Editing Rugby union (section)

==Global reach==
{{See also|List of rugby union playing countries}}
[[File:Walers Japan Rugby World Cup 2007 09 20 supporters1.jpg|thumb|Japanese and Welsh rugby fans in [[Cardiff]], Wales, September 2007|alt=A group of thirteen supporters pose together, nine standing in back row, four seated at front, some wearing rugby jerseys and others sporting traditional Japanese costumes and Japanese flags.]]
The earliest countries to adopt rugby union were [[Rugby union in England|England]], the country of inception, and the other three Home Nations, [[Rugby union in Scotland|Scotland]], [[Rugby union in Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Rugby union in Wales|Wales]]. The spread of rugby union as a global sport has its roots in the exporting of the game by British expatriates, military personnel, and overseas university students. The first rugby club in [[Rugby union in France|France]] was formed by British residents in Le Havre in 1872, while the next year [[Rugby union in Argentina|Argentina]] recorded its first game: 'Banks' v 'City' in Buenos Aires.<ref name="Godwin11">{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=11}}</ref> In turn, French and Argentine travellers, particularly students, spread the Game beyond the British Empire, forming roots in particular in Italy, Romania, Uruguay and Chile.

Eight countries have adopted rugby union as their de facto [[national sport]]; they are [[Fiji]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4272324.stm |title=Fire and flair: Fijian rugby |work=BBC Sport |first=Sean |last=Davies |date=13 October 2005 |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-date=30 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051230173331/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4272324.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Rugby union in Georgia|Georgia]], [[Rugby union in Madagascar|Madagascar]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/jwrt/news/newsid=2042633.html |title=Scene set for an exciting Junior Trophy |publisher=[[International Rugby Board|IRB]] |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518181350/http://www.irb.com/jwrt/news/newsid=2042633.html |archive-date=18 May 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/feb/11/six-nations-second-division-european-rugby|title=There is far more to savour in European rugby union than just the Six Nations|date=11 February 2014|access-date=28 September 2015|work=The Guardian|author=Kitson, Robert|archive-date=13 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813044350/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/feb/11/six-nations-second-division-european-rugby|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fbstreams.me/stream/rugby|title=Rugby Live Stream|date=23 December 2017|access-date=24 December 2017|archive-date=24 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101154/https://www.fbstreams.me/stream/rugby|url-status=live}}</ref> New Zealand,<ref>{{cite journal|url= |title=The New Zealand Rugby Injury and Performance Project: II. Previous injury experience of a rugby-playing cohort |publisher=British Medical Journal |year=1994|author1=Gerrard, D. F. |author2=Waller, A. E. |author3=Bird, Y. N. |journal=British Journal of Sports Medicine |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=229–33 |doi=10.1136/bjsm.28.4.229 |pmid=7894952 |pmc=1332081 |issn = 0306-3674 }}</ref> [[Samoa]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/team_pages/samoa/3079758.stm |title=Sititi targets pool's big fish |work=BBC Sport |date=26 September 2003 |access-date=17 August 2011 |archive-date=21 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221030034/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/team_pages/samoa/3079758.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Rugby union in Tonga|Tonga]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzte.govt.nz/latest-events/Rugby-World-Cup-2011/Documents/Country%20brief%20-%20Tonga.pdf |title=Exporter Guide: Tonga |publisher=New Zealand Trade and Enterprise |year=2010 |access-date=17 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928064142/http://www.nzte.govt.nz/latest-events/Rugby-World-Cup-2011/Documents/Country%20brief%20-%20Tonga.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref> Wales and South Africa.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor1-first=John |editor1-last=Davies|editor1-link=John Davies (historian) |editor2-first=Nigel |editor2-last=Jenkins |editor2-link=Nigel Jenkins |editor3-first=Menna |editor3-last=Baines|editor4-first=Peredur I. |editor4-last=Lynch|editor4-link=Peredur Lynch |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia of Wales|The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales]] |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff|page=782 |title=Rugby Union |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ZEUAQAAIAAJ&q=%22large+popular+following%22 |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}</ref>

