Rugby union in Norway
Encyclopedia
Rugby union
in Norway
is a minor but growing sport.
For a number of years, Norway was arguably the most northerly country playing the sport, and boasted the world's most northerly rugby club, Oslo RFC, which was founded in 1964.
n countries to take up rugby. However, amongst the Nordic Countries
, it is by no means the weakest,
as it is a more recent introduction to Finland
, and has no presence in the other three nations. A major problem though, is the climate, which means that many pitches may be under snow for large parts of the year. Serious interest in the game began in the 1960s.
For many years, Oslo RFC was the most northerly rugby club in the world. During the mid-1980s, Oslo RFC's nearest opposition in Norway was Stavanger
, a round trip of 685 miles. Their nearest club was Karlstad
RFC in Sweden
a round trip of 310 miles.
Rugby has a much longer standing in neighbouring Sweden
and Denmark
,
which have a combined figure of around 10,000 registered players, and it has been introduced there. Rugby union is also played in neighbouring
Shetland, and visitors from there have toured Norway, including people from the British military bases and ships there.
Norway
played its first international against Latvia
who beat them 44-6. At the time, the Welsh fly-half Huw Howells was the driving force in trying to promote the game.
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 Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
is a minor but growing sport.
For a number of years, Norway was arguably the most northerly country playing the sport, and boasted the world's most northerly rugby club, Oslo RFC, which was founded in 1964.
History
Norway was the last of the three ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n countries to take up rugby. However, amongst the Nordic Countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, it is by no means the weakest,
as it is a more recent introduction to Finland
Rugby union in Finland
Rugby union in Finland is a minor but growing sport. They are currently ranked 94th by the IRB.-Governing body:The governing body is the Finnish Rugby Federation...
, and has no presence in the other three nations. A major problem though, is the climate, which means that many pitches may be under snow for large parts of the year. Serious interest in the game began in the 1960s.
For many years, Oslo RFC was the most northerly rugby club in the world. During the mid-1980s, Oslo RFC's nearest opposition in Norway was Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, a round trip of 685 miles. Their nearest club was Karlstad
Karlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
RFC in Sweden
Rugby union in Sweden
Rugby union in Sweden is a minor but growing sport.-Governing body:The Swedish Rugby Federation was founded in 1932, and joined the IRFB in 1988.-History:...
a round trip of 310 miles.
Rugby has a much longer standing in neighbouring Sweden
Rugby union in Sweden
Rugby union in Sweden is a minor but growing sport.-Governing body:The Swedish Rugby Federation was founded in 1932, and joined the IRFB in 1988.-History:...
and Denmark
Rugby union in Denmark
Rugby union in Denmark is a minor but growing sport.-Governing body:The Danish Rugby Union dates back to 1950, and joined the IRB in 1988. They joined the Scandinavian Rugby Union in 1974.-History:...
,
which have a combined figure of around 10,000 registered players, and it has been introduced there. Rugby union is also played in neighbouring
Shetland, and visitors from there have toured Norway, including people from the British military bases and ships there.
Norway
Norway national rugby union team
Norway national rugby union team is a member of the FIRA - Association of European Rugby and plays in the 3B division of the European Nations Cup...
played its first international against Latvia
Latvia national rugby union team
The Latvia national rugby union team represent Latvia at the sport of rugby union. They are governed by Latvijas Regbija Federācija and have been playing international rugby since the early 1990s. Rugby has increased in popularity in Latvia recently due to a rise in form...
who beat them 44-6. At the time, the Welsh fly-half Huw Howells was the driving force in trying to promote the game.
Notable players
- Erik LundErik Lund (rugby player)Erik Lund is a Norwegian rugby union footballer who plays lock forward for Norway and since 2010 for the French team Biarritz, where he joined his younger brother Magnus...
, Leeds Carnegie and captain of - Magnus LundMagnus LundMagnus Lund is an English Rugby Union player, who plays in the back row for Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque.He was educated at the Lancaster Royal Grammar School where he played for the first XV. He also studied Business Enterprise at the Manchester Metropolitan University...
, brother of Erik, Sale SharksSale SharksSale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
, Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, and