Rugby union in Portugal
Encyclopedia
Rugby union is a growing popular sport in Portugal
, though still a long distance from the national sport association football. The sport is essentially amateur
, with some degree of semi-professionalisation in its top flight league and the national rugby union team
. The rugby union teams in Portugal are mostly university sides, from Lisbon
, Porto
and Coimbra
, with multi-sports teams like Benfica and Belenenses having rugby union colectivities.
in 1988.
The first recorded Portuguese game occurred at Cruz Quebrada on the outskirts of Lisbon
in 1903.
the First World War, and so the onus fell back on the local population. In 1927, the clubs of Benfica, the Royal Football Club, Carcavelinhos, Ginasio and "Sporting" came together to form the Portuguese Rugby Federation.
In many cases, the players were students, or ex-students, some of whom had encountered the game abroad.
Portuguese rugby was heavily influenced by French rugby in this period.
and a proper youth recruitment programme put in place. In three years during the mid-1990s, Portugal managed to double its number of registered players from around
3,000 to around 6,000
In 1995, however, Portugal had a major setback when they were beaten at home 102-11 by Wales
in the 1995 Rugby World Cup qualifiers. This set their morale back, and led to criticism of weaknesses in scrummaging, rucking and mauling.
- the first all amateur team to do so since professionalisation. They were the only new team in the tournament, since all the rest had appeared in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
, and they got there by knocking out Uruguay
.
In 2008 the Portuguese Rugby Federation, the Spanish Rugby Federation, the Gibraltar rugby authority and various clubs agreed to the formation of a Liga Superibérica (Super Iberian
League), which will operate on a franchise system (similar to rugby league
's Super League
or Japan
's bj league
of basketball
). The new league shall operate with 5 Spanish clubs, 4 Portuguese
, and one from Gibraltar
. It will operate on a different season from the main leagues.
Because Portugal is a popular holiday destination for people from the United Kingdom and Ireland, with reasonably priced flights etc, it has emerged as a popular tour destination.
and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup since the sport opened itself up to professionals in August 1995 (after that year's World Cup
). The Portuguese national rugby sevens team
has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions.
The Portugal national rugby union team
, nicknamed "Os Lobos," Portuguese for "The Wolves", is a third tier rugby union
side representing Portugal
. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup
. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup
in 2007. Portugal were in Pool C along with the New Zealand
, Italy
, Romania
and Scotland
. In the tournament, open side João Uva
and outside half Duarte Cardoso Pinto
were noted as particularly outstanding players.
They were heavily beaten by New Zealand but gave both Italy and Romania serious matches with Romania being held to a 14-10 victory, only through their muscle and the second half appearance of skilled Romanian hooker Marius Tincu
.
Portugal have experienced unprecedented success in recent years. They were surprise winners of the 2003-4 European Nations Cup
and have continued to record impressive results, although they could only finish third in the 2005-6 event.
represent Portugal in international rugby sevens
. The team compete in competitions such as the World Sevens Series and the Rugby World Cup Sevens
. Pedro Leal
and Pedro Cabral are two notable sevens players.
The IRB Sevens World Series
circuit has allowed the Portuguese players to demonstrate their competence to the wider rugby world. In 2006-7 Portugal will compete at every IRB sevens event for the first time. They have become an established power in the abbreviated form of the game.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, though still a long distance from the national sport association football. The sport is essentially amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
, with some degree of semi-professionalisation in its top flight league and the national rugby union team
Portugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
. The rugby union teams in Portugal are mostly university sides, from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
and Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, with multi-sports teams like Benfica and Belenenses having rugby union colectivities.
Governing body
Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. It was founded in 1926 and became affiliated to the International Rugby BoardInternational 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 1988.
History
The origins of Portuguese rugby go back over a century, but it was only in the 1920s, and the 1950s that periods of consolidation occurred.The first recorded Portuguese game occurred at Cruz Quebrada on the outskirts of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1903.
1920s
It was only in 1922 that the game began to be organised on a formal basis. The Anglo-Portuguese playing pool at this point had been severely depleted bythe First World War, and so the onus fell back on the local population. In 1927, the clubs of Benfica, the Royal Football Club, Carcavelinhos, Ginasio and "Sporting" came together to form the Portuguese Rugby Federation.
In many cases, the players were students, or ex-students, some of whom had encountered the game abroad.
1950s
Portuguese rugby had once again been set back by the effects of another world war, but it was still dominated by students and ex-students.Portuguese rugby was heavily influenced by French rugby in this period.
1990s
Portuguese rugby had a much needed "facelift" in this period, with some of its various problems being addressed. The shortage of facilities was partly remedied,and a proper youth recruitment programme put in place. In three years during the mid-1990s, Portugal managed to double its number of registered players from around
3,000 to around 6,000
In 1995, however, Portugal had a major setback when they were beaten at home 102-11 by Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in the 1995 Rugby World Cup qualifiers. This set their morale back, and led to criticism of weaknesses in scrummaging, rucking and mauling.
Present day
Portuguese rugby continues to hover around the 6,000 mark, but the main aim at the moment is to improve the national infrastructure, which has partly paid off, since the Portuguese rugby team managed to get into the 2007 Rugby World Cup2007 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,...
- the first all amateur team to do so since professionalisation. They were the only new team in the tournament, since all the rest had appeared in 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...
, and they got there by knocking out 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...
