Rugby Africa Cup

Two-year men's rugby union tournament

For women's rugby union tournament, see Rugby Africa Women's Cup. For the football tournament, see Africa Cup of Nations.

Rugby Africa CupCurrent season or competition:
2024 Rugby Africa Cup

Sport| Rugby union
Instituted| 2000
Governing body| Africa (Rugby Africa)
Holders|  Zimbabwe (2024)
Most titles|  Namibia (9 titles)
Website| https://tkt.ug/

The Rugby Africa Cup is a two-year men's rugby union tournament involving the top 16 African nations based on their World Rugby rankings, it is organised by Rugby Africa. The tournament was first held in 2000.[1] It was renamed the Rugby Africa Cup in November 2019, it was previously called the Africa Cup since 2006, the CAR Top 9 and CAR Top 10.

Due to South Africa being far stronger than any other African nation, South African teams have only competed five times, and won the competition three times. The winning South African teams on these occasions were the under 23 or amateur players (in 2000, 2001 and 2006).

## History

[edit]

The African Cup of Rugby Union took place for the first time in 2000, with five teams taking part in the event, Morocco, Tunisia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the hosts South Africa, the winner of the competition. In 2004, a second division called CAR Development Trophy and now named now African Development Trophy was formed, reserved for U19 national teams. In 2006, the Africa Cup was coupled with the Rugby World Cup qualification, the winner qualified for the Rugby World Cup. In 2011, a Division 1A was created and in 2014, the division took place as a four-team championship.

The winner of the 2022 Africa Gold Cup qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the runner-up qualified for its final qualification tournament in November 2022.

## Structure

[edit]

The tournament was revamped in November 2019, this time the top 16 nations, based on their World Rugby rankings prior to the competition, will compete over a two-year period.[2] According to their website Rugby Africa explained the tournament as follows:

> The first stage consists of a qualifying round: the teams ranked 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th will oppose the teams ranked 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th, respectively, in a single match at home. The winner of each of these four matches will progress to the group phase. In this second stage, the 12 teams are divided into 4 pools; inside each pool the 3 teams play against each other in a home or away game. The winner of each group will progress to the final tournament of the RAC. The top four teams from Africa will meet in one venue for the final stage of the RAC, which will include two semi-finals, a play-off for third place and, ultimately, the final to decide who will be the African champions.[3]

The 2019–20 Rugby Africa Cup was the first tournament after the restructuring,[4] but was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021–22 Rugby Africa Cup will double as a 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifier for Africa.

In addition to the main fifteens tournaments, an Under-20 competition featuring eight teams was held in April and a rugby sevens tournament involving twelve teams was held in November. A women's rugby sevens tournament is also to be scheduled.

## Summary

[edit]

Below is a list of previous tournaments and final results:

Year  | Host  | Final  | Third place match

|
|
|

Winner  | Score  | Runner-up  | Third  | Score  | Fourth
Africa Cup
2000 |
Casablanca, Morocco |
South Africa Amateurs | 44–14 |
Morocco | No third place
2001 |
Casablanca, Morocco |
South Africa Amateurs | 36–20 |
Morocco | No third place
2002 |
Windhoek, Namibia |
Namibia1 | 26–19 |
Tunisia | No third place

Tunis, Tunisia | 17–24
2003 |
Casablanca, Morocco |
Morocco | 27–7 |
Namibia |  Madagascar and  Uganda
2004 |
Windhoek, Namibia |
Namibia | 39–22 |
Morocco | No third place
2005 |
Paris, France |
Morocco | 43–6 |
Madagascar |  Namibia and  South Africa Amateurs
2006 |
Windhoek, Namibia |
South Africa Amateurs | 29–27 |
Namibia |  Madagascar and  Morocco
2007 |
Antananarivo, Madagascar |
Uganda | 42–11 |
Madagascar |
Kenya | 20–17 |
Ivory Coast
2008–09 |
Tunis, Tunisia |
Namibia2 | 18–13 |
Tunisia |  Ivory Coast and  Uganda

Windhoek, Namibia | 22–10
2010 | Not assigned 3
2011 |
Nairobi, Kenya |
Kenya | 16–7 |
Tunisia | No third place
2012 |
Jemmal, Tunisia |
Zimbabwe | 22–18 |
Uganda |
Kenya | 31–24 |
Tunisia
2013 |
Antananarivo, Madagascar |
Kenya | 29–17 |
Zimbabwe |
Madagascar | 48–32 |
Uganda
2014 |
Antananarivo, Madagascar |
Namibia | n/a |
Zimbabwe |
Kenya | n/a |
Madagascar
2015 |
Windhoek, Namibia |
Namibia | n/a |
Zimbabwe |
Kenya | n/a |
Tunisia
2016 |
Windhoek, Namibia |
Namibia | n/a |
Kenya |
Uganda | n/a |
Zimbabwe
Gold Cup
2017 |
Nairobi, Kenya |
Namibia | n/a |
Kenya |
Uganda | n/a |
Tunisia
2018 |  |
Namibia | n/a |
Kenya |
Uganda | n/a |
Tunisia
2019 | Cancelled 4
Rugby Africa Cup
2019–20 | Cancelled after the qualification stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.[5]
2021–22 |
Aix-en-Provence, France |
Namibia | 36–0 |
Kenya |
Algeria | 20–12 |
Zimbabwe
2024 |
Kampala, Uganda |
Zimbabwe | 29–3 |
Algeria |
Namibia | 38–27 |
Kenya

