Rugby union is a minor but growing sport in Bahrain.
Governing body The Bahrain Rugby Football Union was the country's national rugby governing body, under the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (AGRFU). In January 2009, the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) announced that the AGRFU would be broken up, with new unions established in each member country. The first national union to be formed from the AGRFU is expected to be that of the UAE. Bahrain's rugby governing body is now the Bahrain Rugby Federation.
History Bahraini rugby is frequently played in high temperatures, and much of the time on sand.Cain, Nick & Growden, Greg "Chapter 21: Ten Peculiar Facts about Rugby" in Rugby Union for Dummies (2nd Edition), p295 (pub: John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England) Beach rugby and rugby sevens are also popular. Up until the mid-1980s, the only grass rugby pitch in the country was next to the airport, and games were could be interrupted by the comings and goings of the aircraft.Cotton, p16
The sport was reintroduced by Commonwealth ex-patriates working in the oil industry, and they continue to dominate the game.Bath, p62http://wesclark.com/rrr/islamic_rugby.html "Islam and Rugby" on the Rugby Readers review retrieved 2 July 2009 For example, the ARGFU website continues to be in English only. A problem is the drinking culture of rugby, which discourages Muslims from taking up the sport.
Bahrain also has a national sevens team.McLaren, Bill A Visit to Hong Kong in Starmer-Smith, Nigel & Robertson, Ian (eds) The Whitbread Rugby World '90 (Lennard Books, 1989), p 70
See also Rugby union in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf
References Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 ) Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing.
External links "Islam and Rugby" on the Rugby Readers review