Valsugana Rugby Padova

The project lead partner, Valsugana Rugby Padova was founded in 1982. In more than thirty years of activity, Valsu has succeeded in bringing thousands of young people closer to the sport, helping families in the education and growth of their children through the oval ball.

The latest among Padua's great clubs, today, with almost 500 registered athletes, a hundred managers, technicians and collaborators, well-equipped facilities, but above all the dedication of the volunteers and the enthusiasm of the families, Valsu has become not only the largest rugby club in Padua and its province, but above all one of the most beautiful realities of Italian rugby. Towards the mid-1980s, the Juniores sector was also launched, while the infrastructure was progressively enriched.

With the new millennium, the Minirugby sector burst onto the scene, soon becoming the club's beating heart, capable of bringing hundreds of children closer to the sport and filling the clubhouse shelves with prestigious cups, such as those of the Trofeo Topolino (Mickey Mouse Trophy). Thanks to this growing success, the last few years have seen the arrival of two national Under 16 and Under 18 titles, the historic promotion of the First XV to the Top12 in 2018, the birth of the junior and senior women's teams, winners of the national championship for three years in a row, and the calling up of numerous players with the national youth and women's selections. Valsu has an important presence at local and national level, including by organising a tournament with more than 1,000 participants each year. The women's sector, specifically, is present with around 90 female members, from the under-14 up to the A series; 11 of these athletes are playing for the Italian national team in the 'women's 6 nations'.

On 3 June 2023, the Valsugana athletes will again win the Italian Women's Eccellenza title.

To learn more about Valsugana Rugby click here.

Italian Rugby Federation

The Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) is a National Sports Federation belonging to the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) that regulates and governs rugby activity in Italy. Founded in 1928 to regulate, promote and develop the game, the FIR's Vision is 'to ensure that the cultural and sporting values of rugby contribute significantly to the educational process of Italians'; while the Mission is 'to promote, regulate and develop the game of rugby in Italy, so as to widely expand and affirm - in collaboration with the Clubs - an attractive, inclusive product of great educational and sporting value that exalts individual sacrifice in favour of the group'. The founding values of rugby recognised by FIR and characterising the entire Italian rugby movement are Sportsmanship, Fun, Support, Courage, Respect and Tradition.

Having always been aware of the impact generated by its values in civil society, FIR, considering itself a responsible organisation, promotes choices capable of bringing together sporting activities with ethical, social and environmental dimensions. Among its various projects, FIR is committed to promoting gender equality through the game of rugby. To achieve this goal, the FIR has also signed a partnership with Terre des Hommes to collaborate in the Indifesa campaign with the #iogiocoallapari (I play on equal terms) project and to raise awareness in the world of sport on gender equality.

The Women's National Team is ranked eighth in the world and participates in the most prestigious international tournament in the northern hemisphere, the Six Nations. The results of the National Women's Team are supporting the growth of the women's rugby movement in Italy and the athletes are becoming testimonials of female empowerment and the right to freely practice any sport.

Romanian Rugby Federation

The Romanian Rugby Federation (FRR) is the governing body of 15-a-side rugby in Romania. Established in 1931, it was one of the founding members of the International Rugby Amateur Federation (FIRA), now Rugby Europe, in 1934. The men's and women's national XV and similar VII teams operate under its jurisdiction.

The FRR develops national women's rugby programmes in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport. Rugby programmes involving women have increased in recent years thanks to the support of the 'Get into Rugby' programme. This programme, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, has introduced girls' rugby in primary and secondary schools.

The Women's 15-a-side National Rugby Team of Romania (in Romanian Echipa națională de rugby feminin a României) is also known as Ghindele (acorns). Formed in 2007 under the jurisdiction of the Federația Română de Rugby, it made its debut on the international scene during that year's FIRA Women's Trophy.

To date, the team occupies 40th position in the World Rugby rankings.

In addition, the FFR boasts a strong Women's 7s team.

To learn more about the Romanian Rugby Federation click here.

Asociația Club Sportiv Aurora Băicooi

CS Aurora Baicoi is a rugby club for children, founded in February 2012, in the Romanian town of Baicoi (18.000 inhabitants, 80 km north of Bucharest). Our larger aim is to build a rugby club that can act as an element of support for underprivileged children and as a social bridge between all members of our community. Although rugby has never been played in Baicoi before, the club has managed to turn rugby into an element of genuine interest to the point where now there are roughly 100 children (ages 7-17) training at the club's grounds. They are divided into 3 age groups: U10's, U12's and U14's. While new to the rugby scene, CS Aurora has still managed to get hold of several important trophies, the foremost being U10 National Vice-Champions in 2012, spring champions of the Bucharest U12 Championship, autumn champions of the Bucharest U10 Championship in 2013 and U14 National Vice-Champions in 2015. Our club is equally dedicated to a sports and a social agenda. Namely, rugby is a tool that engages children and young people (especially those with a problematic social background) in our local area with the aim of integrating them in the community. Whenever we manage to draw su cient support, we are also performing social assistance interventions for the club's underprivileged children or for their families (food donations, providing job opportunities, material or financial support in order to mitigate the eects of poverty).

To learn more about Asociația Club Sportiv Aurora Băicoi click here