^n/a A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.
^1 The aggregate results was drawn 33-33. Namibia won on tries scored.
^2 Namibia won the series with aggregate results of 40-23.
^3 In the 2010 Africa Cup no outright winner was declared. Morocco beat Tunisia 29–6 in the final of the north section, whilst Kenya won the 2010 Victoria Cup in the south.
^4 The Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cups of the 2019 season were cancelled due to a lack of funding, brought on by the loss of broadcast sponsor Kwese Sports.[6] The Victoria Cup was revived to replace it, which was won by Zimbabwe.

## Overall

[edit]

The overall record of the teams are as follows:

Team  | Champions  | Runners-up  | Third  | Fourth  | Losing semi-finals

|
|
|
|
|

Namibia | 9 (2002**, 2004*, 2009**, 2014, 2015*, 2016*, 2017, 2018, 2022)  | 2 (2003, 2006*)  | 1 (2024)  | –  | 1 (2005)
South Africa Amateurs | 3 (2000, 2001, 2006)  | –  | –  | –  | 1 (2005)
Kenya | 2 (2011*, 2013)  | 4 (2016, 2017*, 2018, 2022)  | 4 (2007, 2012, 2014, 2015)  | 1 (2024)  | –
Zimbabwe | 2 (2012, 2024)  | 3 (2013, 2014, 2015)  | –  | 2 (2016, 2022)  | –
Morocco | 2 (2003*, 2005)  | 3 (2000*, 2001*, 2004)  | –  | –  | 1 (2006)
Uganda | 1 (2007)  | 1 (2012)  | 3 (2016, 2017, 2018)  | 1 (2013)  | 2 (2003, 2009)
Tunisia | –  | 3 (2002**, 2009**, 2011)  | –  | 4 (2012*, 2015, 2017, 2018)  | –
Madagascar | –  | 2 (2005, 2007*)  | 1 (2013*)  | 1 (2014*)  | 2 (2003, 2006)
Algeria | –  | 1 (2024)  | 1 (2022)  | –  | –
Ivory Coast | –  | –  | –  | 1 (2007)  | 1 (2009)

* hosts

** home/away

## Rugby Africa Gold Cup perpetual trophy

[edit]

The Rugby Africa Gold Cup is the perpetual trophy awarded to the winner of the Africa Gold Cup, a qualifier for the Rugby World Cup organised by World Rugby's African association, Rugby Africa, since 2000.

The Rugby Africa Gold Cup is the perpetual trophy awarded to the winner of the Africa Cup (Africa Gold Cup), an annual rugby union tournament involving Africa's top six national 15-man teams (excluding South Africa), organised by World Rugby's African association, Rugby Africa, since 2000.

The Rugby Africa Gold Cup perpetual trophy – a Rugby World Cup qualifier – has been officially unveiled during the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Congress in Brussels on May 8, 2018, in the presence of Abdelaziz Bougja, President of Rugby Africa, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder of APO Group and main official partner of Rugby Africa,[7] Gianni Merlo, President of the International Sports Press Association, AIPS [it],[8] and Mitchell Obi, President of AIPS Africa.

It has been presented to the winner of the Rugby Africa Gold Cup for the first time in August 2018.

Prior to this date, each winner of the Rugby Africa Gold Cup received a trophy.

The back of the trophy is engraved with the text "Presented by Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder of APO Group; Abdelaziz Bougja, President of Rugby Africa".

Handmade by Swatkins, Great Britain's leading Trophy, Award and Silverware manufacturer since 1898, the Rugby Africa Gold Cup is a Gold Plated Perpetual Trophy Cup. Standing at a height of 47 centimetres (18.5 in) and weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb), it features a smooth Georgian-bodied design, complete with patterned handles, a stepped lid that is supplied complete with a circular solid African mahogany base. The Trophy has been engraved with the text 'Rugby Africa Gold Cup' and has the shape of Africa in pride of place on the main body. To complete, on the gold plated plinth band this holds the names of the winners. It's estimated there is enough space for at least 70 winning teams' names to be engraved on the base of the perpetual trophy, which would allow it to be used until at least the year 2080.

