Rugby union in Germany
Encyclopedia
Rugby union in Germany is a minor sport. The German Rugby Federation had 108 member clubs and 11,656 members.
in Germany. There are 12 regional unions (Landesverbände).
The DRV is a founding member of FIRA - Association of European Rugby
(1934), and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board
in 1999. Moreover, it is member of the German Olympic Sport Federation (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund).
Rugby union reached Germany through affluent British students who attended renowned private grammar schools in the German Confederation
or studied in Heidelberg
; others completed their military service in Hanover
and played rugby in their spare time. This has influenced German rugby to this day: Heidelberg and Hanover are the centres of the sport in Germany.
The first German rugby team existed at Neuenheim College - now called Heidelberg College
- in Heidelberg. Around 1850, the game started to attract the attention of the students. Students under the guidance of the teacher Edward Hill Ullrich were the ones who then founded the rugby department of the Heidelberger Ruderklub von 1872/Heidelberger Flaggenklub was established. (HRK 1872) in 1891, which today claims to be the oldest German rugby club.
The oldest still existing rugby department within a club is that of DSV 78 Hannover, formed in 1878 by Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
.
The first form of competition on national scale was organised in 1900, on 4 November a South versus North game was held, won 11-3 by northern Germany. This annual game became a fixture until 1967, when it was replaced by a state championship. In 1999, the DRV returned to the old north-south game but its importance has not reached former levels.
In 1909, a national club championship
was first organised. The champions of the north, FV 1897 Hannover, met southern club FV 1893 Stuttgart and won 6-3 on 14 November 1909.
The German Rugby Federation was set up in 1900, its first chairman being Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
. Germany was Olympic silver medallist in rugby union in 1900 and beat France twice in the 1930s.
In 1927, a German national rugby union team
was organised. This team debuted on 17 April 1927 in Stade de Colombes
in Paris, losing 5-30 to France. In May, Germany won the return match in Frankfurt 17-16 and the 3-14 los to France in the third international between the two countries on 18 March 1928 set the still valid record for home attendance for the German side, 14,000 spectators.
Long the preserve of the German middle classes, the most prominent German rugby fan/player was the controversial Albert Speer
. Indeed, German rugby peaked in the pre-World War II period, when in 1938, Germany beat France
3-0 for the second time. However, during the subsequent years, the war and social upheaval effectively set German rugby back to square one. It was for a period seen as a very English game, which worked against it; as a result it lost its financial support and much of the popularity it had gained in the western and northern cities of Heidelberg, Hanover and Frankfurt
.
Like all other German sport federations, the DRV was absorbed in the all-powerful Nazi sports organisation, the Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen
, as part of "Department 2", which also served association football and cricket. Hermann Meister, chairman of the DRV, a firm believer in a united Europe and a friend of France, tried to live up to his ideals but rugby by and large offered no more resistance to the Nazis then any other sport.
The sport was decimated by World War II as most of the players were killed. Germany, at its height of performance in 1939, and second only to France in continental Europe, lost virtually its whole national team during the war and never recovered from this.
Of the centres of German rugby, only Heidelberg, future headquarters of the US forces in West Germany, was spared by the bombing raids and the sport of rugby carried low priority in the first post war years. In 1948, the German championship was restored and the golden area of the TSV Victoria Linden
begun, the team winning the title six times in a row from 1951 to 1956, an unmatched achievement. As a first English team after the war, the Oxford Greyhounds visited Germany in 1950 and a first international was won against Belgium in 1952. But Germany's national team never reached the strength again it had before the war.
After the Second World War, the DRV was restored on May 14, 1950 in West Germany.
But even rugby was not immune to the Cold War split, one Burt Weiss, an East German rugby player escaped to West Berlin
using a snorkel. The DRV continued to offer the East German DTSB to play a rugby friendly, but this was always declined by the East. After a combined team of Lok and Post Berlin happened to play West German side Berliner SC in a tournament in Olomouc
in 1985, a ban on participation in international tournamnts with West German clubs was issued by the DTSB.
A Rugby-Bundesliga
was formed in 1971 to replace the previously existing regional championships. The hoped for increase in interest however did not materialise and rugby remains a minor sport in Germany, almost exclusevly played by amateurs.
With German reunification
, a number of clubs from former East Germany joined the German league system.