===Oceania===
A rugby club was formed in Sydney, [[New South Wales]], [[Rugby union in Australia|Australia]] in 1864; while the sport was said to have been introduced to [[Rugby union in New Zealand|New Zealand]] by [[Charles John Monro|Charles Monro]] in 1870, who played rugby while a student at [[Christ's College (Finchley)|Christ's College, Finchley]].<ref name="Godwin10"/>

Several island nations have embraced the sport of rugby. Rugby was first played in [[Rugby union in Fiji|Fiji]] {{Circa|1884}} by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary at [[Ba (town)|Ba]] on Viti Levu island.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=74}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/5392022.stm | title=Fire and flair: Fijian rugby | work=BBC Sport | first=Sean | last=Davies | date=29 September 2006 | access-date=20 September 2011 | archive-date=9 February 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209154425/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/5392022.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> Fiji then sent their first overseas team to [[Rugby union in Samoa|Samoa]] in 1924, who in turn set up their own [[Lakapi Samoa|union]] in 1924.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|Golesworthy|1976|p=10}}</ref> Along with [[Rugby union in Tonga|Tonga]], other countries to have national rugby teams in Oceania include [[Rugby union in the Cook Islands|the Cook Islands]], [[Rugby union in Niue|Niue]], [[Rugby union in Papua New Guinea|Papua New Guinea]] and [[Rugby union in Solomon Islands|Solomon Islands]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://oceaniarugby.com/member_unions/foru_member_union_american_samoa.html | title=Member Unions | work=oceaniarugby.com | access-date=1 October 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331061452/http://www.oceaniarugby.com/member_unions/foru_member_union_american_samoa.html | archive-date=31 March 2015}}</ref>

===North America and Caribbean===
{{See also|Rugby Americas North}}
In North America, a club formed in Montreal in 1868, [[Rugby union in Canada|Canada]]'s first club. The city of Montreal also played its part in the introduction of the sport in the [[Rugby union in the United States|United States]], when students of [[McGill University]] played against a team from [[Harvard University]] in 1874.<ref name="Godwin10"/><ref name="Godwin11"/> The two variants of gridiron football — [[Canadian football]] and, to a lesser extent, [[American football]] — were once considered forms of [[rugby football]], but the introduction of the legal [[forward pass]] severed the conceptual link between the old world rugby codes and new world gridiron codes, and they are seldom now referred to as forms of rugby football. One lasting element of the link, the governing body of Canadian football, [[Football Canada#1880–1955, Canadian Rugby Union|Football Canada]], was known as the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) as late as 1967, more than fifty years after the sport parted ways with the established rules of rugby union. The [[Grey Cup]], the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of the professional [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL), was originally awarded to the champion of the CRU. The two strongest leagues in the CRU, the [[Interprovincial Rugby Football Union]] in [[Eastern Canada]] and the [[Western Interprovincial Football Union]] in [[Western Canada]], evolved into the present day CFL.

Although the exact date of arrival of [[rugby union in Trinidad and Tobago]] is unknown, their first club Northern RFC was formed in 1923, a national team was playing by 1927 and due to a cancelled tour to [[British Guiana]] in 1933, switched their venue to [[Rugby union in Barbados|Barbados]]; introducing rugby to the island.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=160}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=43}}</ref> Other Atlantic countries to play rugby union include [[Rugby union in Jamaica|Jamaica]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000064/index.html |title=Jamaica |work=[[World Rugby|IRB]] |access-date=6 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928002800/http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000064/index.html |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}</ref> and [[Rugby union in Bermuda|Bermuda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000040/index.html |title=Bermuda |work=[[World Rugby|IRB]] |access-date=6 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915192248/http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000040/index.html |archive-date=15 September 2011 }}</ref>

[[College rugby|Rugby union]] is the fastest growing [[college sport]] and sport in general in the US.<ref name="urlU.S Rugby Scholarships - U.S. Sports Scholarships"/><ref name="urlRugby: Fastest growing sport in the U.S. also one of the oldest - Global Sport Matters, Rugby: Fastest growing sport in the U.S. also one of the oldest - Global Sport Matters"/><ref name="urlWhere Is Rugby the Most Popular Among Students: Comparison of US and UK Student Leagues {{!}} Love Rugby League"/>

[[Major League Rugby]] is the top professional rugby union competition in the US and Canada. One American professional team, [[American Raptors]], formerly the MLR Glendale and Colorado Raptors, plays in the broadly South American [[Super Rugby Americas]] competition.