## Lower level championships

[edit]

### Second level

[edit]

Year  | Host  | Final  | Third place match

|
|
|

Winner  | Score  | Runner-up  | Third  | Score  | Fourth
Africa Cup 1B
2011 | Kampala, Uganda |  Zimbabwe | n/a |  Uganda |  Madagascar
2012 | Antananarivo, Madagascar |  Madagascar | n/a |  Namibia |  Senegal | n/a |  Morocco
2013 | Dakar, Senegal |  Namibia | 45–13 |  Tunisia |  Senegal | 41–5 |  Botswana
2014 | Nabeul, Tunisia |  Tunisia | 26–6 |  Ivory Coast |  Senegal | 32–31 |  Uganda
2015 | Kampala, Uganda |  Uganda | n/a |  Madagascar |  Senegal | n/a |  Ivory Coast
2016 | Monastir, Tunisia |  Senegal | 15–14 |  Tunisia | No third place
Rugby Africa Silver Cup
2017 | Casablanca, Morocco |  Morocco | 8–3 |  Ivory Coast |  Madagascar | 47–19 |  Botswana
2018 | Mufulira, Zambia |  Algeria | 31–0 |  Zambia | No third place

^n/a A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.

### Third level

[edit]

Year  | Host  | Final  | Third place match

|
|
|

Winner  | Score  | Runner-up  | Third  | Score  | Fourth
Africa Cup 1C
2011 | Yaoundé, Cameroon |  Senegal | 15–6 |  Cameroon |  Zambia | 17–12 |  Botswana
2012 | Gaborone, Botswana |  Botswana | n/a |  Ivory Coast |  Mauritius | n/a |  Zambia
2013 | Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast |  Ivory Coast | n/a |  Morocco |  Nigeria | n/a |  Zambia
2014 | Gaborone, Botswana |  Impala RC | n/a |  Mauritius |  Botswana | n/a |  Nigeria
2015 | Lusaka, Zambia |  Zambia | n/a |  Nigeria |  Zimbabwe B
2016 | Casablanca, Morocco |  Morocco | n/a |  Nigeria |  Mauritius
Rugby Africa Bronze Cup
2017 | Mufulira, Zambia |  Algeria | 30–25 |  Zambia | No third place
2018 | Elmina, Ghana |  Ghana | 23–17 |  Mauritius |  Rwanda | 32–22 |  Lesotho

^n/a A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.

### Fourth level

[edit]

Year  | Host  | Final  | Third place match

|
|
|

Winner  | Score  | Runner-up  | Third  | Score  | Fourth
Africa Cup 1D
2011 | Johannesburg, South Africa |  Mauritius | 41–12 |  Nigeria | No third place

## See also

[edit]

* Africa portal

* Rugby Africa Women's Cup
* Rugby Africa Sevens
* African Development Trophy
* Victoria Cup
* North African Tri Nations

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "SA U23 away to Morocco for final". news24.com. June 26, 2001.
2. ^ "Rugby Africa Cup". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
3. ^ "Rugby Africa Cup". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
4. ^ Newsroom, APO Group-Africa; Africa, Rugby. "Rugby Africa Cup 2020 Shines in New Light for Players, Teams and Spectators". rugbyafrica.africa-newsroom.com. Retrieved 2021-11-15. `{{cite web}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
5. ^ "2020". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
6. ^ Njiru, Eric. "Africa Gold Cup cancelled". ragahouse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
7. ^ "APO partners with Rugby Africa". Bizcommunity (South Africa). Retrieved 21 November 2017.
8. ^ "AIPS Media - Executive Committee". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site

* v
* t
* e

Rugby Africa Cup

Tournaments|

* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008–09
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2019–20
* 2021–22
* 2024

Divisional Tournaments|

| Trophy|

* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010

|

Dev. Trophy|

* 2009
* 2010

* Rugby Africa
* Rugby Africa Women's Cup

* v
* t
* e

International rugby union competitions

* World Rugby
* Africa
* Asia
* Europe
* North America
* South America
* Oceania

Worldwide|

| Men|

* World Cup
* Nations Championship
* World Cup Sevens
* Sevens Series
* U20 World Championship
* U20 Trophy

|

Women|

* World Cup
* World Cup Sevens
* Sevens Series
* Rugby X
* WXV

Multi-sport events|

* Olympic Games (7s)
* Asian Games
* Commonwealth Games (7s)
* Mediterranean Games
* Pacific Games (7s)
* Pan American Games
* World Games

Intercontinental|

* Americas Pacific Challenge
* Nations Cup
* Pacific Nations Cup
* Pacific Rugby Challenge
* The Rugby Championship
* Pacific Four Series
* Arab Rugby Sevens Men's
* Arab Rugby Sevens Women's
* The Rugby Championship U20

