Algerian Rugby Federation

Algerian Rugby Federation (FAR)

Sport	Rugby union
Founded	November 17, 2015
Rugby Africa affiliation	2015
President	Sofiane Abdelkader Benhassen
Men's coach	Salim Tebani

The Algerian Rugby Federation (FAR) (Arabic: الفدرالية الجزائرية للرغبي‎‎) is the governing body for rugby union in Algeria. It will soon be affiliated with the International Rugby Board and rugby Africa. The federation is responsible for the Algerian national team and the Algerian Rugby Championship. It is in charge of promoting the sport in Algeria,organizing international matches for the national team, as well as is involved in educating and training players and officials.Algeria have never participated for the Rugby Union World Cup qualifiers due to their relatively new creation; however they are expected to participate in the qualifying process for the 2019 rugby world cup. Their best result to date is 50-0 wins against Egypt and Libya, both in a Cairo international tournament in 2010.

History

During the French presence in Algeria before 1962, rugby union had its followers either in Oran, Guelma, Algiers or Annaba where clubs like Stade Oranais, RIJA, USMMC, AGVGA or ES Guelma were existent . Rugby had its moments of glory and many Algerian players have been able to achieve successful professional careers abroad, especially in France; but discipline disappeared after the independence of Algeria due to lack of multiple items till 1972 when it disappeared completely.

During the beginning of the 2000s, The Algerian Rugby Clubs Committee was established to revive the discipline before creating the federation. On 17 November 2015 the federation was created in Algiers during a constitutive general assembly chaired by Mustapha Larfaoui, honorary president of the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee and attended by representatives of 18 clubs of 16 wilayas. Sofiane Benhassen was elected first president of the federation.

See also

• Rugby union in Algeria
• Algeria national rugby union team