Rugby Americas North, abbreviated as RAN, is the governing body for rugby union in the North American continental region. Rugby Americas North operates under the authority of World Rugby, and is one of six regional unions represented within it.

Rugby Americas North
AbbreviationRAN
EstablishedMarch 2001; 23 years ago (2001-03) (as NAWIRA)
2010 (as NACRA)
2016[1]
TypeSports organisation
HeadquartersTortola, British Virgin Islands
Region served
Northern America and the Caribbean[a]
Membership
19 member unions
Official language
President
George Nicholson
General Manager
Niall Brooks
Vice President
Araba Chintoh
Main organ
Board of Directors
Parent organization
World Rugby
Websiterugbyamericasnorth.com
Formerly called
  • North America and West Indies Rugby Association (2001–2008)
  • North America Caribbean Rugby Association (2009–2014)

Prior to 2016, the organisation was known as NACRA – the North America Caribbean Rugby Association. The preceding body before 2010 was NAWIRA – the North America and West Indies Rugby Association.

The main objective of RAN is the promotion and development of rugby in North America and the Caribbean. The association unveiled a four-year plan during the 2011 Annual General Meeting to grow rugby within its membership unions through promotion, media output and competition.[2]

World Rugby's 40-member executive council includes two seats for RAN representatives, two seats for Canada, and one for the United States. By contrast to RAN's five votes on the World Rugby executive council, European countries have 16 votes.[clarification needed]

Competitions

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RAN oversees regional competitions, such as regional qualifiers for Pan Am Games and Rugby World Cups including:

Senior

Youth

Governance

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RAN is governed by a board of five executives. The USA, Canada and Mexico are fixed representatives, while the Caribbean countries elect two nations for delegation.[2] In November 2021 RAN announced changes to its executive committee following its 2021 Annual General Meeting in Miami. George Nicholson was appointed as the new President and Dr. Araba Chintoh and Miguel Carner as Vice Presidents.[3]

Player registration

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Former NACRA logo.

As of 2010, there were 128,828 rugby players within North America:[4] with the largest number of players from:

  1. United States (88,151)
  2. Canada (23,853)
  3. Trinidad and Tobago (5,060)
  4. Mexico (3,454)

As of 2016, RAN reported 160,769 total registered players and 1,595,565 non-registered players.[5]

  1. USA – 119,682
  2. Canada – 27,512
  3. Mexico – 6,168
  4. Martinique – 3,500
  5. St. Vincent & The Grenadines – 1,806
  6. Jamaica – 1,518
  7. Trinidad & Tobago – 1,403
  8. Bermuda – 794
  9. Dominican Republic – 600
  10. Bahamas – 529
  11. Guyana – 522
  12. Barbados – 425
  13. Cayman – 410
  14. St. Lucia – 292
  15. Turks and Caicos – 200
  16. British Virgin Islands – 117
  17. Curacao – 104

As of the 2019 Rugby Americas North Review there were 134,300 participants reported, 69,500 males and 65,000 females.[6]

Member unions

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As of August 2024 Rugby Americas North has 13 full members and 4 associate members and 2 recognized regional development unions:[7][8]

Regional unions (including former affiliates) without current RAN recognition:[9]

Notes:

^a Denotes associate member of RAN not affiliated with World Rugby.[10]

^b The governing body is the French Rugby Federation which has territorial committees for overseas departments and territories.[11]

World Rugby Rankings

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World Cup qualifying

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Rugby Americas North nations participate in qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup every four years. Two Rugby Americas North nations –Canada and United States – have qualified to play in Rugby World Cups.

Edition Automatically qualified Qualified via competition Qualified via repechage Eliminated in

repechage

Eliminated at

final stage

Eliminated at second stage Eliminated at first stage
1987   Canada

  United States

1991   Canada

  United States

1995   Canada   United States   Bermuda
1999   Canada

  United States

  Trinidad and Tobago
  Guyana
  Bermuda
  Bahamas
  Barbados
2003   Canada   United States   Trinidad and Tobago   Bermuda
  Saint Lucia
  Barbados
  Bahamas
  Cayman Islands
  Guyana
  Jamaica
2007   Canada
  United States
  Barbados   Guyana
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Saint Lucia
  Bahamas
  Cayman Islands
  Jamaica
  Bermuda
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2011   Canada
  United States
  Trinidad and Tobago   Barbados
  Guyana
  Cayman Islands
  Bahamas
  Jamaica
  Bermuda
  Mexico
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2015   Canada

  United States

  Bermuda   Trinidad and Tobago
  Guyana
  Cayman Islands
  Mexico
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Barbados
  Jamaica
  Bahamas
2019   Canada
  United States
  Jamaica
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Cayman Islands
  Bermuda
  Bahamas
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Barbados
  Jamaica
  Guyana
  Mexico
2023   United States   Canada
2027

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Includes Guyana and French Guiana.

References

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  1. ^ "About Rugby Americas North". rugbyamericasnorth.com.
  2. ^ a b Learning More About NACRA. Rugby Canada,18 July 2012. [dead link]
  3. ^ Kelly, Bryan (2021-11-19). "RUGBY AMERICAS NORTH ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE". Rugby Americas North. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
  4. ^ "Year in Review" (PDF). IRB. 2010. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-03.
  5. ^ "THE REGION". Rugby Americas North. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  6. ^ Bryan Kelly (January 6, 2020). "2019 Rugby Americas North Year in Review". Rugby Americas North. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Full members". Rugby Americas North. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Associate members". Rugby Americas North. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Affiliated Unions". NACRA. 2011. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013.
  10. ^ "Handbook" (PDF). World Rugby. 2014. pp. 16–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  11. ^ "The Committee". Guadeloupe Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  12. ^ "The World Rugby Men's Ranking". World Rugby. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  13. ^ "The World Rugby Women's Ranking". World Rugby. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
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