Rugby union in Hungary | |
---|---|
Country | Hungary |
Governing body | Hungarian Rugby Union |
National team(s) | Hungary |
First played | 1960s |
Registered players | 2,100 |
Clubs | 18 |
National competitions | |
Rugby union in Hungary is a minor but growing sport.
The Hungarian Rugby Union (Hungarian: "Magyar Rögbi Szövetség") was founded in 1990, and affiliated to the IRB in 1991. [1]
As early as 1875 a group of British Embassy employees played rugby on the Szabadság tér (Freedom Square) in Budapest.
At the 1935 World University Games held in Budapest, rugby was also included in the program (won 12-10 by France against Germany). Reasons given for the hosts not participating were lack of time for preparation and a serious injury suffered by a player.
Italians have played a major part in the establishment of Hungarian rugby, namely the late Carlos Passalacqua and his friends from the Italian Embassy in Budapest. The game was originally introduced by a group of Italian diplomats in the 1960s and 70s. [1] who founded a number of clubs. However, when they left, the game withered away in all but Budapest, where a small group of enthusiasts kept it going. [1] Like neighbouring Austria and the Czech Republic, rugby has tended to be strongest in the national capital Budapest (which os by far the largest settlement in the country, containing 20% of the population) - however, in 1981, it would spread into the town of Kecskemét. [1]
The former All Black scrum half Chris Laidlaw, writing at the end of the 1970s, saw rugby as a positive force in east-west relations at the time:
Chris Laidlaw writing of the open secret of shamateurism in Soviet sport said:
Hungary had its first international in 1990, shortly after the foundation of the national union. This was against East Germany, which they lost with a respectable scoreline of 3-7. [1]
In the early 1990s, former Italian cap, Dr Giancarlo Tiziani was a major driving force in Austrian rugby. Before his death in 1994, he tried hard to establish a Central European equivalent of the Five Nations between Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia. [3]
There are over two thousand registered players in the country. [4]
On 6 October 2012 a new record was set for most spectators to watch a rugby match in the country with over 3000 people watching Hungary win against Bulgaria 28-23 in a Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifier.
Hungarian actor András Stohl played scrum-half for the now-defunct ELTE-BEAC in the 1980s. He was also involved with the MRgSz in some capacity in the first decade of the 2000s.
poszt száma | English name | Hungarian name |
---|---|---|
1. | Prop | pillér |
2. | Hooker | sarkazó |
3. | Prop | pillér |
4. | Lock/Second row | második soros |
5. | Lock/Second row | második soros |
6. | Flanker | Leváló |
7. | Flanker | Leváló |
8. | No. 8 | Összefogó |
poszt száma | Angol kifejezés | Magyar megfelelő |
9. | Scrum half | Nyitó |
10. | Fly half | Irányító |
11. | Wing | Szélső |
12. | Centre | Centre |
13. | Centre | Centre |
14. | Wing | Szélső |
15. | Full back | Fogó |
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a full-contact team sport that originated in England in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
Rugby sevens, and originally known as seven-a-side rugby, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40 minute halves. Rugby sevens is administered by World Rugby, the body responsible for rugby union worldwide. The game is popular at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months. Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby, and is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and especially in the South Pacific.
The Romania national rugby union team represents Romania in men's international rugby union competitions, nicknamed Stejarii, is long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations. They have participated in all but one Rugby World Cup and currently compete in the first division of the European Nations Cup, which they won recently in 2017. Rugby union in Romania is administered by the Romanian Rugby Federation.
Gary Armstrong is a former Scottish rugby union internationalist who played scrum-half. He played for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons, The Borders and represented Scotland and the British Lions. His nickname is the Border Terrier.
The Portugal national rugby union team, nicknamed Os Lobos, represents Portugal in men's international rugby union competitions. The team as well as all rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in 2007 where they were grouped in Pool C along with New Zealand, Italy, Romania and Scotland. They are nicknamed Os Lobos, Portuguese for "The Wolves".
Rugby union in Russia is a moderately popular sport. Russia is ranked 20th worldwide by the World Rugby, having over three hundred clubs and close to 22,000 players nationally. Russian Rugby Championship is the top-level professional competition held in Russia. Krasnoyarsk, in the middle of Siberia, is traditionally the heartland of Russian rugby.
The Hungary national rugby union team is governed by the Hungarian Rugby Union. They have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, although they have entered qualifiers for all the tournaments from the 1995 edition onwards. They compete annually in the European Nations Cup, currently in Division 2C.
Rugby union is a moderately popular team sport played in Romania with a tradition of more than 100 years. The Romanian men's national team are currently 19th in the World Rugby Rankings as of 31 October 2020.
The Scout and Guide movement in Hungary is served by
Rugby union in Austria is a minor but growing sport. The national team is currently ranked 79th in the International Rugby Board's world rankings, which ranks only the top ninety-five countries.
Austria–Hungary relations are the neighborly relations between Austria and Hungary, two member states of the European Union. Both countries have a long common history since the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inherited the Hungarian throne in the 16th century. Both were part of the now-defunct Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 to 1918. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1921, after their separation.
Rugby union in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a minor sport. They are currently ranked sixty-eight in the International Rugby Board's world rankings, despite the lack of recognition as an official sport by the government.
Rugby union in Croatia is a minor sport. As of August 2011, they are ranked fiftieth in the International Rugby Board's world rankings,.
Rugby union in Yugoslavia was a moderately popular sport. It was most popular in the Croatian SR, and to a lesser extent in the Serbian and Slovenian SRs, with some presence in the Bosnian SR as well.
Germany–Hungary relations are the relations between Germany and Hungary, two member states of the European Union and the NATO. Both countries have a long shared history. Germany has an embassy in Budapest. Hungary has an embassy in Berlin, two general consulates and nine honorary consulates. The Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Hungary on 'Friendly Cooperation and Partnership in Europe' concluded on 6 February 1992 is one of the principal cornerstones of today's bilateral relations.
The Hungarian Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Hungary. It was founded in 1990 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1992. It organises the three leagues, the Extraliga, the NB I and II, for what concerns rugby union. A few rugby 7s tournaments with also National 7s league and University Rugby 7s, and the various national teams. It is based in Esztergom.
The Hungary national women's rugby union team are the national women's rugby union team of Hungary. They have thus far only played in sevens tournaments and they have yet to qualify for the Women's Rugby World Cup.
The 2010-11 Nemzeti Bajnokság II competition is a Hungarian domestic rugby club competition operated by the Magyar Rögbi Szövetség (MRgSz). It began on September 18, 2010 with a match between Medvék and Velencei Kék Cápák at the Cinkotai Royal Ground in Budapest, and continued through to the final in 2011.