Rugby union in Brazil

Rugby union is a minor sport in Brazil, but is increasing in popularity at universities across the country. The national team have been playing international matches since the 1950s but have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. The domestic club competition is the Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby, or "Super 8", which has been contested annually since 1964.The Brazil national rugby union team is the best from its division in South America, it won the last 3 South American Champopnships division B, without losing any game, the women 7s team never lost a game against South American teams and won the South American 7s tournament 4 times in a row and the brazilian U18 national team won the 1st U18 South American Championship division B in 2008.

Rugby union is played regularly in 15 of Brazil's 26 states and in the Federal District. The sport is not widely played in schools, but is common in universities, more specifically the South, South East as well as parts of Amazonia and the North East. The South East usually supplies the largest number of players to the national side. Brazil also competes in events like the South America 7s.

In television

Rugby union in television is show only in paid television, but the vast majority of brazilians don't have paid TV, so the sports remains almost unknown by the most of people. The first rugby union matches shown in Brazil was broadcasted by ESPN in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, in 2003 there was shown more matches, in 2007 ESPN got the 2nd place in audience with the paid channels, nowadays the IRB Sevens World Series is transmitted by Bandsports and the Heineken Cup is transmitted by ESPN.

See also

* Sport in Brazil
* Brazil national rugby union team
* Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby

External links

* [http://www.brasilrugby.com.br/ Associação Brasileira de Rugby] - Official Site
* [http://rugbydata.com/brazil Brazil] on Rugbydata.com
* [http://www.rugbymagazine.com.br RugbyMagazine.com.br] Brazilian look at Rugby News (Portuguese)