Rugby union in Ukraine

Oleg Kvasnitsa intercepts the ball from Ireland

Country| Ukraine
National team(s)| Ukraine
First played| 1922
Registered players| 2,820 [1]
Clubs| 42

National competitions

Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup Sevens
IRB Sevens World Series
European Nations Cup

Rugby union in Ukraine is a minor but growing sport, with a history dating back over six decades.

## Governing Body

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The Ukrainian Union was founded in 1991, and joined the IRB in 1992, after independence.[2] Although there was a union formed in the sixties, it was not considered a proper national union until after the breakup of the USSR.

## History

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See also: Rugby union in the Soviet Union

### Soviet Period

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Rugby union was played in the Russian Empire as early as in 1908. In 1934 the Moscow Championship was started, and in 1936 the first Soviet Championship took place.

In 1949, rugby union was forbidden in the USSR during the "fight against the cosmopolitanism". The competitions were resumed in 1957, and the Soviet Championship in 1966. In 1975 the Soviet national team played their first match.[3] Ukraine had its own rugby team in the USSR, but it was not treated as a proper national side.

## Post-independence

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Rugby union arrived in Ukraine during the post-War Soviet period. Ukraine was not a stronghold of rugby in the USSR - the game was mainly played in Russia and Georgia, but it was stronger there, than certain other republics. The game has experienced some growth in the post-independence period, particularly the 1990s, when former USSR team coach Igor Bokov helped run the game there.[2]

Ukrainian rugby has strong ties with the military, with the strongest side being the airforce Aviator Kyiv.[4]

Like many other minor rugby nations, the game tend to be centred on the capital, Kyiv.[2]

Naturally, Ukrainian rugby has been affected by social and economic conditions since independence. In 2006, the Kyiv Post reported that the junior rugby coach for Ukraine had been attacked, being run down, and then shot four times, twice in the head.[5]

## See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rugby union in Ukraine.

* Ukraine national rugby union team
* Ukraine Rugby Superliga
* Soviet Union national rugby union team

## References

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1. ^ "International Rugby Board - UKRAINE". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
2. ^ a b c Bath, Richard, ed. (1997). The Complete Book of Rugby. Seven Oaks. p. 71\. ISBN 1-86200-013-1.
3. ^ Rugby union in Russia and USSR (in Russian)
4. ^ Bath, Richard, ed. (1997). The Complete Book of Rugby. Seven Oaks. p. 76\. ISBN 1-86200-013-1.
5. ^ Bell, Angus Batting on the Bosphorus: A Skoda-powered Cricket Tour Through Eastern Europe, Canongate, Edinburgh, 2008, ISBN 1-84767-290-6, p250

* Poland Tapping into French Rugby Roots

## External links

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* IRB Ukraine page
* Official webpage
* Ukrainian rugby portal
* (in French) Archives du Rugby: Ukraine

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Rugby union in Ukraine

Governing body|

National Rugby Federation of Ukraine

National teams|

* Ukraine
* 7s
* Women's 7s

Competitions|

* European Nations Cup
* Ukraine Rugby Superliga

List of clubs

* v
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* e

Rugby union in World Rugby affiliated nations not present in the Rugby World Cups

Third tier without
World Cup experience|

* Algeria
* American Samoa
* Andorra
* Arab states of the Persian Gulf
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belgium
* Bermuda
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Botswana
* Brazil
* British Virgin Islands
* Brunei
* Bulgaria
* Burundi
* Cambodia
* Cameroon
* Cayman Islands
* Chile
* China
* Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
* Colombia
* Cook Islands
* Costa Rica
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Ecuador
* Finland
* French Polynesia (Tahiti)
* Germany
* Ghana
* Greece
* Guam
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Hong Kong
* Hungary
* India
* Israel
* Jamaica
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Kenya
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Latvia
* Lesotho
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Macau
* Madagascar
* Malaysia
* Mali
* Malta
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Mexico
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Mongolia
* Morocco
* Nauru
* Netherlands
* Nigeria
* Niue
* Norway
* Pakistan
* Papua New Guinea
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Philippines
* Poland
* Rwanda
* Senegal
* Serbia
* Singapore
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Solomon Islands
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* St Lucia
* St Vincent & Grenadines
* Swaziland
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Tanzania
* Thailand
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Trinidad & Tobago
* Uganda
* Ukraine
* Uzbekistan
* Vanuatu
* Venezuela
* Zambia

Former states without
World Cup experience|

* Czechoslovakia
* East Germany
* USSR
* West Germany
* Yugoslavia

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Rugby union in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

* v
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Sport in Ukraine

* American football
* Badminton
* Baseball
* Basketball
* Chess
* Cricket
* Cycle racing
* Field hockey
* Football
* Golf
* Handball
* Horse racing
* Ice hockey
* Motorsport
* Roller derby
* Roller hockey
* Rugby league
* Rugby union
* Skiing
* Swimming
* Tennis
* Volleyball

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