Continental|

| Africa|

* Rugby Africa Cup
* Rugby Africa Women's Cup
* Africa Men's Sevens
* Africa Women's Sevens
* U20 Barthés Trophy

|

Asia|

* Asia Rugby Championship
* Asian Sevens Series
* Asia Rugby Women's Championship
* Asia Rugby Women's Sevens Series
* U19 Championship

Europe|

* Six Nations
* Europe International
* Women's Six Nations
* Europe Women's
* Europe Sevens
* Europe Women's Sevens
* U20 Six Nations
* U20 Championship
* U18 Championship
* U18 Sevens
* U18 Women's Sevens

Oceania|

* Oceania Men's Championship
* Oceania Women's Championship
* Oceania Sevens
* Oceania Women's Sevens
* U20 Championship

North America|

* RAN Championship
* Americas Rugby Championship
* Americas Rugby Challenge
* RAN Women's Championship
* RAN Sevens
* RAN Women's Sevens

South America|

* South American Championship
* Americas Rugby Trophy
* Sudamérica Sevens
* Sudamérica Women's Sevens
* U20 Championship

Defunct|

* Olympic Games (15s)
* Pacific Games (15s)
* World Games (7s)
* Churchill Cup
* Crescent Cup
* Pacific Rim Championship
* Pan American
* Serendib International Cup
* Super Cup
* Tbilisi Cup
* U-19 World Championship
* U-21 World Championship
* Women's Nations Cup
* IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup
* South Pacific Championship
* Super 10
* ARFU Asian Rugby Series

* Women's international rugby
* World Rugby Rankings
* World Rugby Awards

* v
* t
* e

Africa articles

History|

| Chronology|

* Antiquity
* North Africa
* Archaeology
* Pre-colonial kingdoms
* Empires
* Sahelian
* Indian Ocean trade
* Bantu expansion
* Muslim conquest
* European exploration
* European colonisation
* Slavery
* Atlantic
* Barbary
* Indian Ocean
* Trans-Saharan
* Scramble for Africa
* Decolonisation

|

By topic|

* Economy
* Empires
* Historiography
* Military
* conflicts
* Science and technology

By region|

* Central
* East
* North
* South
* West

Geography|

* Countries and territories
* Highest points
* Impact craters
* Islands
* Natural history
* Regions
* Central
* East
* North
* South
* West
* Rivers

Politics|

* African Union
* Elections
* Democracy
* Heads of government
* Heads of state
* Human rights
* Freedom of religion
* LGBT rights
* Linguistic rights
* Women's rights
* feminism
* International organisations
* Pan-African Parliament
* Pan-Africanism
* Politics
* parties
* United States of Africa

Economy|

* Central banks
* Countries by GDP (nominal)
* Countries by GDP (PPP)
* Countries by HDI
* Billionaires
* Education
* Infrastructure
* Internet
* Natural resources
* Poverty
* Renewable energy
* Stock exchanges

Society|

* Abortion
* Birth control
* Caste systems
* Climate change
* Etiquette
* Health
* Languages
* Religion

Culture|

* Africanfuturism
* Architecture
* Art
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Literature
* Media
* Music
* Philosophy
* World Heritage Sites

Sport|

* Africa Cricket Association
* African Games
* Afro-Asian Games
* Australian-rules football
* Confederation of African Football
* FIBA Africa
* Rugby Africa
* Stadiums by capacity
* Tour d'Afrique

Demographics|

* Countries by population
* density
* Emigration
* Ethnic groups
* HIV/AIDS
* Life expectancy
* Urbanization
* cities
* urban areas
* Youth in Africa

By year|

* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020

* Outline
* Index

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

African Championships

Olympic
sports|

| Team|

* Basketball
* men
* women
* 3x3
* Field hockey
* men
* women
* Football
* men
* women
* Handball
* men
* women
* Rugby sevens
* men
* women
* Volleyball
* men
* women

|

Individual|

* Archery
* Athletics
* outdoor
* marathon
* race walking
* Badminton
* teams
* Beach volleyball
* BMX racing
* Boxing
* Cycling
* Fencing
* Gymnastics
* artistic
* rhythmic
* Judo
* Mountain biking
* Rowing
* Swimming
* Table tennis
* teams
* Taekwondo
* Triathlon
* Weightlifting
* Wrestling

Non-Olympic
sports|

| Team|

* Baseball5
* Beach soccer
* Cricket
* men
* women
* Futsal
* men
* women
* Indoor hockey
* men
* women
* Minifootball
* men
* Korfball
* Netball
* Roller hockey
* Rugby union
* men
* women

|

Individual|

* Aerobic gymnastics
* Chess
* individual
* junior
* team
* Cross country
* Draughts
* Mountain running
* Rally
* individual
* Sambo
* Shooting
* practical handgun
* Snooker

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template