Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Gulf Cooperation Council member countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. To begin with most matches were played on sand but today almost all matches are played on grass pitches. As well as organising local competitions, the AGRFU also hosts the Dubai round of the IRB Sevens World Series. Teams are mainly made up of ex-patriots, although an increasing number of locals are getting involved.
The term Arabian Gulf is used rather than the correct term Persian Gulf due to the continuous attempt of changing the name by Arab governments, by means such as creating "Arabian Gulf" teams and having them play in international tournaments.
First tier
Argentina • Australia • England • France • Ireland • Italy • New Zealand • Scotland • South Africa • Wales
Second tier
Canada • Fiji • Japan • Romania • Samoa • Tonga • United States
Third tier with World Cup experience
Côte d'Ivoire • Georgia • Namibia • Portugal • Spain • Uruguay • Zimbabwe
Third tier without World Cup experience
American Samoa •Andorra • Arabian Gulf • Armenia • Austria • Azerbaijan • Bahamas • Barbados • Belgium • Bermuda • Bosnia & Herzegovina • Botswana • Brazil • British Virgin Islands • Bulgaria • Burundi • Cambodia • Cameroon • Cayman Islands • Chile • China • Chinese Taipei • Colombia • Cook Islands • Côte d'Ivoire • Croatia • Czech Republic • Denmark • Finland • Germany • Ghana • Guam • Guyana • Hong Kong • Hungary • India • Israel • Jamaica • Kazakhstan • Kenya • Kyrgyzstan • Lao • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Madagascar • Malaysia • Mali • Malta • Mauritania • Mauritius • Mexico • Moldova • Monaco • Mongolia • Morocco • Netherlands • Nigeria • Niue • Norway • Pakistan • Papua New Guinea • Paraguay • Peru • Phillipines • Poland • Russia • Rwanda • St. Lucia • St. Vincent & the Grenadines • Serbia • Senegal • Singapore • Slovenia • Solomon Islands • South Korea • Sri Lanka • Swaziland • Sweden • Switzerland • Tahiti • Tanzania • Thailand • Togo • Trinidad and Tobago • Tunisia • Uganda • Ukraine • Uzbekistan • Vanuatu • Venezuela • Zambia