===Europe===
[[File:Germany vs Belgium rugby match.jpg|thumb|[[Rugby union in Germany|Germany]] playing [[Belgium national rugby union team|Belgium]] in a World Cup qualifier, April 2006]]
The growth of rugby union in [[Europe]] outside the 6 Nations countries in terms of playing numbers, [[attendance]]s, and viewership has been sporadic. Historically, British and Irish home teams played the Southern Hemisphere teams of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, as well as France. The rest of Europe were left to play amongst themselves. During a period when it had been isolated by the British and Irish Unions, France, lacking international competition, became the only European team from the top tier to regularly play the other European countries; mainly [[Rugby union in Belgium|Belgium]], the [[Rugby union in the Netherlands|Netherlands]], [[Rugby union in Germany|Germany]], [[Rugby union in Spain|Spain]], [[Rugby union in Romania|Romania]], [[Rugby union in Poland|Poland]], [[Rugby union in Italy|Italy]] and [[Rugby union in Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovakia]].<ref name="FIRA"/><ref>{{cite book |last=Dine |first=Philip |title=French Rugby Football |year=2001 |pages=79–94|publisher=Berg |location=Oxford |isbn=1-85973-327-1}}</ref> In 1934, instigated by the [[French Rugby Federation]], FIRA (Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur) was formed to organise rugby union outside the authority of the IRFB.<ref name="FIRA"/> The founding members were {{runion|ITA}}, {{runion|ROM}}, {{runion|NLD}}, {{runion|POR}}, {{runion|CSK}}, and {{runion|SWE}}.

Four European teams have had, at different times, notable success; the most successful, [[Italy national rugby union team|Italy]], joined the [[Five Nations Championship]] in 2000 as its sixth member, and while it remains the weakest of the [[Six Nations Championship|Six Nations]], it has recorded numerous wins over all its 6N rivals with the exception of England, as well as defeating South Africa, Australia and Argentina in official matches. Before Italy's ascension, Romania enjoyed a period of success as their teams, backed by a supportive Communist government, regularly challenged the major European nations. The fall of Communism in Romania led to an era of steep decline from which Romania has yet to fully emerge, but it remains one of the most prominent of the second level European teams. Georgia, in the Caucasus, rose to prominence in the early 21st century; the traditional national game [[Lelo burti|lelo]] bore strong similarities to rugby union, meaning the country was naturally attracted to the sport upon independence, and the Georgians are now regarded as the top European nation below the traditional Six Nations, and even possibly on a par with Italy. Having qualified for the [[2023 Rugby World Cup]] through the final repechage, [[Portugal national rugby union team|Portugal]] had a startlingly successful tournament, holding Georgia to an 18-18 draw, and performing strongly against Tier One sides Wales and Australia before an historic victory over eventual quarter-finalists [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]]. Portugal demonstrated significant fan support during the tournament.

Other European rugby playing nations of note include [[Rugby union in Russia|Russia]], whose first officially recorded match is marked by an encounter between [[Dynamo Moscow]] and the [[Moscow Institute of Physical Education]] in 1933.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=148}}</ref> [[Rugby union in Spain]], often associated with the Basque and Catalan regions near the French border, is also relatively strong in this context, having twice missed out on World Cup qualification by rule breaches having gained the points required, and hosting several large crowds for [[European Rugby Champions Cup|European Professional Rugby Cup]] matches.

In 1999, FIRA agreed to place itself under the auspices of the IRB, transforming itself into a strictly European organising body. Accordingly, it changed its name to FIRA–AER (Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur – Association Européenne de Rugby). It adopted its current name of [[Rugby Europe]] in 2014.

