About Venezuela Rugby

Rugby union in Venezuela is a team sport that is played as an amateur sport.

History
The history of rugby in Venezuela goes back to the 1950s, when a group of English oil workers played the first match in Zulia State. Martell and Renault played the first organized match on 14 July 1974.

In 1978, the first rugby club formed exclusively with native players was founded at Simón Bolívar University: the Club de Rugby de la Universidad Simón Bolívar (CRUSB). In the course of time, more rugby teams were created in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities.

Rugby first came to the UCV Maracay in 1980 when student Otto Gomez invited englishman Stewart Wittering (Leicester and Jamaica) to give e presentation to around 100 students. Following this presentation, Stewart asked the UCV Maracay sports director for permission to form a team and to train on the UCV playing field. With the help of fellow briton, Bob Hosty (Leigh, Colombia and Venezuela) and three argentinean players, the team went on to play successfully against all the rugby clubs existing at that time. Following this, rugby was exported to the UCV in Caracas and eventually to women players.