In 2000 the German Rugby Federation celebrated its centenary. Centenary celebrations included a banquet in the Heidelberg Castle
and the hosting of the European leg of the Rugby World Cup Sevens
in Heidelberg
, in which the German team
came close to upsetting Ireland
, who had Gordon D'Arcy
in their line-up. The tournament was won by the Welsh team
, which featured Andy Marinos
and Arwel Thomas
.
The highlight of the Centenary season was the Centenary Match against the famous Barbarians. The Barbarians included a host of British, Irish and Australian internationals including Scott Hastings, Peter Stringer
, Shaun Longstaff
, Jeff Probyn
, Frankie Sheahan
, Russell Earnshaw
, Shaun Connor
, John Langford
and Derwyn Jones
and won 47-19 against a determined German team.
The German federation tendered to host the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup
but the event was awarded to England instead. It did however hold the 2008 Hannover Sevens
, the European Sevens championship.
An important part of rugby union outside the structures of the German federation is the Army Rugby Union
of the British Army in Germany which holds its own "German" championship. The winner of this competition advances to play the UK Army rugby union champion. The British Army also supported development of the sport in the region by a British Army Germany rugby union team
playing the national teams of Germany and its neighbouring countries.
The German Rugby Federation suffered a major crisis in 2011, finding itself close to insolvency, being € 200,000 in debt. The situation was brought on by the annual grant of the German federal ministry of the interior, BMI, not being paid in 2010 after the ministry voiced concerns that the DRV was not using the money for the desired purpose, to support the sport. A legal battle that the DRV chairman Claus-Peter Bach
fought with the ministry did not bring the desired result but instead worsened the situation. Bach consequently announced he would not stand for another term in July 2011 and was replaced by Ralph Götz. The DRV was able to secure a private loan to survive and hopes to attract sponsors that had withdrawn under Bach as well as to reach a settlement with the BMI.
. It was opened 2 May 1997.
is a third-tier rugby union
team. They first played in 1927 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup
.
After the partition East and West Germany
fielded separate teams. Naturally, this ended when the two states unified.
Rugby union has a small but dedicated following in several university cities.
German players occasionally break through into French or English clubs, such as Robert Mohr
at La Rochelle
or Sascha Fischer
at Périgueux
.
, the English terminology for rugby positions is not commonly used. The German equivialent for the English terms are:
Governing body
The German Rugby Federation ( or DRV) is the governing body for rugby unionRugby 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 Germany. There are 12 regional unions (Landesverbände).
The DRV is a founding member of FIRA - Association of European Rugby
FIRA - Association of European Rugby
The FIRA - Association Européenne de Rugby is the administrative body for rugby union in Europe. It was formed in 1999 to promote, develop, organise and administer the game of rugby in Europe under the authority of the International Rugby Board .The predecessor to FIRA–AER was the Fédération...
(1934), and became affiliated to 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...
in 1999. Moreover, it is member of the German Olympic Sport Federation (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund).
History
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
or studied in 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...
; others completed their military service in Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
and played rugby in their spare time. This has influenced German rugby to this day: Heidelberg and Hanover are the centres of the sport in Germany.
The first German rugby team existed at Neuenheim College - now called Heidelberg College
Heidelberg College
Heidelberg University is a private liberal arts college located in the city of Tiffin, Ohio in the U.S. state of Ohio. Founded in 1850, it was known as Heidelberg College until 1889 and from 1926 to 2009.- History :...
- in Heidelberg. Around 1850, the game started to attract the attention of the students. Students under the guidance of the teacher Edward Hill Ullrich were the ones who then founded the rugby department of the Heidelberger Ruderklub von 1872/Heidelberger Flaggenklub was established. (HRK 1872) in 1891, which today claims to be the oldest German rugby club.
The oldest still existing rugby department within a club is that of DSV 78 Hannover, formed in 1878 by Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke was a German teacher and, at the age of 15, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover, the oldest rugby union club in Germany...
.
The first form of competition on national scale was organised in 1900, on 4 November a South versus North game was held, won 11-3 by northern Germany. This annual game became a fixture until 1967, when it was replaced by a state championship. In 1999, the DRV returned to the old north-south game but its importance has not reached former levels.
