Rugby union in Italy
| Rugby union in Italy | |
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The badge on the national uniform
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| Country | Italy |
| Governing body | Italian Rugby Federation |
| National team | Italy |
| Nickname(s) | Azzurri |
| First played | early 1900s |
| Registered players | 79,487 (total) |
| Clubs | 1,024 |
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National competitions
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Club competitions
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Rugby union in Italy is governed by the Italian Rugby Federation. Rugby was introduced to Italy in the early 1900s. Two Italian professional teams (Benetton Treviso and Zebre) compete in Pro12, a league that also includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. One of the teams is guaranteed a place in the European Rugby Champions Cup; the other normally plays in the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The National Championship of Excellence is the main national club competition. Four Italian clubs from the national championship compete in a qualifying tournament that awards two places in the Challenge Cup. Italy compete in the Six Nations Championship and Rugby World Cup, and are classified as a tier one nation by World Rugby (formerly the International Rugby Board).
The governing body of Italian rugby union is the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR). An original organisational committee was established in 1911, although it was in 1928 when the body became the FIR, and in 1987, they joined the International Rugby Board. In 1934 the FIR became founding members of the Federation Internationale de Rugby Amateur.
There are 1,024 rugby clubs within Italy. These clubs support 73,419 registered male players, as well as 8,118 registered female players.
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