. The first teams appeared in Valparaíso
and Santiago de Chile, who later formed the Unión de Rugby de Chile. The British influence can be noticed by the fact that several of the main Chilean teams have English names.
Some rugby did trickle across the border from Argentina, but it was not until the 1920s that the game really became established, around Santiago
and Valparaíso
.
During the 1950s, Chile was visited by the Irish tour of 1952
and a 1954 French tour
.
Chilean delegates were amongst those who went to the centenary congress of the International Rugby Football Board
in 1986.
In South America, with the dominance of Argentina, Chile used to consider itself the best of the rest. This was confirmed in many people's minds when Chile
won the 1981 South American Championship in the absence of Argentina. However, of the other South American nations only Uruguay
has qualified for the Rugby World Cup
.
In the late 1980s, former French coach Jean-Pierre Juanchich became national administrator of the sport, lending it some extra credibility. During the 1980s, Chilean rugby participation increased by 400%, and whereas it was previously confined to the towns of Santiago
and Valparaíso
, it began to spread throughout the country.
, and the resulting books and films, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
and Alive
brought Uruguayan and Chilean rugby into the global limelight. The Uruguayans were on tour, and had played several games in Argentina, and were due to play some return matches in Chile.
Alive tells the story of a Uruguay
an Rugby team (who were alumni of Stella Maris College (Montevideo)
) and their friends and family who were involved in the airplane crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972. It was published two years after survivors of the crash were rescued.
, known as "Los Condores" ("The Condors") it is the 24th in the FIRA
world ranking, and it is the third best team from South America
, after Argentina
and Uruguay
.
since 2004. (Current playing record).
.
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...
is a fairly popular sport in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Governing body
The Federación de Rugby de Chile was founded on 4 May 1953. Their statutes and regulations were officialized at 16 December 1963. It is affiliated to the Olympic Committee of Chile, the Confederación Sudamericana de Rugby, FIRA and the IRBInternational 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...
.
History
Rugby was first introduced into South America in the late 19th century by British immigrants, but this was mainly in BrazilRugby union in Brazil
Rugby union is a minor but growing sport Brazil, with an increasing popularity at universities across the country.Rugby union is played regularly in 21 of Brazil's 26 states and in the Federal District. The sport is not widely played in schools, but is common in universities, more specifically the...
and neighbouring Argentina
Rugby union in Argentina
Rugby union is a popular team sport played in Argentina. The first rugby match played in the country dates back to 1873, as the game was introduced by the British...
.
It was introduced by the British in the 19th century. It is believed that the first people who played it in Chile were the English who worked at the saltmines in Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
. Rugby was also developed by the English private colleges. For many years it was a sport mostly played by the upper classes in Chile. The first teams appeared in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
and Santiago de Chile, who later formed the Unión de Rugby de Chile. The British influence can be noticed by the fact that several of the main Chilean teams have English names.
Some rugby did trickle across the border from Argentina, but it was not until the 1920s that the game really became established, around Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
and Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
.
During the 1950s, Chile was visited by the Irish tour of 1952
1952 Ireland rugby union tour of South America
1952 Ireland rugby union tour of South America. This tour by the Ireland national rugby union team coincided with the death of Eva Peron, the wife of Juan Peron, the President of Argentina. As a result it was almost cancelled. Eva Peron died on July 26, six days after the Irish squad had departed...
and a 1954 French tour
1954 France rugby union tour of Argentina
-Results:-Forwards:...
.
Chilean delegates were amongst those who went to the centenary congress of the International Rugby Football 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...
in 1986.
In South America, with the dominance of Argentina, Chile used to consider itself the best of the rest. This was confirmed in many people's minds when Chile
Chile national rugby union team
The Chile national rugby union team is a rugby union nation representing Chile. They first played in 1935 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Chile is administered by the Federación de Rugby de Chile...
won the 1981 South American Championship in the absence of Argentina. However, of the other South American nations only Uruguay
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
has 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....
.
In the late 1980s, former French coach Jean-Pierre Juanchich became national administrator of the sport, lending it some extra credibility. During the 1980s, Chilean rugby participation increased by 400%, and whereas it was previously confined to the towns of Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
and Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, it began to spread throughout the country.
Flight 571 & "Alive"
The tragic crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as the Andes flight disaster, and in South America as Miracle in the Andes was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby team, their friends, family and associates that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972...
, and the resulting books and films, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors is a 1974 book by the British writer Piers Paul Read documenting the events of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571.-Story:...
and Alive
Alive (1993 film)
Alive is a 1993 American movie based upon Piers Paul Read's 1974 book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, which details the story of a Uruguayan rugby team who were involved in the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972.The film was...
brought Uruguayan and Chilean rugby into the global limelight. The Uruguayans were on tour, and had played several games in Argentina, and were due to play some return matches in Chile.
Alive tells the story of a 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...
an Rugby team (who were alumni of Stella Maris College (Montevideo)
Stella Maris College (Montevideo)
The Stella Maris College of Montevideo, commonly referred as Christian Brothers College – Stella Maris or just Christian, is a private, co-educational, not-for-profit Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers of Ireland...
) and their friends and family who were involved in the airplane crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as the Andes flight disaster, and in South America as Miracle in the Andes was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby team, their friends, family and associates that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972...
which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972. It was published two years after survivors of the crash were rescued.
National team
The Chile national rugby union teamChile national rugby union team
The Chile national rugby union team is a rugby union nation representing Chile. They first played in 1935 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Chile is administered by the Federación de Rugby de Chile...
, known as "Los Condores" ("The Condors") it is the 24th in the FIRA
FIRA
FIRA is a four-letter acronym used for:* FIRA - Association of European Rugby* Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations* Foreign Investment Review Agency * Federation of International Robot-soccer Association...
world ranking, and it is the third best team from 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...
, after Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and Uruguay
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
.
Women's rugby
Although Chile'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).
Domestic organisation
Chile National Rugby Championship started in 1948, and its first winner was Prince of Wales Country ClubPrince of Wales Country Club
Prince of Wales Country Club is a Chilean rugby union team. It holds seven titles of the National Championship of Chile, two ex-aequo. Their last win was in 1971....
.