Rugby union in Brazil | |
---|---|
Country | Brazil |
Governing body | Confederação Brasileira de Rugby |
National team(s) | Brazil |
First played | 1891 |
Registered players | 60000 |
Clubs | 301 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
Rugby union in Brazil is a rapidly growing sport, with rugby union increasing in popularity at universities across Brazil.
Rugby union is played regularly in all of Brazil's 26 states and in the Federal District.[citation needed] The sport is not widely played in schools, but is common in universities, more specifically the South, South East as well as parts of Amazon and the North East. The South East usually supplies the largest number of players to the national side. As of 2016, rugby is played by about 60,000 Brazilians and has experienced sizeable growth in the country.[1]
Brazil also competes in the South American tournaments sevens. The women's national team is the strongest in South America,[citation needed] and finished in 10th place at the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai.
In 2020, Brazil started a professional franchise in the new Superliga Americana de Rugby.