Snow rugby
Snow rugby refers to forms of rugby union that are especially adapted to be played in winter conditions, particularly in deep snow. It is played in Canada,[1] the Kashmir region in India,[2][3] the Baltic states,[4] Russia, the northern United States, and Finland. Specific locations of play include the Argentinian Ski Resort of Las Leñas[5][6] and the Boitsfort Rugby Club in Brussels.
Because of the cold, and often subzero, temperatures at which snow rugby is played, players must dress warmly.
History
[edit]Rugby union is predominantly played during the winter months and it has been played in extremely cold conditions. In 1939 a Ranfurly Shield game in New Zealand was played in the snow[7] and in 1978 a game in Russia was played at −23 °C (−9 °F).[8] More recently games have been organised to be played in the snow. In 2009, Gulmarg hosted India's first ever snow rugby tournament in Kashmir[2] and it was included in the 2008 Indian Winter Games as a demonstrative event.[3] During the 2011 Rugby World Cup Mount Dobson hosted a "20 Below Rugby in the Snow" seven-a-side tournament.[9] Tournaments have also been held in Finland,[10][11] France,[12] Latvia,[13] and Argentina.[14]
The first European Championships were held in Moscow from 21 to 22 November 2019. Eight teams of each sex took part in it.[15]
Rugby Europe Snow Rugby European Championship
[edit]Men
[edit]| Year | Host | Final | 2 | Semi-finalists | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||||
| 2019 |  Moscow, Russia |
 Russia
|
4–2 |  Romania
|
 Croatia
|
8–1 |  Moldova
| ||
Women
[edit]| Year | Host | Final | Semi-finalists | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||||
| 2019 | Moscow, Russia |
Russia
|
8–0 |  Norway
|
Romania
|
5–1 | Croatia
| ||
See also
[edit]- Beach rugby, a form designed to be played on sand.
- Snow golf
References
[edit]- ^ Play Snow Golf and Snow Rugby Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b National Snow Rugby Championship begins in Kashmir
- ^ a b Snow Rugby tournament
- ^ Bell, Angus Batting on the Bosphorus: A Skoda-powered Cricket Tour Through Eastern Europe, Canongate, Edinburgh, 2008, ISBN 1-84767-290-6, p23
- ^ Adès, Harry The Rough Guide to South America, p 56
- ^ "SNOW RUGBY ARGENTINA-TOTAL RUGBY.mp4". YouTube. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ The Snow of ’39 | MetService Blog Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 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) ISBN 978-0-470-03537-5
- ^ Tourism New Zealand (8 July 2011). "Time to slope off and ski New Zealand". infonews.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Snow Rugby Tournament - Tampere Rugby Club Archived 21 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Helsinki Rugby Club
- ^ Rugby tournament on snow Wednesday 16 March 2011
- ^ THORNTON IN SNOW RUGBY TOURNAMENT, LATVIA - Thornton-Cleveleys Rugby Club
- ^ International Rugby Board - Rugby X-treme hits the Andes Archived 26 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 2019 - RUGBY EUROPE SNOW RUGBY EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
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