In 1909, a national club championship
German rugby union championship
The German rugby union championship was established in 1909 and has since been played, with exceptions, annually. It is the highest competition in Germany in the sport of Rugby Union.-Men:...
was first organised. The champions of the north, FV 1897 Hannover, met southern club FV 1893 Stuttgart and won 6-3 on 14 November 1909.
The German Rugby Federation was set up in 1900, its first chairman being Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke
Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke was a German teacher and, at the age of 15, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover, the oldest rugby union club in Germany...
. Germany was Olympic silver medallist in rugby union in 1900 and beat France twice in the 1930s.
In 1927, a German national rugby union team
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...
was organised. This team debuted on 17 April 1927 in Stade de Colombes
Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
The Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir - stadium in Colombes, near Paris, France . Named in memory of French rugby player Yves du Manoir in 1928. Was the main stadium for the 1924 Summer Olympics and had a capacity of 45,000 at the time...
in Paris, losing 5-30 to France. In May, Germany won the return match in Frankfurt 17-16 and the 3-14 los to France in the third international between the two countries on 18 March 1928 set the still valid record for home attendance for the German side, 14,000 spectators.
Long the preserve of the German middle classes, the most prominent German rugby fan/player was the controversial Albert Speer
Albert Speer
Albert Speer, born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
. Indeed, German rugby peaked in the pre-World War II period, when in 1938, Germany beat 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...
3-0 for the second time. However, during the subsequent years, the war and social upheaval effectively set German rugby back to square one. It was for a period seen as a very English game, which worked against it; as a result it lost its financial support and much of the popularity it had gained in the western and northern cities of Heidelberg, Hanover and Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
.
Like all other German sport federations, the DRV was absorbed in the all-powerful Nazi sports organisation, the Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen
Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen
The Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen , more rarely "NSRBL", , known as Deutscher Reichsbund für Leibesübungen until 1938, was the umbrella organization for sports during the Third Reich.The NSRL was led by the Reichssportführer, who after 1934 was...
, as part of "Department 2", which also served association football and cricket. Hermann Meister, chairman of the DRV, a firm believer in a united Europe and a friend of France, tried to live up to his ideals but rugby by and large offered no more resistance to the Nazis then any other sport.
The sport was decimated by World War II as most of the players were killed. Germany, at its height of performance in 1939, and second only to France in continental Europe, lost virtually its whole national team during the war and never recovered from this.
Of the centres of German rugby, only Heidelberg, future headquarters of the US forces in West Germany, was spared by the bombing raids and the sport of rugby carried low priority in the first post war years. In 1948, the German championship was restored and the golden area of the TSV Victoria Linden
TSV Victoria Linden
The TSV Victoria Linden is a German rugby union club from the Linden suburb of Hannover, currently playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports, such as triathlon and athletics....
begun, the team winning the title six times in a row from 1951 to 1956, an unmatched achievement. As a first English team after the war, the Oxford Greyhounds visited Germany in 1950 and a first international was won against Belgium in 1952. But Germany's national team never reached the strength again it had before the war.
After the Second World War, the DRV was restored on May 14, 1950 in West Germany.
But even rugby was not immune to the Cold War split, one Burt Weiss, an East German rugby player escaped to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
using a snorkel. The DRV continued to offer the East German DTSB to play a rugby friendly, but this was always declined by the East. After a combined team of Lok and Post Berlin happened to play West German side Berliner SC in a tournament in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
in 1985, a ban on participation in international tournamnts with West German clubs was issued by the DTSB.
A Rugby-Bundesliga
Rugby-Bundesliga
The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby...
was formed in 1971 to replace the previously existing regional championships. The hoped for increase in interest however did not materialise and rugby remains a minor sport in Germany, almost exclusevly played by amateurs.
With German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, a number of clubs from former East Germany joined the German league system.
In 2000 the German Rugby Federation celebrated its centenary. Centenary celebrations included a banquet in the Heidelberg Castle
Heidelberg Castle
The Heidelberg Castle is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps....
and the hosting of the European leg of the 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...
in 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...
, in which the German team
Germany national rugby union team (sevens)
The German Sevens team is the national team of Germany in the sport of Sevens rugby.Germany's aim is, to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics sevens tournament.-Punta del Este and Paris:...
came close to upsetting Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team (sevens)
The Ireland national rugby union sevens team have previously competed in the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens. Although there is no permanent team at present, there may well be in the future.-Results:...
