Rugby union is a growing team sport in Spain. As of 2019, there were 37,241 registered rugby union players in Spain, playing for 332 clubs in various divisions.
The sport's governing body in Spain, the Spanish Rugby Federation, was founded in 1923. It joined the International Rugby Board in 1988, and is also a member of Rugby Europe.
Spain (in blue kit) playing Portugal in March 2009
Estadio Anoeta before redevelopment in May 2017.
Under-8 players at Club de Rugby San Roque, November 2007
Spain playing the Czech Republic (2007)
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union or more often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is simply based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
South African Victor Matfield takes a line-out against New Zealand in 2006.
Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, with a rugby football pitch in the foreground
James Ryan, captain of the New Zealand Army team, receiving the Kings Cup from George V
Sébastien Chabal (far left) in number eight position before entering the scrum