It is a game that has evolved across the globe in many shapes and sizes. And later this month, East Flanders hosts one of the region’s biggest sports events: Flanders Rugby Open Tournament.

In a version of the Laws of Football as played at Rugby School in 1846, all matches were considered drawn after five days – or after three days if no goal has been kicked. The number of players on the field has also evolved with the classic version of Rugby Union being played by teams of 15, while 13 players make up a team of Rugby League. Then there is seven-a-side rugby, which is the latest sport to accede to the Olympics in 2016, not forgetting 10-a-side rugby, which will be on display at Dendermonde.

Often derided as a violent game, rugby players like to think of their sport as a “hooligans’ game played by gentlemen”, while football is a “gentlemen’s game played by hooligans”. Others consider football as a contact sport and rugby as a collision sport.

Whichever camp you belong to, the game has evolved considerably over the years, and today it would be unlikely to attract the following reference by Thomas Hughes (author of Tom Brown’s School Days) in 1834: “In my first year running with the ball, to get a try was not absolutely forbidden, but a jury of rugby boys of that day would almost certainly have found a verdict of ‘justifiable homicide’ if a boy had been killed in running in.”

In Belgium, rugby has remained the “poor relation” compared to other team games, despite a considerable increase in interest in the sport over the past decades.

Organisation of the game in Belgium has been assured by the Belgian Rugby Federation (FBRB) since 1934. After a serious interruption during the Second World War, competitive rugby for men and women has been growing over the last 60 years. Both numbers of players and supporters has increased, as has the quality of the game.

In 2009, FBRB had 10,500 affiliated members spread among 55 clubs, 23 of them in Flanders. Two clubs from Luxembourg also participate in the Belgian national and regional championships. Clubs belong to two regional leagues: the VRB (Vlaamse Rugby Bond) and the LBFR (Ligue Belge Francophone de Rugby).

Where once fitness was considered necessary for getting to the cafe first, and tactics for getting someone else to pay for the round, the FBRB and the regional leagues are now investing seriously in ensuring that these qualities are increasingly evident on the field. Now, more than half the members are under 20 years old, reflecting the increasing popularity among young people, and greater attention is now being given to training youth teams.

The national team has steadily climbed the rankings – from 54th place worldwide in 2003 to 26th place now, following the victory of the Belgian Black Devils over Poland on 24 April in Brussels.

While applauding the national team and their latest victory, congratulations are also due to the Belgian Under 19s, which beat Wales, to the Belgian second team, which beat Luxemburg, and to the Belgian Women’s team, which beat Flandres Françaises – all on the same day. A good Saturday indeed for Belgian rugby!

www.rugby.be