:Rugby union in Indonesia

{{Sport overview

| country = Indonesia

| sport = rugby union

| image =

| imagesize = 300px

| caption =

| union = Indonesia Rugby Football Union

| nickname =

| first =

| registered =

| clubs = 12

| match =

| national_list = Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup Sevens
IRB Sevens World Series
Asian Five Nations

| club_list =

| countryflag = Indonesia

}}

Rugby union in Indonesia is a minor but growing sport, dating back several decades, and which has experienced fluctuations in its success. There are currently just under six hundred registered players in the country.http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000137/index.html IRB Indonesia page, retrieved 1 July 2009

Governing body

The governing body is the Indonesian Rugby Football Union which is a member of World Rugby, and Asian Rugby Football Union.

History

Rugby was first introduced into the Dutch East Indies, during the colonial period.http://wesclark.com/rrr/islamic_rugby.html "Islam and Rugby" on the Rugby Readers review retrieved 2 July 2009

In 1983, it was recorded that there were four rugby clubs in the country, namely the International Sports Club (consisting of businessmen) based in Jakarta, another based in Kalimantan (mostly of French origin), another based at Bandung (with a 15 ft rise between the touchlines), and the fourth, bizarrely was based on a United States Navy vessel, and its home games were played there.Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7126-0911-3}} Many of Indonesia's rugby pitches still have unusual distinctions – one is in the heart of the Indonesian jungle, another on a mountain summit, and another in the middle of a tea plantation.Cain, Nick & Growden, Greg "Chapter 21: Ten Peculiar Facts about Rugby" in Rugby Union for Dummies (2nd Edition), p295 (pub: John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England) {{ISBN|978-0-470-03537-5}}

Supposedly the game died out in 1986, after Indonesia had participated in Hong Kong Sevens. However, with the help of a group of Australian, New Zealand and Welsh expats, along with local Indonesians, Malaysians and Singaporeans, the game was revived in 2004.

Although traditionally seen as the province of Commonwealth expatriates, the game has made strides amongst the native population.Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}}) p68

As with many other minor rugby nations, the sport is mainly played in and around the capital Jakarta. It is often staged by various multisport clubs. Among the more prominent Jakarta-based clubs are the Jakarta Komodos Rugby Club and the Jakarta Banteng Rugby Club.{{cite news|last1=Andriawan|first1=Shesar|title=Mengenalkan Rugby di Indonesia: Sudah Dimainkan sejak 30 Tahun Lalu (1)|url=http://www.beritasatu.com/lainnya/135860-mengenalkan-rugby-di-indonesia-sudah-dimainkan-sejak-30-tahun-lalu-1.html|accessdate=10 September 2017|publisher=Berita Satu|date=20 September 2013}}

Today there is an Indonesia national rugby union team and a somewhat successful sevens team, and the game is somewhat more developed, but remains minor. There is also an ongoing schools programme.

References

External links

[http://www.irb.com/unions/union=11000137/index.html IRB Indonesia page]
[http://www.indonesianrugby.com official union page]
[http://www.rugbyinasia.com/indonesia/index.php Rugby in Asia, Indonesia page]
[http://www.arfu.com/index.php Asian Rugby Football Union]
[http://wesclark.com/rrr/islamic_rugby.html "Islam and Rugby" on the Rugby Readers review]
{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.lestimbresdurugby.com/Archivesdurugby/Pays/Indonesie.htm Archives du Rugby: Indonesie]