.
In 2008 the Portuguese Rugby Federation, the Spanish Rugby Federation, the Gibraltar rugby authority and various clubs agreed to the formation of a Liga Superibérica (Super Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
League), which will operate on a franchise system (similar to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
's Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
or Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's bj league
Bj league
The bj league is a professional basketball league in Japan that began on November 5, 2005. The ten team league is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference, and the Western Conference. It had its inaugural All-Star game in 2006. One of its major sponsors is Spalding.The bj league...
of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
). The new league shall operate with 5 Spanish clubs, 4 Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and one from Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. It will operate on a different season from the main leagues.
Because Portugal is a popular holiday destination for people from the United Kingdom and Ireland, with reasonably priced flights etc, it has emerged as a popular tour destination.
Current hierarchical divisional breakdowns
- Superibérica de RugbySuperibérica de RugbyThe Superibérica de Rugby is the highest tier of national rugby union competition in Spain. The first Superliga season was in 2009 with six Spanish teams, with the hope of expanding to include Portuguese teams and a team from Gibraltar in the future....
(10 teams, 4 Portuguese) - Campeonato Nacional Honra/Super BockCampeonato Nacional Honra/Super BockThe Portuguese top division of rugby union is a competition organised by the Portuguese Rugby Federation. The current champions are Direito, from Lisbon. The league consists of 8 teams.-Teams 2008/09:-External links:*...
(8 teams) - Campeonato Nacional de Rugby I DivisãoCampeonato Nacional de Rugby I DivisãoThe Campeonato Nacional de Rugby I Divisão is the second tier competition of the Portuguese domestic rugby championship and is organised by the Portuguese Rugby Federation. The winner gets promoted to the Campeonato Nacional Honra/Super Bock and the last positioned team gets relegated to the...
(8 teams) - Campeonato Nacional de Rugby II DivisãoCampeonato Nacional de Rugby II DivisãoThe Campeonato Nacional de Rugby II Divisão is the third division of the Portuguese Rugby League. The 2007/08 champions are Vitória F.C.. It consists in four groups of 5 or 6 clubs.-Teams 2008/09:-External links:*...
(4 groups of 5/6 teams each)
National team
The national rugby union team made a dramatic qualification into the 2007 Rugby World Cup2007 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,...
and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup since the sport opened itself up to professionals in August 1995 (after that year's World Cup
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....
). The Portuguese national rugby sevens team
Portugal national rugby union team (sevens)
The Portugal national rugby union team represent Portugal in international rugby sevens. The team has played for the first time in 1992, at the Catania Sevens, World Cup 1993 European Qualifier....
has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions.
The Portugal national rugby union team
Portugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
, nicknamed "Os Lobos," Portuguese for "The Wolves", 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...
side representing Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
. Portugal qualified for their first 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 2007. Portugal were in Pool C along with the New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
, Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
, Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
and 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 tournament, open side João Uva
João Uva
João Pedro Azevedo de Sousa Uva is a Portuguese rugby union footballer.He plays as a flanker for Bandeirantes Rugby Clube - São Paulo - Brasil since February 2011.He played as a flanker for Belenenses...
and outside half Duarte Cardoso Pinto
Duarte Cardoso Pinto
Duarte Daun e Lorena Cardoso Pinto is a Portuguese rugby union footballer. He plays as a fly-half.He currently plays for Blagnac in the French Second Division, having signed for them after the 2007 Rugby World Cup...
were noted as particularly outstanding players.
They were heavily beaten by New Zealand but gave both Italy and Romania serious matches with Romania being held to a 14-10 victory, only through their muscle and the second half appearance of skilled Romanian hooker Marius Tincu
Marius Tincu
Marius Tincu is a Romanian rugby union footballer. He plays as a hooker. Since 2007, he holds dual French-Romanian citizenship....
.
Portugal have experienced unprecedented success in recent years. They were surprise winners of the 2003-4 European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
and have continued to record impressive results, although they could only finish third in the 2005-6 event.
Sevens
The Portugal national rugby sevens teamPortugal national rugby union team (sevens)
The Portugal national rugby union team represent Portugal in international rugby sevens. The team has played for the first time in 1992, at the Catania Sevens, World Cup 1993 European Qualifier....
represent Portugal in international rugby sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
. The team compete in competitions such as the World Sevens Series and 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...
. Pedro Leal
Pedro Leal
Pedro Leal is a Portuguese international rugby player and a regular on the International Rugby Board World Sevens circuit....
and Pedro Cabral are two notable sevens players.
The IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
circuit has allowed the Portuguese players to demonstrate their competence to the wider rugby world. In 2006-7 Portugal will compete at every IRB sevens event for the first time. They have become an established power in the abbreviated form of the game.
See also
- Sport in PortugalSport in PortugalFootball is the most popular and practised sport in Portugal. Other than football, many other professional or semi-professional well organized sport competitions take place every season in Portugal, including basketball, swimming, athletics, tennis, gymnastics, futsal, rink hockey, team handball,...
- Rugby union in BrazilRugby union in BrazilRugby 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...
- the game has a small foothold in the largest Portuguese speaking nation. - Rugby union in MacauRugby union in MacauRugby union is a minor sport in Macau.Macau has a national side, which competes in international competitions, and there is also Macau Rugby Club, which takes part in various competitions...
, a Portuguese territory until 1999.