, who had Gordon D'Arcy
Gordon D'Arcy
Gordon William D'Arcy is an Irish rugby player, more specifically an inside centre. He is registered to Lansdowne RFC and plays for provincial and RaboDirect Pro12 side Leinster.-Career:...
in their line-up. The tournament was won by the Welsh team
Wales national rugby union team (sevens)
The Wales national rugby union sevens team is the international rugby sevens side for Welsh rugby union players. They currently compete in the IRB Sevens World Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and in the Commonwealth Games....
, which featured Andy Marinos
Andy Marinos
Andy Marinos is a former former Wales international rugby union player. A centre, he played for Newport Gwent Dragons and Canterbury Bulldogs in the Australian Rugby League competition.Andy Also represented the Two South Africans teams of Western Province as well as the Western Stormers He is...
and Arwel Thomas
Arwel Thomas
Arwel Camber Thomas is a former Wales international rugby union player. An outside-half, he played his club rugby for Swansea RFC....
.
The highlight of the Centenary season was the Centenary Match against the famous Barbarians. The Barbarians included a host of British, Irish and Australian internationals including Scott Hastings, Peter Stringer
Peter Stringer
Peter Alexander Stringer is an Irish rugby union player who plays at scrum half for Munster and Ireland. He is one of the most recognisable players in world rugby as Stringer stands only 1.7m tall and weighs in at just over 70 kg .-Career:In February 2000, he made his debut for Ireland...
, Shaun Longstaff
Shaun Longstaff
Shaun Longstaff is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for Scotland.-Notes:...
, Jeff Probyn
Jeff Probyn
Jeff Probyn is an English former Rugby Union player.The Askeans, Streatham and Wasps prop was selected in England's squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup, but Probyn did not make his international debut until 1988, at the age of 31, against France...
, Frankie Sheahan
Frankie Sheahan
Frankie Sheahan is a retired Hooker and played for Munster from 1996 up to the end of the 2008-2009 season, and also for the Ireland where he gained 29 caps, having made his debut on June 10, 2000....
, Russell Earnshaw
Russell Earnshaw
Russell Earnshaw is a rugby union player who currently plays flanker for English Championship side Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club.-Club Rugby:...
, Shaun Connor
Shaun Connor
Shaun Connor is a Welsh rugby union player. He also helps in management in the Ospreys Under 20 side. A fly half, he scored a total of 456 points for the Ospreys and was influential in their historic 24–16 win against Australia at the Liberty Stadium....
, John Langford
John Langford (rugby)
John Langford is an Australian rugby union player. He played as a Lock.He played for Sydney University, Brumbies, Munster, and Australia.-External links:**...
and Derwyn Jones
Derwyn Jones
Derwyn Jones is a former professional Welsh rugby union player and Welsh international. A mountain of a player, he is 6 ft 10 inches tall and weighed over 20 stone at his peak...
and won 47-19 against a determined German team.
The German federation tendered to host the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup
2010 Women's Rugby World Cup
The 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup was the sixth edition of the Women's Rugby World Cup and was being held in England. The International Rugby Board Executive Committee selected the host union following a recommendation from the Rugby World Cup Limited board after considering bids from the Rugby...
but the event was awarded to England instead. It did however hold the 2008 Hannover Sevens
2008 Hannover Sevens
The 2008 European Sevens Championship was a rugby sevens competition, with the final held in Hanover, Germany. It was the seventh edition of the European Sevens championship and also functioned as a qualifying tournament for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens...
, the European Sevens championship.
An important part of rugby union outside the structures of the German federation is the Army Rugby Union
Army Rugby Union
The Army Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the British Army and a constituent body of the Rugby Football Union . The ARU was formed on 31 December 1906 and marked the fulfilment of Lieutenant J.E.C...
of the British Army in Germany which holds its own "German" championship. The winner of this competition advances to play the UK Army rugby union champion. The British Army also supported development of the sport in the region by a British Army Germany rugby union team
British Army Germany rugby union team
The British Army Germany rugby union team is the rugby union team of the British Army in Germany - BA . It is part of the Army Rugby Union.The team regularly plays games against emerging nations like Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg....
playing the national teams of Germany and its neighbouring countries.
