Rugby union in Morocco
| Rugby union in Morocco | |
|---|---|
| Country | Morocco |
| Governing body | Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation |
| National team(s) | Morocco |
| First played | 1900s |
| Registered players | 8010 [1] |
| Clubs | 20 |
National competitions | |
European Nations Cup | |
Rugby union in Morocco is a significant and popular sport.[2]
Governing body
The
History
Rugby came to Morocco in the early 20th century, mainly by the French protectorate in the country.[3] As a result, Moroccan rugby was tied to the fortunes of France during the two world wars, with many Moroccan players going away to fight.[3] Like many other Maghrebi nations, Moroccan rugby tended to look to Europe for inspiration, rather than to the rest of Africa.
The game became more firmly established in the 1950s, partly through the efforts of Mohammed Benjaloun, who would become president of the Moroccan Olympic Committee.[3] For a while, Morocco originally came under European rugby auspices, but is now integrated into the African structure.
National team
Their sevens side is regularly plays in the top circuit, doing very well in Hong Kong.[2]
The link with France has proven to be a mixed blessing.[2] On the one hand, several successful Moroccan players go on to play in the French leagues; on the other, some Moroccans have ended up playing for France, or refusing Moroccan caps in case they are ineligible for this.[2][3] An example of this is, Abdelatif Benazzi, a forward who played for the French club of Agen and played 77 games for France.[2][3]
Notable Moroccan players include:
References
- Richards, Huw A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union (ISBN 978-1-84596-255-5)
- ^ "World Rugby Year in Review 2018".
- ^ a b c d e f g h http://wesclark.com/rrr/islamic_rugby.html "Islam and Rugby" on the Rugby Readers review retrieved 2 July 2009
- ^ ISBN 1-86200-013-1) p71
- ^ http://carugby.com/history/ History of the CAR, retrieved 24 June 2009
External links
- IRB Morocco page
- [Official union page]
- CAR Morocco page
- (in French) Archives du Rugby: Maroc