===South America===
[[File:URBA Finals.jpg|thumb|upright|Argentine teams [[Asociación Alumni|Alumni]] and [[Hindú Club|Hindú]] playing the [[Torneo de la URBA]] final match, 2007]]

Although [[Argentina]] is the best-known rugby playing nation in [[South America]], founding the [[Argentine Rugby Union]] in 1899,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8362870.stm | title=Puma power: Argentinian rugby | work=BBC Sport | first=Sean | last=Davies | date=16 November 2009 | access-date=24 September 2011 | archive-date=22 October 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022145839/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8362870.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> several other countries on the continent have a long history. Rugby had been played in [[Rugby union in Brazil|Brazil]] since the end of the 19th century, but the game was played regularly only from 1926, when São Paulo beat Santos in an inter-city match.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=48}}</ref> It took [[Rugby union in Uruguay|Uruguay]] several aborted attempts to adapt to rugby, led mainly by the efforts of the [[Montevideo Cricket Club]]; these efforts succeeded in 1951 with the formation of a national league and four clubs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=166}}</ref> Other South American countries that formed a rugby union include [[Rugby union in Chile|Chile]] (1948),<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=58}}</ref> and [[Rugby union in Paraguay|Paraguay]] (1968).<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=127}}</ref>

[[Súper Liga Americana de Rugby|Super Rugby Americas]] is the professional Rugby union competition in [[South America]].

===Asia===
{{Main|Rugby union in Asia}}
Many Asian countries have a tradition of playing rugby dating from the British Empire. [[Rugby union in India|India]] began playing rugby in the early 1870s, the [[Calcutta Football Club]] forming in 1873. However, with the departure of a local British army regiment, interest in rugby diminished in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-Calcutta-Cup/|title=The History of the Calcutta Cup|access-date=28 November 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208052332/http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-Calcutta-Cup/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1878, The Calcutta Football Club was disbanded, and rugby in India faltered.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=92}}</ref> [[Rugby union in Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]] claims to have founded their union in 1878, and although little official information from the period is available, the team won the All-India cup in Madras in 1920.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=152}}</ref> The first recorded match in [[Rugby union in Malaysia|Malaysia]] was in 1892, but the first confirmation of rugby is the existence of the HMS Malaya Cup which was first presented in 1922 and is still awarded to the winners of the Malay sevens.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|pp=112–113}}</ref>

Rugby union was introduced to [[Rugby union in Japan|Japan]] in 1899 by two Cambridge students: [[Ginnosuke Tanaka]] and [[Edward Bramwell Clarke]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=105}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6157863.stm | title=Eastern Promise: Japanese rugby | work=BBC Sport | first=Sean | last=Davies | date=12 February 2007 | access-date=20 September 2011 | archive-date=1 March 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301014743/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/6157863.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> The Japan RFU was founded in 1926 and its place in rugby history was cemented when Japan hosted the [[2019 Rugby World Cup|2019 World Cup]].<ref name="2015 bid">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8170488.stm | title=England will host 2015 World Cup | work=BBC Sport | date=28 July 2009 | access-date=7 February 2010 | archive-date=12 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112124727/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8170488.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> It was the first country outside the Commonwealth, Ireland and France to host the event, and was viewed by the IRB as an opportunity for rugby union to extend its reach,<ref name="2015 bid"/> particularly in Asia. Other Asian playing countries of note include [[Rugby union in Singapore|Singapore]], [[Rugby union in South Korea|South Korea]], [[Rugby union in China|China]] and [[Rugby union in the Philippines|The Philippines]], while the former British colony of [[Rugby union in Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] is notable within rugby for its development of the rugby sevens game, especially the [[Hong Kong Sevens]] tournament which was founded in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irbsevens.com/news/newsid=2042721.html |title=HSBC join Cathay as Hong Kong Sevens sponsors |work=[[International Rugby Board|IRB]] |date=18 May 2011 |access-date=24 September 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611204444/http://www.irbsevens.com/news/newsid=2042721.html |archive-date=11 June 2011 }}</ref>

