Rugby union in Nauru
CountryNauru
Governing bodyNauru Rugby Union
National team(s)Nauru

Rugby union in Nauru is a minor but growing sport. The national team have competed in various international competitions, including the Pacific Games.

Governing body

The governing body is an associate member of Oceania Rugby (formerly FORU),[1] and has applied to become an associate member of World Rugby.[2]

History

Rugby was first introduced into Nauru, by its connection with Australia and the British Empire in the 1890s. However with Australian rules football in Nauru booming in popularity from the 1910s and by 1954, local rugby and soccer leagues were all wound up without sufficient players.[3] The newly formed South Pacific Rugby Union formed in 1969 and extended an invitation for Nauru to join, however there was no organised competition at the time.[4]

Rugby Union was reintroduced in 2012 sports grants from the Australian Sports Outreach Program funded by Australian government AusAID[5] and the Nauru national rugby sevens team debuted at the 2015 Pacific Games.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Inaugural Oceania Rugby SuperWeek". Oceania Rugby. 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Nauru Becomes Newest Member Of Global Rugby Family". RugbyRedefined.com. 5 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "GEELONG FOSTER GAME AT NAURU". The Herald. No. 23, 984. Victoria, Australia. 9 April 1954. p. 17. Retrieved 23 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Rugby Council formed in South Pacific". Papua New Guinea Post-courier. International, Australia. 21 August 1969. p. 28. Retrieved 16 May 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Australian Sports Outreach Program


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