The German Rugby Federation suffered a major crisis in 2011, finding itself close to insolvency, being € 200,000 in debt. The situation was brought on by the annual grant of the German federal ministry of the interior, BMI, not being paid in 2010 after the ministry voiced concerns that the DRV was not using the money for the desired purpose, to support the sport. A legal battle that the DRV chairman Claus-Peter Bach
Claus-Peter Bach
Claus-Peter Bach was the President of the German Rugby Federation from 2005 to 2011. He succeeded Bernd Leifheit at this position. He lives in Plankstadt, Germany, and is a sports journalist by profession....
fought with the ministry did not bring the desired result but instead worsened the situation. Bach consequently announced he would not stand for another term in July 2011 and was replaced by Ralph Götz. The DRV was able to secure a private loan to survive and hopes to attract sponsors that had withdrawn under Bach as well as to reach a settlement with the BMI.
German rugby museum
The history of rugby in Germany is documented in the Deutsche Rugby-Sportmuseum, the German rugby sport museum, which is located at HeidelbergHeidelberg
-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...
. It was opened 2 May 1997.
National team
The Germany national rugby union teamGermany 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...
is a third-tier 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...
team. They first played in 1927 and have yet to qualify 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....
.
After the partition East and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
fielded separate teams. Naturally, this ended when the two states unified.
National League
There are currently, as of 2011-12, ten teams in the national league, these are:| Club | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| RG Heidelberg RG Heidelberg The RG Heidelberg is a German rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers the sport of rowing.-History:The club was formed on 4 June 1898 as a rowing club... |
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... |
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants... |
| SC Neuenheim SC Neuenheim The SC Neuenheim is a German rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Having won nine men's and twelve women's German championships as of 2004, the club is one of the most accomplished in Germany.-History:... |
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... |
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants... |
| TSV Handschuhsheim TSV Handschuhsheim The TSV Handschuhsheim is a German rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like association football, handball and tennis.-History:... |
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... |
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants... |
| Heidelberger RK Heidelberger RK The Heidelberger Ruderklub is a German rowing club and rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.... |
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... |
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants... |
| TV Pforzheim TV Pforzheim The TV Pforzheim is a German rugby union club from Pforzheim, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga, having won promotion to the league in 2011.Apart from rugby, TVP offers other sports like gymastics, volleyball and track and field.-History:... |
Pforzheim Pforzheim Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname... |
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants... |
| Berliner RC Berliner RC The Berliner Rugby Club is a German rugby union club from Berlin, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.-History:The club was formed in 1926.While very successful in its youth department, it has not managed similar achievements on the senior level.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
| RK 03 Berlin RK 03 Berlin The RK 03 Berlin is a German rugby union club from Berlin, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.The club was formed in 2003, when the rugby department of the Post SV Berlin left the club... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
| SC 1880 Frankfurt SC 1880 Frankfurt The SC 1880 Frankfurt is a German rugby union club from Frankfurt am Main, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like lacrosse, tennis and field hockey.... |
Frankfurt Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010... |
Hesse Hesse Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state... |
| RK Heusenstamm RK Heusenstamm The RK Heusenstamm is a German rugby union club from Heusenstamm, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.-History:The club was formed in 1979, much later then most other current Bundesliga clubs, in Heusenstamm, Hesse.... |
Heusenstamm Heusenstamm Heusenstamm is a town of over 18,000 in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Geography :- Location :The town lies on the river Bieber. Heusenstamm is one of 13 towns and communities in the Offenbach district... |
Hesse Hesse Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state... |
| DSV 78 Hannover | Hanover Hanover Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg... |
Lower Saxony Lower Saxony Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany... |
Popularity
There are 108 rugby union clubs and 11,656 players in Germany,Rugby union has a small but dedicated following in several university cities.
German players occasionally break through into French or English clubs, such as Robert Mohr
Robert Mohr
Robert Mohr is a German international rugby union player, playing professionally in France for the newly promoted Top 14 club La Rochelle and for the German national rugby union team...
at La Rochelle
Atlantique Stade Rochelais
Stade Rochelais is a French rugby union club who compete in the Pro D2. They are often known simply as La Rochelle.They were founded in 1898 and play at Stade Marcel-Deflandre . They wear yellow and black...
or Sascha Fischer
Sascha Fischer
Sascha Fischer is retired a German international rugby union player, having last played for Le Bugue athletic club in the Federale 1 and also the German national rugby union team....
at Périgueux
CA Périgueux
Club Athlétique Périgueux Dordogne is a French rugby union club that currently competes in the second division of French club rugby, the Pro D2 competition. Périgueux played in the higher divisions in the early 2000s but were relegated from Rugby Pro D2 after the 2004-05 season...
