The Catalonia national rugby union team is the national and/or representative rugby union team of Catalonia. It is organised by the Catalan Rugby Federation and has been active since 1923. On 14 April 1934 they made their international debut with a 5–5 draw at the Camp de Les Corts against Italy.
History The Catalan Rugby Federation was founded in 1922 and the national rugby union team made their debut on 21 May 1923, losing 9–0 to Toulouse Lanlade Olimpique at the . During the early 1930s they played against various French club and provincial teams. In 1930 they also twice played a visiting Royal Navy XV and also embarked on brief tour of Germany. In March 1934 Catalonia became a founding member of the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur and on 14 April 1934 they made their international debut with a 5–5 draw at the Camp de Les Corts against Italy. On 27 May 1934 Catalonia played their first international against France, losing 15–22.Partits de la selecció catalana de rugbi, Retrieved 12 December 2017 After the Spanish Civil War, Catalonia lost its sporting independence. This saw the Catalan Rugby Federation lose its full membership of FIRA and the right to organise full international games. Despite these restrictions, the Catalonia national rugby union team continues to play friendlies against international teams as well as club and provincial teams. The Catalan Rugby Federation has also campaigned for its full membership of Rugby Europe to be restored, citing founding members rights of FIRA (now Rugby Europe) and comparing their stance to that of England, Scotland, and Wales, who do not compete in a unified Great Britain team, but rather as individual entities and founding members of the IRB (now World Rugby).
Matches Internationals Date Home Score Away Venue14 April 1934 Catalonia5–5 Camp de Les Corts 27 May 1934 Catalonia15–22 Camp de Les Corts 24 March 19355–3 Catalonia Stadio Luigi Ferraris 6 July 1936 Catalonia17–24 BarcelonaJanuary 1940 Catalonia? Camp de Les Corts27 Nov 1955 Catalonia20–5Camp de la Foixarda29 Nov 1955 Catalonia0–11Camp de la Foixarda25 Sept. 1960 Catalonia26–3 Ireland UniversitiesCamp de la Foixarda21 May 1972 Catalonia31–17 France XVL'Hospitalet de Llobregat1980 Catalonia16–311 June 1982 Catalonia17–22Camp de la Foixarda13 June 1982 Catalonia24–17Camp de la Foixarda13 January 1990 Catalonia8–34Argelès-sur-Mer22 April 1990 Catalonia16–15Andorra la Vella11 May 199056–15 CataloniaSan Mamés25 March 1995 Catalonia66–6Estadi Baldiri Aleu Sant Boi de Llobregat6 April 1995 Catalonia40–12Barcelona 3 May 1997 Catalonia61–17Estadi Baldiri Aleu 28 May 1997 Catalonia18–58Estadi Olímpic 24 March 1998 Catalonia15–67L'Hospitalet de Llobregat13 June 1998 Catalonia19–40Estadi La Feixa Llarga18 June 2006 Catalonia17–21Cornellà14 February 2010 Catalonia17–21Estadi Baldiri Aleu25 Sept. 2010 Catalonia12–29Camp de la Foixarda 21 Sept. 2013 Catalonia64–10Camp de la Foixarda 25 June 2016 Catalonia25–22 Portugal XVCamp de la Foixarda5 March 2023 Catalonia54–14Camp de la Foixarda
Notes
Spanish Regions Championship finals Since 1983–84 Catalonia have competed in the Spanish Regions Championship, featuring other teams, such as the Basque Country, representing the autonomous communities of Spain. This competition is organised by the Spanish Rugby Federation. Season Date Home Score Away Venue1983–8426 February 198424–12 Catalonia1984–853 March 198525–4 Catalonia1985–8618 May 1986 Madrid13–12 Catalonia1987–885 June 1988 Catalonia16–91988–8928 May 1989 Catalonia21–20 Castile-León 1989–908 June 1990 Castile-León20–16 Catalonia1990–9119 May 1991 Catalonia19–16 Castile-León 1993–94 28–10 Catalonia1995–9619 Nov 199525–17 Catalonia1996–973 Nov 199637–14 CataloniaGuernica1997–987 December 199729–8 CataloniaTudela, Navarre1999–20005 December 1999 Catalonia10–9 AndalusiaCamp de la Foixarda
Honours Spanish Regions Championship Winners: 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1999–2000: 5 Runners-up: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98: 8
2010 squad
Catalonia vs. Sweden (2010)
#NameClub1Josep RayaCR Sant Cugat2Omar MiniñoUE Santboiana3Marc GonzálezBUC4Pol MassoniUE Santboiana5Ignacio GamindeRC l'Hospitalet6Ivan GurriereFC Barcelona7Andrés RangelCR Sant Cugat8Sergi GuerreroUE Santboiana9Marc PuigvertUE Santboiana10Àlex BenetCN Poble Nou11Cristian MartínUE Santboiana12Sebastià FernándezFC Barcelona13Sergi AubanellUE Santboiana14Jordi SánchezBUC15Geoffroy LourdouCR Sant Cugat16Leo ParedesCR Sant Cugat17Óscar FerrerasRC l'Hospitalet18Gerard BlascoRC l'Hospitalet19Àlex PalomoUE Santboiana20David PortoSEL Vilanova21Víctor LinaresQuímic RC22Pau PuigdollersCR Sant Cugat23Ignasi BaquéRC l'Hospitalet
Catalan qualified players who represented other qualified international teams Men's internationals
(1934–1941)
(C&S:this players represented the Catalonia and the Spain rugby team)
(C&S:this players represented the Catalonia and the Spain rugby team)
Women's internationals
References
See also Rugby union in Catalonia