Real Madrid Rugby

Real Madrid Rugby was the rugby union section of Spanish Real Madrid C.F.. Established in 1924, the team achieved 3 unofficial regional titles and 1 Copa del Rey title in 1934, before being closed in 1948.[1]

Real Madrid

Full name	Real Madrid Rugby
Union	Spanish Rugby Federation
Nickname(s)	Merengues
Founded	1924 (disestablished 1948)
Team kit

Although the section is currently extinct, there were some attempts to re-introduce the practise of rugby, but they were not finally carried out, including an unsuccessful agreement with rugby club CRC Madrid to have a team representing them at División de Honor, the first division of Spanish rugby.[2]

History

The first game, Real Madrid v. Atlético Madrid, 1925

The rugby section of Real Madrid was established by some young members of the club, with former footballer Eulogio Aranguren among them.[3] On Jan 10, 1925, the squad played its first match v. Atlético Madrid in the Stadium Metropolitano,[4] which was won by Real Madrid by 27–0.[5] During its first years of existence, Real Madrid Rugby played in different venues, such as Chamartín, El Estadio, El Campo de Los Suizos and Canillejas.[3]

The team that won the Copa del Rey in 1934

On January 25, 1925, Real Madrid played Infantry Academy of Toledo at Estadio Chamartín, with a new win for Real Madrid by 23–9. After the match, the team was also awarded its first trophy.[6]

At regional level, Real Madrid Rugby won four consecutive Campeonato Regional Centro, during the first years of the 1930s.[3]

In 1934 Real Madrid won its first national title, the Copa del Rey de Rugby, after defeating Universitario de Valencia by 14–6. It would be its only title in that competition.[7] Some of the most notable players of that final were fly-half Carlos García San Miguel and Ramón Resines.[3]

After a hiatus due to Civil War (1936–39), the rugby section of Real Madrid finally disappeared in 1948. In an attempt to bring the sport back to the club, in 2008 Real Madrid made arrangements with rugby club CRC Madrid (also known as CRC Pozuelo) to be represented in the Spanish premier league, División de Honor. When the agreement was about to be signed, president of Real Madrid Ramón Calderón, who had been the main architect of the return of rugby to the club, resigned from his role following allegations of vote-rigging for the confirmation for the financial budget. Real Madrid exploded into a crisis that suspended many projects and operations in the club, including the rugby section.[8]

With the coming of Florentino Pérez to the club for a second term, past negotiations were not resumed.[9] Therefore, rugby section has remained inactive since then.

After that, Atlético de Madrid made a deal with CRC Madrid to have a rugby team in the División de Honor. The CRC squad agreed to use the name, shield and colors of Atlético Madrid during the time the agreement was in force.[10]

Honours

• Copa del Rey (1): 1934

References

1. El Real Madrid retoma su sección de rugby
2. CRC Pozuelo y Real Madrid: un matrimonio exitoso
3. El CRC escenificará un Real Madrid-Barcelona by Fermín de la Calle, As, 2 Mar 2008
4. Heraldo de Madrid, p.4, Hemeroteca Digital of Spanish National Library
5. Heraldo de Madrid, p. 3, 10 Jan 1925
6. Heraldo de Madrid, p. 5, 26 Jan 1925
7. Historial de la Copa del Rey, Spanish Rugby Federation
8. Pozuelo Boadilla on BWin website
9. Carta de adhesión: Real Madrid-Rugby by Fermín de la Calle, 30 Jan 2009
10. Los colchoneros, tendrán un equipo de rugby en División de Honor, 22 Aug 2012