Rugby in the Middle East and the Gulf States began in the 1950s, with clubs formed by British and French Services stationed in the region after the Second World War.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=42}}</ref> When these servicemen left, the clubs and teams were kept alive by young professionals, mostly Europeans, working in these countries. The official union of [[Rugby union in Oman|Oman]] was formed in 1971.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=126}}</ref> [[Rugby union in Bahrain|Bahrain]] founded its union a year later, while in 1975 the [[Dubai Sevens]], the Gulf's leading rugby tournament, was created. Rugby remains a minority sport in the region with [[Rugby union in Israel|Israel]] and the [[Rugby union in United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates]], as of 2019, being the only member unions from the Middle East to be included in the [[IRB World Rankings]].<ref name="Full rankings">{{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/rankings/full.html |title=IRB World Rankings |publisher=[[International Rugby Board|IRB]] |access-date=18 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810042746/http://www.irb.com/rankings/full.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 }}</ref>

[[File:f5f4f1d0734f015b98b66d455884a9e0.jpg|thumb|[[Ivory Coast]] before their [[2011 Rugby World Cup&nbsp;– Africa qualification|2011 World Cup qualifier]] vs. Zambia, 21 July 2008|alt=A close-up shot of the Ivory Coast players, in their country's orange jerseys, entering the field from the dressing room tunnel]]

===Africa===
In 1875, rugby was introduced to [[Rugby union in South Africa|South Africa]] by British soldiers garrisoned in Cape Town.<ref name="Godwin11"/> The game spread quickly across the country, displacing [[Winchester College football]] as the sport of choice in South Africa and spreading to nearby [[Zimbabwe]]. South African settlers also brought the game with them to Namibia and competed against British administrators in [[British East Africa]]. During the late 19th and early 20th century, the sport in Africa was spread by settlers and colonials who often adopted a "whites-only" policy to playing the game. This resulted in rugby being viewed as a [[bourgeois]] sport by the indigenous people with limited appeal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wesclark.com/rrr/kenya_rugby.html |title=A Review of Kenyan Rugby |publisher=wesclark.com |first=Michael Mundia |last=Kamau |access-date=19 August 2011 |archive-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222001453/http://wesclark.com/rrr/kenya_rugby.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite this, enclaves of black participation developed notably in the [[Eastern Cape]] and in [[Harare]]. The earliest countries to see the playing of competitive rugby include South Africa, and neighbouring [[Rugby union in Rhodesia|Rhodesia]] (modern-day Zimbabwe), which formed the Rhodesia Rugby Football Union in 1895 and became a regular stop for touring British and New Zealand sides.<ref>{{Harvnb|Godwin|Rhys|1981|p=15}}</ref>

In more recent times, the sport has been embraced by several African nations. In the early 21st century Madagascar has experienced crowds of 40,000 at national matches,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4471650.stm |title=Madagascar rugby inspires new passion |work=BBC Sport |first=Tim |last=Cocks |date=26 November 2005 |access-date=19 August 2011 |archive-date=12 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412012328/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4471650.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> while Namibia, whose history of rugby can be dated from 1915, have qualified for the final stages of the World Cup seven times since 1999.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sport |first=BBC |date=10 July 2022 |title=Namibia qualify for 2023 Rugby World Cup with 36-0 win over Kenya |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/62117060 |url-status=live |access-date=18 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710221838/https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/62117060 |archive-date=10 July 2022 }}</ref> Other African nations to be represented in the World Rugby Rankings as Member Unions include [[Rugby union in Côte d'Ivoire|Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Rugby union in Kenya|Kenya]], [[Rugby union in Uganda|Uganda]] and [[Rugby union in Zambia|Zambia]].<ref name="Full rankings"/> South Africa and Kenya are among the 15 "core teams" that participate in every event of the men's [[World Rugby Sevens Series]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.irbsevens.com/destination/edition=9/news/newsid=2048923.html#teams+announced+gold+coast+kick |title=Teams announced for Gold Coast kickoff |publisher=International Rugby Board |date=8 September 2011 |access-date=13 November 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011152812/http://irbsevens.com/destination/edition=9/news/newsid=2048923.html |archive-date=11 October 2011 }}</ref>