Asia Rugby, formerly the Asian Rugby Football Union, is the governing body of rugby union in Asia under the authority of World Rugby. Founded in 1968 by eight charter nations, the Union today has 36 member unions in countries across Asia, stretching from Kazakhstan to Guam.

The aim of Asia Rugby is "to raise physical and moral standards in Asia by education in the healthy pursuit of Rugby Football and to promote friendship among Asian countries".[citation needed]

Members

Asia Rugby has 36 member unions. Not all member unions are members of World Rugby. Asia Rugby members are listed below, with the year each union joined World Rugby shown in brackets. World Rugby associates are shown in italics.

There are 22 World Rugby members, and 6 World Rugby associates:

There are 8 members not affiliated with World Rugby

Other unions not affiliated with Asia Rugby

Several rugby governing bodies for countries in Asia (partially, largely or entirely) – such as Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel, Russia and Turkey – are members of the European body, Rugby Europe. Conversely, Kazakhstan, which is administered by European associations in other sports (such as within the football governing body, FIFA) is administered as part of Asia Rugby. In addition, Asia Rugby includes Guam (the organized unincorporated territory of the United States), which is arguably not in Asia, but in Oceania, and one transcontinental country, Indonesia.

A former member, the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union, represented Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE until it was dissolved at the end of 2010 to allow separate national unions administer the game in each country. The new governing body for the UAE became the 100th full member of World Rugby in November 2012. In 2020, Qatar became an associate member of World Rugby and Saudi Arabia became an associate member of Asia Rugby. The other three countries do not yet have a national governing body affiliated with Asia Rugby.

Notes

* Denotes World Rugby associate membership date.

^† Cambodia regained associate membership of Asia Rugby in 2020, after being suspended in 2016 for not complying with membership criteria.

^‡ Vietnam is not currently a member of Asia Rugby.

Tournaments

Asia Rugby supports regional and pan-Asian tournaments for men's and women's teams in fifteen-a-side and seven-a-side rugby, including:

Men

Women

Sevens Series

The Asian Sevens Series is similar to the HSBC World Sevens Series, but at a regional level.

World Rugby Rankings

Men's World Rugby Rankings (as of 2 January 2023)
Asia*World Rugby+/-National TeamPoints
Men's World Rugby Rankings (as of 2 January 2023) Asia* World Rugby +/- National Team Points 1 10 Japan 77.39 2 24 Hong Kong 59.66 3 32 South Korea 52.62 4 42 Philippines 47.8 5 46 1 Sri Lanka 46.73 6 50 1 Malaysia 46.12 7 55 1 Singapore 44.05 8 60 United Arab Emirates 41.23 9 63 Kazakhstan 40.91 10 65 Chinese Taipei 39.23 11 71 Guam 36.38 12 79 Thailand 35.49 13 82 China 34.91 14 85 India 33.4 15 90 Uzbekistan 31.28 16 92 Pakistan 30.78 17 94 Iran 30 18 95 Laos 30 19 105 Indonesia 21.95 *Local rankings based on World Rugby ranking pointsWomen's World Rugby Rankings (as of 2 January 2023) Asia* World Rugby +/- National Team Points 1 12 Japan 67.94 2 15 Hong Kong 59.25 3 20 Kazakhstan 57.09 4 22 China 49.34 5 36 Singapore 40.06 6 45 India 37.6 7 48 Thailand 36.35 8 51 Uzbekistan 35.4 9 55 Philippines 33.16 *Local rankings based on World Rugby ranking points
110Japan77.39
224Hong Kong59.66
332South Korea52.62
442Philippines47.8
5461Sri Lanka46.73
6501Malaysia46.12
7551Singapore44.05
860United Arab Emirates41.23
963Kazakhstan40.91
1065Chinese Taipei39.23
1171Guam36.38
1279Thailand35.49
1382China34.91
1485India33.4
1590Uzbekistan31.28
1692Pakistan30.78
1794Iran30
1895Laos30
19105Indonesia21.95
*Local rankings based on World Rugby ranking points
Asia*World Rugby+/-National TeamPoints
112Japan67.94
215Hong Kong59.25
320Kazakhstan57.09
422China49.34
536Singapore40.06
645India37.6
748Thailand36.35
851Uzbekistan35.4
955Philippines33.16
*Local rankings based on World Rugby ranking points

Organisation structure

Executive Committee
Updated: 26 March 2021
Qais Al-Dhalai President Terence Khoo Deputy President Rizwan Malik Vice President Tanka Lal Ghising Vice President Abdallah Jammal Committee Member Ada Milby World Rugby Council Member Aigul Jartybayeva Committee Member Angelina Liu Committee Member Batbayar Purevjargal Committee Member Fahmy Jalil Committee Member Gerald Prabhu Committee Member Yudha Ramon Committee Member Asanga Seneviratne Independent Committee Member Vela Tan Independent Committee Member
Qais Al-Dhalai President
Terence Khoo Deputy President
Rizwan Malik Vice President
Tanka Lal Ghising Vice President
Abdallah Jammal Committee Member
Ada Milby World Rugby Council Member
Aigul Jartybayeva Committee Member
Angelina Liu Committee Member
Batbayar Purevjargal Committee Member
Fahmy Jalil Committee Member
Gerald Prabhu Committee Member
Yudha Ramon Committee Member
Asanga Seneviratne Independent Committee Member
Vela Tan Independent Committee Member

The member unions form the Council which is Asia Rugby’s ultimate decision-making body. The Council meets twice a year, including for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the end of each year where the 12-person executive committee (Exco) is elected.

As of 2020[update], the president of Asia Rugby is Qais Al-Dhalai of the United Arab Emirates.

Management and staff of Asia Rugby, headed by CEO Benjamin Van Rooyen based at Olympic House, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong.

Also, Asia Rugby has contracted with a number of Officers in Asia for Development.

NAMEPOSITION
Benjamin Van RooyenCEO
Daniella Filipovic’Admin & Communications Officer
Gene TongWR Regional Training Manager
Ghaith JalajelCompetitions Manager
Khuram HaroonOperations & Digital Media
Anatoliy ShirovGovernance & Competitions
Dilroy FernandoMatch Officials & Development
Affan JahangirPublic Relations Officer
Mahfizul IslamDevelopment Consultant

See also

External links