MosJan Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Armenia joins the pack of rugby-playing nations http://armenianow.com/images/uploadedimages/ai142901.jpg By Suren Musayelyan ArmeniaNow reporter Last year Armenia provided a sensation in the rugby world with a series of seven victories in seven matches that immensely increased the nation’s world rating and lifted it from Division C to Division B of the European Rugby Association (FIRA-AER). Armenians and rugby – a fine match Currently 33rd in the 62-nation world rugby rankings (http://wrr.live555.com), Armenia is the fifth strongest team among former Soviet republics after Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Gagik Panikyan, the President of the Rugby Federation of Armenia, is full of hope that rugby will become a popular and well developed sport in Armenia one day. But for now he says: “This sport is being developed in Armenia only at the cost of the great enthusiasm of its fans. “But the team cannot survive on enthusiasm alone. I am sure that rugby can have a good future in Armenia and it will be a pity if the team that has achieved serious success in the international arena within a short period of time will not be able to continue its performances.” Armenia’s team mainly consists of Diaspora Armenian rugby players from France, but it is the Federation’s objective to grow local rugby talent for future national teams. After Armenia beat Luxembourg away 39-12 last autumn to qualify for Group B, the host nation’s Federation website wrote in its report: “No miracle happened in Luxembourg. Despite their good performance Luxembourg could not oppose a very professional team of Armenia.” Rugby was first brought to Armenia during the second wave of Armenian repatriation in the early 1960s by a compatriot from France, Jacques Aspikian. Ironically, Armenia’s sporting bureaucrats then proved more “zealous” in pursuing the Soviet ideological line that rugby was a “bourgeois game” than their colleagues in neighboring Georgia, to where Aspikian moved to lay the foundations of the future Georgian rugby school, now the strongest among post-Soviet countries. Georgia qualified for the last rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003. But rugby still found its way in Soviet Armenia and a Yerevan rugby team played in the USSR championships beginning from the 1966-67 season. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the political, economic, and social difficulties that followed appeared to put an end to the sport in Armenia. “The future of Armenian rugby seemed all but hopeless then,” says the federation’s press attaché and executive committee member David Petrosyan. The Rugby Federation was registered in Armenia in 2002 and the nation joined the European Rugby Association. Its appeal for assistance was heard by compatriots in France, home to a half-million strong Armenian Diaspora, and a team was formed to participate in two rugby sevens tournaments. As a result, by 2003 Armenia was already 20th out of 39 European sevens teams. Success in the full 15-player game soon followed, with victories over Israel, Norway and others. Armenia’s game against Israel in the town of Abovyan last year was the first international rugby match to played on Armenian soil (before that, Armenians had played their matches in France). Petrosyan says Armenia has a good “bank of players” in the Diaspora, in such rugby countries as France and Argentina. There might also be potential players in England, Australia and the United States. However, the Rugby Federation of Armenia is aware that, although help from Diaspora players is essential, Armenian rugby will only enjoy real success if things go well at home. “Rugby now needs a push from the outside to achieve results and to popularize it in Armenia. After that, it will be a lot easier to grow local players,” Petrosyan says. “Rugby has no state financing because it is not an Olympic sport. But potential sponsors in Armenia and Diaspora should at least understand that, for now, rugby is the only team sport in which Armenia is able to achieve considerable success in the international arena.” The Federation is constantly searching for ways to get funding and to popularize rugby in Armenia, in particular through reviving its official website this month. Visitors can find out about rugby in Armenia at www.armrugby.am. Armenian rugby team is one of the strongest among CIS countries Besides, according to Petrosyan, efforts are being made to show major rugby competitions, including the World Cup next year, on Armenian television. “In that case more people will be able to appreciate the whole beauty and dynamics of this game,” he says. Petrosyan also advocates rugby as a game to be included in the so-called list of army and police sports. “Unfortunately, the army, police, and security services in Armenia don’t care about rugby. However, rugby is a sport that requires players to have good physique and to display endurance, agility, vigor, team spirit, fighting skills and a certain set of moral qualities. This makes rugby popular among army and police structures in many countries,” he says. Armenia’s next opponents in FIRA-AER Division B are the national teams of Slovenia, Hungary, and Lithuania. Its next home match will be against Slovenia on May 13. The Rugby Federation is currently seeking sponsorship for the national team to play its home matches in Armenia. Matches: Hungary v Armenia (April 29, 2006); Armenia v Slovenia (May 13, 2006); Lithuania v Armenia (June 4, 2006). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 ohh this is going to be good we are the best at shaving poshing - holding and fighting this must be the Armenian Game !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanetsi Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I agree with you Movses. Armenians have the right build for the sport; medium-sized and stocky. ...And large-headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I have played rugby only 2 times in my life, and I have tremendously enjoyed playing it. This was about 15 years ago though. Then I was looking to play again without much luck as my peers preferred some sissy games like football or basketball I must say I was really good, and I am not big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Armenians have the right build for the sport; medium-sized and stocky. ...And large-headed. But don't you think a heavy weight would be better than medium? I thought the bigger you are the more chances you have to smash everyone and get ahead, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 But don't you think a heavy weight would be better than medium? I thought the bigger you are the more chances you have to smash everyone and get ahead, no? Sasun I think he meant height not weight, the lower you are the better for stability (gravity). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 (edited) This isn't recent. I found out about it a few months back and they actually aired one of their games on h1. Man was I happy to finally see our very own rugby squad. You know, the other people of the Caucasus also have a national team... Georgia, IT'S ON! Edited March 24, 2006 by Zartonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 iy or 5 hogi el Abaranmtsi dnen et Timmi mej demner@ Xagh chi lini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanetsi Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Sasun I think he meant height not weight, the lower you are the better for stability (gravity). Thats right. And its good to be big but you must have the quickness to match it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanetsi Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 This isn't recent. I found out about it a few months back and they actually aired one of their games on h1. Man was I happy to finally see our very own rugby squad. You know, the other people of the Caucasus also have a national team... Georgia, IT'S ON! An Armenian from France who repatriated founded the Georgian Rugby program. He tried to start it in Armenia, but there wasn't enough support. So he went to Georgia, who now has the strongest team among the former Soviet Union. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 iy or 5 hogi el Abaranmtsi dnen et Timmi mej demner@ Xagh chi lini Vrastan ki vochich, Anglyan el k@ zmpvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 (edited) Official Website of the Rugby Federation of Armenia: http://www.armrugby.am/ Also, lest we forget, the website of the first organization of Armenians in Rugby, estd. 1890: Old Armenians Club, Calcutta ...and you guys enjoy this one. 06.06.2004 Armenia v Israel 48:0 Both official matches of the European Rugby Association (FIRA-AER) championship in Division C were held in the French town of Bove during a one-round tournament. As a result of the tournament, the Armenian national team received the winner's Cup. However, later, because of the protest of the Israeli team, the Armenian rugby-players had to play another two matches with this team (see the section "Publications in the Press"), i.e. matches 5 and 6. 07.05.2005 Israel v Armenia 15:47 11.06.2005 Armenia v Israel 31:12 Edited August 4, 2006 by Zartonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zartonk Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 An Armenian from France who repatriated founded the Georgian Rugby program. His name was Jacques Haspekian, from Marseilles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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