Rugby was banned in France in 1931 not for violence, but because its independent clubs threatened government control. The ban lasted four years and reshaped French rugby forever.
Rugby and Fascism: The Dark History Behind the Sport
When you think of rugby, a physical, team-based sport with roots in 19th-century England. Also known as rugby union, it's often seen as a game of grit, honor, and community. But behind the tackles and try lines, there’s a history many don’t talk about—how fascism, a far-right political system that glorifies state control, militarism, and national superiority used rugby as a tool to build identity, suppress dissent, and project power. This isn’t just about old headlines. It’s about how sports can be twisted to serve ideology—and why we need to remember it.
Italy’s national rugby team, the Azzurri, the nickname for Italy’s national teams, derived from the sky-blue shirts worn since the early 1900s, became a symbol under Mussolini’s regime. The government didn’t just fund the team—it turned matches into state events. Victory wasn’t just about sport; it was proof of fascist superiority. Players were pushed to perform not just for pride, but for propaganda. The same happened in Nazi Germany, where rugby was sidelined in favor of soccer and athletics, but still used in occupied territories like France and Poland to reinforce German dominance. Even in Japan, where rugby took hold early, the sport was militarized during wartime, with training modeled after soldier drills and matches used to boost morale for imperial expansion.
It’s easy to think these are distant stories, but the patterns still show up. When nations use sport to claim moral or racial superiority, they’re not just playing games—they’re making political statements. Rugby’s global growth today, from Japan to Georgia to Fiji, is built on inclusion. But that growth only makes it more important to remember its dark chapters. The sport didn’t cause fascism. But it was used by it. And ignoring that history doesn’t make it disappear—it just lets it hide.
What you’ll find below are posts that don’t just talk about tactics or training—they dig into the deeper layers of sport. From how Italy’s rugby identity was shaped by politics, to why rugby never took off in Germany, to how equipment, rules, and even fan culture can carry hidden meanings. This isn’t just about the game. It’s about what the game reveals about the people who play it—and the systems they live under.