Algeria national rugby union team explained

Algeria
Nickname:Les Lionceaux (The Lion Cubs)
Badge:flag of Algeria.svg
Badge Size:150
Emblem:Two Lions
Union:Algerian Rugby Federation
Confederation:Rugby Africa
Coach:Ousmane Mané
Captain:Rabah Abdelkader
Most Caps:Rabah Abdelkader (13)
Top Scorer:Johan Bensalla (59)
Top Try Scorer:Rémi Cardon (4)
Home Stadium:Ahmed Zabana Stadium
World Rugby Trigramme:DZA
Pattern La1:_redborder
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World Rugby Rank:58
World Rugby Rank Date:29 July 2024
World Rugby Max:58
World Rugby Max Year:2024
World Rugby Min:92
World Rugby Min Year:2021
First Game:Unofficial
7–8 Algeria
(Nabeul, Tunisia; 24 February 2007)
Official
5–26 Algeria
(Merlimau, Malaysia; 6 June 2015)
Largest Win:Unofficial
Algeria 50–0
(Cairo, Egypt; 26 October 2010)
0–50 Algeria
(Cairo, Egypt; 29 October 2010)
Official

0–31 Algeria
(Mufulira, Zambia; 20 October 2018)
Largest Loss:Official 29-3 Algeria
(Kampala, Uganda; 29 July 2024)

The Algeria national rugby union team represents the Algerian Rugby Federation (FAR) in men's international rugby union. The first match they competed in was on 24 February 2007, in a game in Tunis against the Tunisia national rugby union team (to which Algeria won by 8–7). While almost all current national team players play for clubs in the French championship, there are some national players who practice the sport in Australia, New Zealand, Romania and England. The first coach of the Algeria national rugby union team was Morad Kellal.

History

Before 2015

Rugby was played on Algerian territory during French colonization. After this period, its practice decreased rapidly, until disappearing in 1972.[1] At the invitation of the Tunisia national rugby union team, Algeria brought together Nabeul a selection of the best Algerian players from rugby and started on the international stage On 27 February 2007 against Tunisia, a match that they won 8 to 7 Algeria,[2] the Fennecs dream of having a federation with an attempt of Samir Khamouche playing at Castres and a penalty Of Nadir Boukhaloua playing Lyon OU. Later, the Algerians won 20 points to 17 against the hopes of the Stade français at the Villeneuve stadium of the commune of Clichy, department of Hauts-de-Seine, As well as against other African teams, including the Ivory Coast team.,[2] in the absence of a federation recognized by the Algerian State, it does not appear in the World Rugby Rankings and has not yet played an official meeting.[2]

2015: return of rugby union in Algeria

Preparation of the setting up of official bodies

Disappeared in the early 1970s, rugby found its place in Algeria. On 1 January 2015, after eight years of discussions and exchanges, the Ministry of Sports, assisted by the Algerian Olympic Committee, validates the creation of the National Algerian Rugby Association which will become the rugby union current 2015.

The objectives of this new body are the Rugby World Cup in 2019 in Japan, not forgetting the Africa Cup. With the recognition of the Federation, the selection can now appeal to players who play in the Top 14 to build a highly competitive national team. For Sofiane Abdelkader Benhassen, founder of the pilot club Stade Oranais in 2008, who has been appointed president, priority is also and above all to popularize the discipline in Algeria and to make this sport known to the youth of the country through the creation of schools.

Crescent Cup Rugby Championship

On 1 June 2015, the Algerian Rugby Union team flew to Malaysia for the Crescent Cup Rugby Championship, their first official international competition.,[3] The Algerian rugby union team started its tournament with a 26–5 victory against the Kazakhstan team, ranked 39. He is victorious for the first official match in the history of the Algerian selection of rugby. Confirmation that the Algerian potential is indeed there. after the piece and against the same team again won 15–0 to qualify to the final to face the owner of the land shed Malaysian team stopped due to riots between the players.[4]

Creation of the national federation

On 17 November 2015, the federation was formally established in Algiers at a general assembly meeting chaired by Mustapha Larfaoui, Honorary President of the Algerian Olympic Committee Olympic and Sports Algerian and in the presence of 18 clubs representing 16 wilayas. Sofiane Benhassen is elected the first president of the Algerian rugby union (FAR).[5] [6] Membership in the continental federation Rugby Africa is planned in December 2016.[7]

The first official match played under the auspices of the Algerian federation on 18 December 2015 Oran against the Tunisia. Salim and Djemaï Tebani are breeders of this first official meeting on Algerian soil.[8] In Ahmed Zabana Stadium of Oran, Algeria won this game 16–6 with a team consisting mainly of players based in France and two players trained in Algerian clubs.[9]

