Rugby Africa

--> The Confederation of African Rugby (French: Confédération Africaine de Rugby) was officially launched in January 1986 in Tunis. The inaugural members at the meeting were Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal, the Seychelles, Tanzania and Tunisia. A meeting was held in July 1992 in Casablanca with the view of integrating the SARFU into the confederation. South Africa had been denied entry until this time because of the government policy of apartheid (South African rugby union had been governed by the mainly white South African Rugby Board and the mainly black South African Rugby Union). In March 1992 these were formally combined to form the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU). The Confederation now has 37 member nations. African Rugby Charter The African Rugby Charter was signed by the President of CAR, Abdelaziz Bougja, the then President of the South African Rugby Union (SARFU) Brian van Rooyen, in the presence of former South African president Nelson Mandela, and the South African Minister of Sport, Makhenkesi Stofile. ==Members==

World Rugby full members who are part of Rugby Africa: World Rugby associate members who are part of Rugby Africa: World Rugby non-members who are part of Rugby Africa (full or affiliate member): World Rugby suspended members who are part of Rugby Africa: Non-member countries working with the governing body (Rugby Africa non-members too): Defunct African National Rugby Union Teams • Denotes associate membership date. --> ==World Rugby Rankings==

Tournaments run by Rugby Africa include: ;Senior Men ;Men XV • Rugby Africa Cup • Rugby Africa Gold Cup • Rugby Africa Silver Cup • Rugby Africa Bronze Cup • African Development Trophy ;Men VII • Africa Men's Sevens ;Senior Women ;Women XV • Rugby Africa Women's Cup • Rugby Africa Women's Cup Division 1 ;Women VII • Africa Women's Sevens ;Youth ;Men XV • U20 Barthés Trophy ;Women XV • African U20 Women’s Series ==Development programs==

The CAR formed agreements in 2014 which allowed member unions from Anglophone and Francophone nations in Africa to access training programs within the sports academies and administrative headquarters of the South African Rugby Union and French Rugby Federation, respectively. These agreements, designed to foster rugby union development across the continent, were signed in January 2015, and followed earlier arrangements with the SARU and French club Castres Olympique which were made in 2006. ==Leopards==

The African Leopards are a representative team from Africa which aims to promote the sport throughout the whole of Africa. The Leopards played their first ever match in July 2005 at Ellis Park as a curtain raiser between Springboks and Australia. == World Cup qualifying ==

Rugby Africa nations participate in qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup every four years. Four Rugby Africa nations – Ivory Coast, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe – have qualified to play in Rugby World Cups. == Notes ==