| Rugby union in Finland | |
|---|---|
| Country | Finland |
| Governing body | Suomen Rugbyliitto |
| National team(s) | Finland |
| Nickname(s) | SRL |
| First played | 1978 |
| Registered players | 577 |
| Clubs | 14 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
Rugby union in Finland is a minor but growing sport. With both Men's and Women's 15's teams are represented in world rankings and both Women and Men's Sevens teams competing internationally.
Finland Men's 15's team is currently ranked 86th out of 105 by World Rugby.[1]
Finland Women's 15's team is currently ranked 47th out of 56 by World Rugby.[2]
The governing body is the Finnish Rugby Federation (Suomen Rugbyliitto) ((in English):[3]
Finland was the last of the major Nordic countries to take up rugby. Both Denmark and Sweden started playing rugby in the 20th century, and more recently Norway in the 1980s and 1990s. Neighbouring Russia and to a lesser extent Estonia started playing within the Soviet Era, during the 1950s and 60s.
Finnish rugby started to grow during the 1990s, and early 21st century. There are now 692 players registered with the SRL.
In 2000, Helsinki RFC made Finnish rugby history, when they beat a team from HMS Sheffield, a vessel in the British Royal Navy[4]
Currently Finland fields four national teams. Men 15's & 7's, Women's 15's & 7's.
A competition exists in Finland where climatic conditions dictate the main 15 a side season being played during the northern summer. Women play 7s on artificial grass from January to May.