Launch of the Maghreb Tri-Nations

In December 2016, the Algerian Rugby Federation in collaboration with Rugby Africa will organize the first edition of a Maghreb Tri-nations grouping Algeria, Tunisia national rugby union team and the Morocco national rugby union team. World Rugby has validated it, and the event will take place at Oran, Algeria.[10] [11]

Africa Cup

The Algerian team, in their first participation in the tournament, signed in the North Group with Cameroon and Nigeria, but the Cameroonian team had been postponed through lack of organization that Rugby Africa disqualified Cameroon and suspended the activity of the country's federation for three months.[12] which made the organizing committee to play a home-and-home series matches against Nigeria in Zambia, but the latter also withdrew to be a final Winner North vs Winner South against Zambia 4 November 2017 at Mufulira Leopards Rugby Club. in a historic match as the first official match to enable the Algerian team to win a 30–25 in the first defeat to Zambia in its home since 2002.[13] the Algerian national team will play next season in the Rugby Africa Silver Cup.

Home grounds

Algeria play internationals since it first receives match on 2015 at Ahmed Zabana Stadium in Oran.

Record

Overall

Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by the Algeria national XV at test level up until 29 July 2024:

OpponentPlayedWonLostDrawnWin %ForAgaDiff
1 1 0 0 % 50 0 +50
3 3 0 0 % 79 43 +36
1 0 1 0 0% 20 22 −2
2 2 0 0 % 41 5 +36
2 1 1 0 50% 53 48 +5
1 1 0 0 % 50 0 +50
1 0 1 0 0% 11 19 −8
2 0 2 0 0% 24 32 −8
3 3 0 0 % 92 42 +50
4 3 1 0 % 73 53 +20
1 1 0 0 % 22 16 +6
2 2 0 0 % 61 25 +36
2 1 1 0 % 23 41 -18
Total25 18 7 0 % 599 346 +253

Rugby World Cup

World Cup recordwidth=1% rowspan=13World Cup Qualification record
YearRound
1987Not invited-
1991did not enterdid not enter
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023did not qualify530213098
Total0/9000000530213098

Rugby Africa Cup

Rugby Africa Cup record
YearRound
2000 to 2016did not enter
2017bgcolor=goldChampions Bronze Cup11003025
2018bgcolor=goldChampions Silver Cup33007631
2019–20canceled
2021–22bgcolor=#c96Third place530213098
2024bgcolor=silverRunners-up32105553
Total5/2012903291207

African Development Trophy

African Development Trophy record
YearRound
2004 to 2009did not enter
2010bgcolor=goldChampions North Section22001000
Total1/722001000

North African Tri Nations

North African Tri Nations record
YearRound
2016bgcolor=#c96Third place20022628
2017bgcolor=silverSecond place21014933
2018canceled
Total2/241037561

Crescent Cup

Crescent Cup record
YearRound
2015bgcolor=silverSecond place32015224
Total1/132015224

Current squad

The following 45 players were called up for the 2021–22 Rugby Africa Cup matches against Ghana and Uganda.

Head coach: Boumedienne Allam

Coaches

Current coaching staff

The current coaching staff of the Algerian national team:

NameNationalityRole
Ousmane ManéHead coach
Nasser BenamorAssistant coach (Forwards)
Boris Brahim BouhraouaAssistant coach (Backs)
Nordine BadjiAssistant coach (Backs)
Thomas DrouinStrength & Conditioning coach
Rouabah NahimStrength & Conditioning coach
Mustapha BouguendouzPhysiotherapist
Yanis HannouchePhysiotherapist

Historical coaches

On 31 August 2021, the Senegalese Ousmane Mané was chosen by the FAR as the coach of the national selection succeeding to Boumedienne Allam[14] .
Below is a list of historical coaches of the Algeria rugby union national team.

YearCoach
2007–2011 Morad Kellal
2011–2017 Salah Rebadj
Djemaï Tebani
Foudil Youbi
2017–2021 Boumedienne Allam
2021– Ousmane Mané

Individual all-time records

Most caps

PlayerPosSpanMatPtsTriesConvPensDropWonLostDrawWin %<--# Player Pos Span Mat PtsTryConPenDrpWonLstDrw%-->
1. Rabah Abdelkader 2015–present 13 5 1 0 0 0 9 4 0 69.23
2. Boris Bouhraoua 2015–present 12 11 1 3 0 0 8 4 0 66.67
3. Nasser Benamor2015–2018 11 5 1 0 0 0 7 4 0 63.64
4. Khaled Kahlouchi 2015–present 10 10 2 0 0 0 7 3 0 70.00
4. Mohamed Belguidoum 2015–present 10 10 2 0 0 0 7 3 0 70.00
4. Djamel Ouchene 2015–present 10 15 3 0 0 0 7 1 0 87.50
4. Maxim Meneghini 2016–present 10 0 0 0 0 0 7 3 0 70.00
8. Lou Bouhraoua 2015–present 9 11 0 1 3 0 5 4 0 55.56
9. Johan Bensalla 2015–present 8 59 0 7 13 2 7 2 0 77.78
9. Sofiane Chellat 2015–present 8 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 0 77.78
9. Yazid Chouchane 2015–present 8 10 2 0 0 0 5 3 0 62.50

