Rugby union in Madagascar
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
in Madagascar
is a popular team sport. Madagascar
is ranked 43rd worldwide by the International Rugby Board
(IRB), and boasts over 22,540 registered players and more than 410 rugby clubs. Although Madagascar
lacks a professional competition (it is one of the poorest countries in the world), it does possess a national club competition that is extensively covered in the national print media, as well as having matches televised.
was introduced to Madagascar
in the 1890s by French
railroad workers who played the game in the capital, Antananarivo
, during the colonial period. Historically the sport was seen as a violent pastime of the poor, however recent developments have seen a huge increase in the sport's profile throughout the country. The Madagascar
team, locally referred to as the Makis (a Malagasy
word for the Ring-tailed Lemur
), reached the finals of the 2005 Africa Cup, increasing nationwide interest in the sport. Since then they have been semi-finalists in the 2006 Africa Cup
and finalists again in the 2007 Africa Cup
.
Madagascar is a founder member of the Confederation of African Rugby
(CAR), which was launched officially in January 1986, in Tunis
, Tunisia
. Rugby officials from Tunisia
, Morocco
, Senegal
, Ivory Coast
, Tanzania
, Kenya
, and the Seychelles
also attended.
. The regional unions within Madagascar
send their top club(s) from the previous year's championship to compete in the nationwide top-flight league called the Top 8.
The national team also competes annually in the Africa Cup
, where matches sometimes double as Confederation of African Rugby
Rugby World Cup
qualifiers.
at the Mahamasia. Rugby's popularity is strongest in the central highlands region including Antananarivo.
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 Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
is a popular team sport. Madagascar
Madagascar national rugby union team
The Madagascar national rugby union team represents Madagascar in the sport of rugby union. They are one of the countries in Africa where rugby is more popular but have thus far not qualified for a Rugby World Cup...
is ranked 43rd worldwide 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...
(IRB), and boasts over 22,540 registered players and more than 410 rugby clubs. Although Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
lacks a professional competition (it is one of the poorest countries in the world), it does possess a national club competition that is extensively covered in the national print media, as well as having matches televised.
History
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...
was introduced to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
in the 1890s by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
railroad workers who played the game in the capital, Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, during the colonial period. Historically the sport was seen as a violent pastime of the poor, however recent developments have seen a huge increase in the sport's profile throughout the country. The Madagascar
Madagascar national rugby union team
The Madagascar national rugby union team represents Madagascar in the sport of rugby union. They are one of the countries in Africa where rugby is more popular but have thus far not qualified for a Rugby World Cup...
team, locally referred to as the Makis (a Malagasy
Malagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
word for the Ring-tailed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
), reached the finals of the 2005 Africa Cup, increasing nationwide interest in the sport. Since then they have been semi-finalists in the 2006 Africa Cup
2006 Africa Cup
The 2006 Africa Cup was the seventh edition of highest level rugby union tournament in Africa. In this edition, the tournament expanded from nine nations to twelve leading to a change in the format of the tournament which now includes four pools of three teams...
and finalists again in the 2007 Africa Cup
2007 Africa Cup
The 2007 Africa Cup was the eighth edition of highest level rugby union tournament in Africa. The competition involved twelve teams that were divided into two zones . Each zone was then divided into two pools of three...
.
Madagascar is a founder member of the Confederation of African Rugby
Confederation of African Rugby
The Confederation of African Rugby is governing body for rugby union within Africa. The Confederation currently has 37 member nations and is responsible for running various rugby tournaments within Africa, especially the Africa Cup, and CAR Super 16.-History:The Confederation was officially...
(CAR), which was launched officially in January 1986, in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. Rugby officials from Tunisia
Rugby union in Tunisia
Rugby union in Tunisia is a significant sport. They are currently ranked 35th in the world, with 15,057 registered players , and 72 clubs.-Governing body:...
, Morocco
Rugby union in Morocco
Rugby union in Morocco is a significant, and popular, sport.-Governing body:The Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation was formed in 1916, joined the IRFB in 1988.-History:...
, Senegal
Rugby union in Senegal
Rugby union in Senegal is a moderately popular sport. They are currently ranked 55th by the IRB.-History:Senegal is a founder member of the Confederation of African Rugby , which was launched officially in January 1986, in Tunis, Tunisia...
, Ivory Coast
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....
, Tanzania
Rugby union in Tanzania
-Governing body:The governing body is the Tanzania Rugby Union, which is an associate member of the IRB.Originally the Tanzanian Rugby Football Union was incorporated into the Rugby Football Union of East Africa in 1956...
, Kenya
Rugby union in Kenya
Rugby union is a popular sport in Kenya, in particular due to the success of the Kenyan Sevens Team in the rugby sevens format, and tournaments such as the Safari Sevens, which has been growing yearly, and now includes numerous international teams....
, and the Seychelles
Rugby union in the Seychelles
-Governing body:The governing body is a member of the Confederation of African Rugby but not of the International Rugby Board.-History:Rugby was first introduced to the Seychelles when it was a British colony...
also attended.
Competitions
The national club competition is structured along the same lines as the Argentine club championshipNacional de Clubes
Nacional de Clubes is a club rugby union competition in Argentina. Originally, the competition involved 16 teams from most provincial unions. From 2009, the competition was reduced to only 4 teams, 2 from the Torneo del Interior and 2 from the Buenos Aires tournament.-1993 to 2008:From 1993 to...
. The regional unions within Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
send their top club(s) from the previous year's championship to compete in the nationwide top-flight league called the Top 8.
The national team also competes annually in the 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...
, where matches sometimes double as Confederation of African Rugby
Confederation of African Rugby
The Confederation of African Rugby is governing body for rugby union within Africa. The Confederation currently has 37 member nations and is responsible for running various rugby tournaments within Africa, especially the Africa Cup, and CAR Super 16.-History:The Confederation was officially...
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....
qualifiers.
Popularity
In addition to large participant numbers, rugby is popular with spectators in Madagascar. The Top 8 has average attendance figures of over 8,000, whilst the league final, and most international fixtures, attract crowds upward of 30,000 at the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina in the capital. It is common that international rugby matches substantially outdraw those of footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
at the Mahamasia. Rugby's popularity is strongest in the central highlands region including Antananarivo.
See also
- Madagascar national rugby union teamMadagascar national rugby union teamThe Madagascar national rugby union team represents Madagascar in the sport of rugby union. They are one of the countries in Africa where rugby is more popular but have thus far not qualified for a Rugby World Cup...
- Africa CupAfrica CupThe 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...
- Confederation of African RugbyConfederation of African RugbyThe Confederation of African Rugby is governing body for rugby union within Africa. The Confederation currently has 37 member nations and is responsible for running various rugby tournaments within Africa, especially the Africa Cup, and CAR Super 16.-History:The Confederation was officially...