Rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School 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 it ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

is a minor but growing sport. With both Men's and Women's 15's teams are represented in world rankings and both Women and Men's Sevens teams competing internationally. Finland Men's 15's team is currently ranked 86th out of 105 by

World Rugby World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international rug ...

. Finland Women's 15's team is currently ranked 47th out of 56 by

Governing body

The governing body is the Finnish Rugby Federation (

Suomen Rugbyliitto The Finnish Rugby Federation (SRL) ( fi, Suomen Rugbyliitto) is recognised as the national governing body for rugby in Finland. It is a member of several organisations, including World Rugby and Rugby Europe. The SRL was founded in 1968 and has as ...

) (:

History

Finland was the last of the major Nordic countries to take up rugby. Both

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

and Sweden started playing rugby in the 20th century, and more recently

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

in the 1980s and 1990s. Neighbouring

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

and to a lesser extent

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

started playing within the Soviet Era, during the 1950s and 60s. Finnish rugby started to grow during the 1990s, and early 21st century. There are now 692 players registered with the SRL. In 2000, Helsinki RFC made Finnish rugby history, when they beat a team from , a vessel in the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

Teams

Currently Finland fields four national teams. Men 15's & 7's, Women's 15's & 7's.

Domestic competition

A competition exists in Finland where climatic conditions dictate the main 15 a side season being played during the northern summer. Women play 7s on artificial grass from January to May.

References

Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair rugby (originally murderball, and known as quad rugby in the United States) is a team sport for athletes with a disability. It is practised in over twenty-five countries around the world and is a summer Paralympic sport. The US na ...

)
Archives du Rugby: Finlande
{{Rugby union in Europe

Governing body

History

Teams

Domestic competition

See also

References

External links