.
Men
Level |
League(s)/Division(s) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I Rugby-Bundesliga The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby... |
Rugby-Bundesliga Rugby-Bundesliga The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby... 9 clubs |
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II 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga The 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga is the second-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. Its set below the Rugby-Bundesliga, the top-tier of German rugby, and above the Rugby-Regionalliga, the third tier.-History:... |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East 10 clubs |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West 10 clubs |
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III Rugby-Regionalliga The Rugby-Regionalliga is the third-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. Its set below the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga... |
Regionalliga East-A 8 clubs |
Regionalliga North 8 clubs |
Regionalliga Lower Saxony 6 clubs |
Regionalliga North Rhine-Westphalia 10 clubs |
Regionalliga Rhineland-Palatinate 6 clubs |
Regionalliga Hesse 8 clubs |
Regionalliga Bavaria 5 clubs |
Regionalliga Baden-Württemberg 7 clubs |
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IV |
Regionalliga East-B 5 clubs |
Verbandsliga North 6 clubs |
Verbandsliga Lower Saxony 4 clubs |
Verbandsliga North Rhine-Westphalia A 5 clubs Verbandsliga North Rhine-Westphalia B 6 clubs |
Verbandsliga Bavaria-North 4 clubs Verbandsliga Bavaria-South 4 clubs |
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Women
Level |
League(s)/Division(s) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I |
Rugby-Bundesliga 5 clubs |
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II |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga 7 clubs |
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III |
Regionalliga North 6 clubs |
Regionalliga East 7 clubs |
Regionalliga West 8 clubs |
Regionalliga South 1 8 clubs |
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- All leagues on same level run parallel.
- 1 With the WRC Innsbruck, a club from Austria plays at this level in the German league system.
Rugby positions: German terms
In GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, the English terminology for rugby positions is not commonly used. The German equivialent for the English terms are:
| Number | English | German | Translation |
| Forwards | |||
| 1 | Loosehead Prop | Linker Pfeiler | Left-hand Stanchion |
| 2 | Hooker | Hakler | Hooker |
| 3 | Tighthead Prop | Rechter Pfeiler | Right-hand stanchion |
| 4 | Lock | Zweite-Reihe-Stürmer | Second Row Forward |
| 5 | Lock | Zweite-Reihe-Stürmer | Second Row Forward |
| 6 | Blindside Flanker | Linker Flügelstürmer | Left Wing-Forward |
| 7 | Openside Flanker | Rechter Flügelstürmer | Right Wing-Forward |
| 8 | Number 8 | Nummer Acht | Number 8 |
| Backs | |||
| 9 | Scrum Half | Gedrängehalb | Scrum Half |
| 10 | Fly-half | Verbindungshalb | Connecting Half |
| 11 | Left Wing | Kurzer Außendreiviertel | Short Outside Three-quarters |
| 12 | Inside Centre | Erster Innendreiviertel | First Inside Three-quarters |
| 13 | Outside Centre | Zweiter Innendreiviertel | Second Inside Three-quarters |
| 14 | Right Wing | Langer Außendreiviertel | Long Outside Three-quarters |
| 15 | Fullback | Schlussmann | Final Man |
Further reading
- Brockhaus EnzyklopädieBrockhaus EnzyklopädieThe Brockhaus Enzyklopädie is a German-language encyclopedia published by Brockhaus.The first edition originated in the Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten by Renatus Gotthelf Löbel and Christian Wilhelm Franke, published in Leipzig 1796-1808...
(1973 edition), vol 16 ISBN 3 7633 0000 4) Claus-Peter Bach (publisher): 100 Jahre Deutscher Rugby-Verband (100 years of the German Rugby Union), Publisher: Gehrden-Leveste (Schroeder-Verlag), Published: 2000 - Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. ISBN 0-7126-0911-3
- Richards, Huw A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union (Mainstream PublishingMainstream PublishingMainstream Publishing is a publishing company in Edinburgh, Scotland, founded in 1978. It is associated with the Random House Group, who bought Mainstream in 2005....
, EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, 2007, ISBN 9781845962555)
External links
- DRV website German rugby federation website