Most tries

PlayerPosSpanMatPtsTriesConvPensDrop
1. Yazid Chouchane 2015–present 8 15 3 0 0 0
1. Rémi Cardon 2017–present 5 15 3 0 0 0
3. Yakine Djebbari 2016–present 6 10 2 0 0 0
3. 2015–present 8 10 2 0 0 0
3. Mohamed Belguidoum 2015–present 9 10 2 0 0 0
3. Walid Batchali 2018–present 3 10 2 0 0 0

Most points

PlayerPosSpanMatPtsTriesConvPensDrop
1. Johan Bensalla 2015–present 7 59 0 7 13 2
2. Yoan Saby 2017–present 5 22 0 5 4 0
3. Yazid Chouchane 2015–present 8 15 3 0 0 0
3. Rémi Cardon 2017–present 5 15 3 0 0 0
5. Enzo Kralfa 2018–present 3 14 1 1 3 0
6. Lou Bouhraoua 2015–present 9 11 0 1 3 0
6. Boris Bouhraoua 2015–present 11 11 1 3 0 0
8. Mohamed Belguidoum 2015–present 9 10 2 0 0 0
8. Walid Batchali 2018–present 3 10 2 0 0 0

Most points in a match

PlayerPosPtsTriesConvPensDropOppositionVenueDate
1. Johan Bensalla 15 0 0 5 0 24 December 2016
2. Yoan Saby 11 0 1 3 0 14 July 2018
2. Johan Bensalla 11 0 1 3 0 18 December 2015
4. Johan Bensalla 10 0 2 2 0 4 November 2017
4. Rémi Cardon 10 2 0 0 0 4 November 2017
4. Enzo Kralfa 10 1 1 1 0 8 July 2018

Most tries in a match

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: A l'ombre des Fennecs, les Lionceaux algériens de l'ovale veulent se faire les griffes . rugbyrama.fr . 2 December 2016 . 31 December 2015.
  2. News: En Algérie, les Fennecs rêvent d'avoir une fédération . rugbyrama.fr . 2 December 2016 . 10 July 2014.
  3. News: Salim Tebani: "On n’est plus les oubliés du sport algérien" . rugbyrama.fr . 2 December 2016 . 27 May 2015.
  4. Web site: Malaysia v Algeria rugby union final abandoned after savage brawl . . 16 June 2015 .
  5. News: La Fédération algérienne voit le jour . lequipe.fr . 2 December 2016 . 19 November 2015.
  6. News: La Fédération algérienne de rugby est née . lexpressiondz.com . 2 December 2016 . 17 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151120190153/http://www.lexpressiondz.com/linformation_en_continue/229726-la-federation-algerienne-de-rugby-est-nee.html . 20 November 2015 . dead .
  7. News: L’Algérie ralliera le Rugby Afrique en décembre 2016 . aps.dz . 2 December 2016 . 16 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151223191746/http://www.aps.dz/sport/33348-l%E2%80%99alg%C3%A9rie-ralliera-le-rugby-afrique-en-d%C3%A9cembre-2016 . 23 December 2015 . dead .
  8. News: Première pour l'Algérie sur son sol . lequipe.fr . 2 December 2016 . 17 December 2015.
  9. News: Première réussie pour l'Algérie . lequipe.fr . 2 December 2016 . 18 December 2015.
  10. News: Zone Afrique : un Tri Nations au Maghreb en décembre . lequipe.fr . 2 December 2016 . Paris . 17 October 2016.
  11. News: World Rugby donne son accord pour un Tri-nations à Oran ! . lagazettedufennec.com . 2 December 2016 . 14 October 2016.
  12. Web site: Pas de Coupe d'Afrique pour un rugby camerounais en crise. fr. rfi.fr. 25 May 2017. 6 July 2017.
  13. News: FINALE DE LA BRONZE CUP 2017 : L’EXPLOIT ALGÉRIEN ! . rugbyafrique.com . 4 November 2017 . 4 November 2017.
  14. News: le Sénégalais Ousmane Mané nouveau sélectionneur du XV d’Algérie . aps.dz . 31 August 2021 .