As the Oval Office and other international centres of power tackle the question of a resolution to the Libyan conflict, oval balls are conquering hearts and minds from Tripoli to Benghazi. Rugby has taken root in Libya. There are now more than a dozen teams in Libya, many of whom compete in international tournaments, as well as several federations, a national team and even an anual amateur championship on the beach in Tripoli.

As the Oval Office and other international centres of power tackle the question of a resolution to the Libyan conflict, oval balls are conquering hearts and minds from Tripoli to Benghazi. Rugby has taken root in Libya. There are now more than a dozen teams in Libya, many of whom compete in international tournaments, as well as several federations, a national team and even an anual amateur championship on the beach in Tripoli.

Tripoli’s Barbarians

Rugby was introduced to Libya in the 1960s by foreign communities in Tripoli – French, Welsh and English – but the first domestic club, The Tripoli Barbarians R.F.C., was not founded until 1998. The club was initially formed of players from more than 7 countries and made its first international appearance at the Malta Cup Championship in 1999. Over the next few years the Tripoli Barbarians continued to fly the flag for Libyan rugby, albeit at tournaments abroad and as the only Libyan club. In 2004 the club was ordered to only have Libyan players and coaches on its books by the Libyan Olympic Commitee (LOC). With local players and a foreign coach, the team participated in the 2007 Malta International Rugby Championship.

Benghazi joins scrum

Benghazi decided to ruck itself in 2007 when Benghazi Rugby Team was founded. Tarsana Sports Club of Tripoli and Marine Navigation Club of Benghazi set up rugby divisions in the same year. In 2009 Benghazi hosted the first rugby 10s tournament featuring several nascent Libyan teams founded in the late 2000s, as well as The Tripoli Barbarians.

In 2009, two technical committees were established, one in Benghazi and one in Tripoli. Each committee worked independently of the other. The first Libyan rugby team was formed in 2010 under the supervision of the LOC and in coordination with both committees.

National team

The new national team participated in the African Championship for Nascent Teams in Egypt. In 2012, the two committees were unified into one. The unified body organized a number of championships, most importantly the 2013 City Rugby Cup between Benghazi and Tripoli and the Domestic League that was won by Al Hilal Benghazi, as well as the Libya Cup, the Independence Cup, the 17 February Cup, and the Liberation Cup, all won by Al Ahly Tripoli.

Olympic refusal

The new committee’s efforts to establish a Libyan Rugby Union have so far been hampered however by the LOC, whose bylaw stipulates that a sport may only have a general union when it has three sub-unions. There are only two sub-unions: one in Tripoli and the other in Benghazi.

Despite the lack of a central authority, rugby continues to take root in Libya. Civil society organisations such as the Benghazi Rugby Friend Group and the Tripoli Rugby Society (TRS) organise tournaments and introduce school children to the sport. Established football and sports club continue to create rugby facilities. The TRS established the Tripoli Rugby Stars team who was later chosen to participate in international championship. The team participated in the Rugby Sevens Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, and ranked third. It also participated in Dubai Rugby Sevens.

Oval wave

The TRS organized several domestic tournaments too, including the first and second Tripoli Rugby Sevens; the first and second Tripoli Beach Rugby Championship, as well as the first three seasons of Touch League, which were won by Tarsana, Shabab Wahdawi and Al Ahly Tripoli respectively.

To sustain the momentum, young players and juniors have been supported by the ‘Rugby 2018’ initiative in Benghazi as well as by the ‘Let us Try Rugby’ initiative in Tripoli under TRS’ supervision. The latter is aimed at introducing rugby into schools through lectures. Both Tarsana Club in Tripoli and Sadd Club in Benghazi have reported an increase in new membership from school students as a result.