Rugby Football Union of East Africa
Encyclopedia
The Rugby Football Union of East Africa (RFUEA) is an umbrella union for the Kenya Rugby Football Union
, Tanzania Rugby Football Union and Uganda Rugby Football Union. It owes its existence to the fact that, prior to independence, Kenya
, Tanzania
(previously Tanganyika
) and Uganda
were either a protectorate
or mandate
of the British Empire. It now has little to do with the direct administration of the modern game but it continues to exist in order (in conjunction with the Rugby Patrons Society) to promote and support the game in the three countries, to facilitate club competition between the three unions and to administer the RFUEA Ground
and the East Africa rugby union team
.
At a recent meeting, the International Rugby Board (IRB) president, Bernard Lepasset has expressed support for taking the RFUEA out of mothballs so that it can be charged with running events like the Victoria Cup
and the East African Super Series
.
, Uganda
and Tanzania
, it must first be understood that at the time the sport was introduced to the region these three countries were part of the British Empire
. East Africa had been divided between the British and German colonial empire
s until the end of the First World War when the vast majority of German influence was handed to the British. Kenya, Uganda and Zanzibar had been under British influence since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whilst Tanganyika was transferred to British control in 1919.
The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya
, Tanganyika Territory
the Protectorate of Uganda and the Protectorate of Zanzibar
were regarded by the Empire as territories or provinces in much the same was as the colonies of the Cape
, Natal
, Transvaal and the Orange Free State
.
and Harlequins R.F.C.); it was responsible for the administration of the game throughout Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika which it carried out through various district sub-unions throughout the region.
. This latter vessel was to provide a lasting memento of its visits by presenting the Enterprise Cup
to the union in 1928; a trophy that has been the object of competition between clubs in the region ever since. The Combined South African Universities toured in 1929 and in 1935 Danie Craven
captained Stellenbosch University
on a tour of the region; though none of these encounters included a match against a representative East Africa team. The first representative team called East Africa, are recorded facing Cape Town University in 1949.
Kenya Rugby Football Union
Kenya Rugby Football Union is the governing body of Rugby Union in Kenya. It organises Kenyan national teams and various competitions. It is a member of the International Rugby Board....
, Tanzania Rugby Football Union and Uganda Rugby Football Union. It owes its existence to the fact that, prior to independence, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(previously Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
) and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
were either a protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
or mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
of the British Empire. It now has little to do with the direct administration of the modern game but it continues to exist in order (in conjunction with the Rugby Patrons Society) to promote and support the game in the three countries, to facilitate club competition between the three unions and to administer the RFUEA Ground
RFUEA Ground
The RFUEA Ground is a rugby union stadium located on the Ngong Road in Nairobi, Kenya. It was purpose built to be the home of the national team and to serve as the headquarters of the Rugby Football Union of Kenya...
and the East Africa rugby union team
East Africa rugby union team
Established in 1950, The East Africa rugby union team is a multi-national rugby union team drawing players from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, though the vast majority of these came from Kenya which has traditionally been the strongest rugby playing nation in this part of the world...
.
At a recent meeting, the International Rugby Board (IRB) president, Bernard Lepasset has expressed support for taking the RFUEA out of mothballs so that it can be charged with running events like the Victoria Cup
Victoria Cup (rugby union)
The Victoria Cup is the newest competition in African rugby. Three teams, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe compete for this Cup in a format similar to that of the Tri Nations...
and the East African Super Series
Bamburi Rugby Super Series
The Bamburi Super Series is an East African Rugby union competition with eight teams in total, five teams from Kenya two from Uganda and one from Tanzania . It is closely based on the Super 14 competition in the southern hemisphere...
.
Rugby in East Africa before the RFUEA
To fully understand the history of rugby in the three East African nations of KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, it must first be understood that at the time the sport was introduced to the region these three countries were part of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. East Africa had been divided between the British and German colonial empire
German colonial empire
The German colonial empire was an overseas domain formed in the late 19th century as part of the German Empire. Short-lived colonial efforts by individual German states had occurred in preceding centuries, but Imperial Germany's colonial efforts began in 1884...
s until the end of the First World War when the vast majority of German influence was handed to the British. Kenya, Uganda and Zanzibar had been under British influence since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whilst Tanganyika was transferred to British control in 1919.
The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya
Kenya Colony
The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya was part of the British Empire in Africa. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a British crown colony in 1920...
, Tanganyika Territory
Tanganyika Territory
Tanganyika Territory was a British colony between 1919 and 1961. Prior to the end of the First World War was part of the German colony of German East Africa. After the war had broke out, the British invaded the German East Africa, but were unable to defeat the German Army...
the Protectorate of Uganda and the Protectorate of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
were regarded by the Empire as territories or provinces in much the same was as the colonies of the Cape
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
, Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
, Transvaal and the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
.
Club and inter territorial rugby
The first union in British East Africa was the Rugby Football Union of Kenya (RFU-K), founded in August 1921 (although it did not become effective until 1923 with the formation of the first two Nairobi clubs - Nondescripts RFCNondescripts RFC
Nondescripts Rugby Football Club is a Kenyan rugby club based in Nairobi. The club is the oldest in Kenya, and was founded in 1923 after the splitting of the Nairobi rugby club. The club 1st XV compete in the Kenya Cup, while the 2nd XV compete in the Eric Shirley Shield...
and Harlequins R.F.C.); it was responsible for the administration of the game throughout Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika which it carried out through various district sub-unions throughout the region.
Incoming tours
Several universities and Royal Navy ships sent teams to tour East Africa prior to the Second World War. The first was H.M.S. Southampton (1922), closely followed by H.M.S. Colombo (1923) and then (frequently more than once over the next decade) His Majesty's Ships Cairo, Chatham, Effingham and EnterpriseHMS Enterprise (D52)
HMS Enterprise was one of two Emerald-class light cruisers of the Royal Navy. She was built by John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd., with the keel being laid down on 28 June 1918. She was launched on 23 December 1919, and commissioned 7 April 1926...
. This latter vessel was to provide a lasting memento of its visits by presenting the Enterprise Cup
Enterprise Cup
The Enterprise Cup is an annual Rugby union competition in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, though the competition frequently has the appearance of being an all-Kenyan affair as the majority of East African rugby clubs are based in this one country and frequently clubs in Tanzania and Uganda are unable...
to the union in 1928; a trophy that has been the object of competition between clubs in the region ever since. The Combined South African Universities toured in 1929 and in 1935 Danie Craven
Danie Craven
Daniël Hartman Craven , more famously known as Danie Craven or simply Doc Craven, is a former Western Province, Eastern Province, Northern Transvaal and Springbok rugby union player as well as arguably South Africa's best and best-known rugby administrator...
captained Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
on a tour of the region; though none of these encounters included a match against a representative East Africa team. The first representative team called East Africa, are recorded facing Cape Town University in 1949.