Rugby-Bundesliga
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Rugby-Bundesliga
SportRugby union
Founded1971 (1971)
AdministratorDRV
No. of teams16
CountryGermany
Most recent
champion(s)		SC 1880 Frankfurt (4th title)
(2021–22)
Most titlesHeidelberger RK (11 titles)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation to2. Rugby-Bundesliga

The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of the league system for rugby union in Germany, organised by the German Rugby Federation.

The league has a mix of professional, semi-professional and amateur players, with four club in the league being officially professional outfits.[1]

From 2012 to 2015 the Bundesliga was expanded from ten to 24 and the league divided into four regional divisions of six teams each. Below the Bundesliga the 2. Bundesliga was organised in a similar fashion. From 2015 onwards the league returned to sixteen clubs.

History

The German rugby championship was first played in 1909 and, with the exception of 2002, has always been determined by a final.[2]

The Rugby-Bundesliga was first played in two divisions in the 1971-72 season and soon consisted of six teams in the North and ten teams in the South. However, of the eight southern teams, five were located in Heidelberg and after 1975 all northern teams were from Hanover. The founding members of the league were SV Odin Hannover, SV 1908 Ricklingen, DSV 1878 Hannover, TSV Victoria Linden, SC Siemensstadt and FC St. Pauli Rugby in the north and SC Neuenheim, RG Heidelberg, Heidelberger RK, Heidelberger TV, TSV Handschuhsheim, RC Hürth, Bonner SC, ASV Köln Rugby, SC 1880 Frankfurt and Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby.[3]

The league has changed its format a number of times over the years. In 1997-98, it played as a single-division league with eight teams. From 1998 to 2001, it was divided into two regional divisions again. The top-three teams from each of the two divisions then qualified for the finals round, held in a home-and-away format. The top two teams out of this round then played the German Final in a home-and-away format. The bottom three teams in each division played a spring round together with the top three teams of the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga to determine the clubs who would play in the Bundesliga in the next season.

Since 2001, the Bundesliga has been organised as a single division again with eight teams playing each other in a home-and-away season. The top two teams play each other in the championship final. In its first season, 2001–02, no final was held and the regular season winner was also the German champions. In the first 34 editions of the Final, there was always a team from Hanover present. Only in 2006 did this stop, and no team from Hanover has played in the final since.

Below the Bundesliga, two 2nd Bundesligas, north and south, form the second tier of the league system, with the winners promoted to the Bundesliga. The third tier of rugby is formed by the nine Regionalligen, regional leagues.

SC 1880 Frankfurt, the 2007-08 champions, had to wait 83 years for its fifth title, having last won the championship in 1925.[4] [5]

On 19 July 2008 at the annual general meeting of the German rugby association, the DRV decided to expand the Bundesliga and slightly change its modus. It was decided to expand the league to nine teams for 2008-09 and ten teams for 2009-10, meaning only one club will be relegated in 2009, and two promoted. Also, the play-off format was changed, with four teams qualifying for the finals. At the bottom end, in 2008-09, the last two teams would determine one relegated club via playoff. From 2009-10, the bottom four clubs will play-off to determine two relegated teams.[6]

The women's Rugby-Bundesliga consists of six teams in 2008 and also plays a final between the top two clubs at the end of the season.[7]

As a sign of the gap between the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga, TSV Victoria Linden, who only won the 2009-10 North/East division in the last round of the championship, declined promotion, citing the additional cost of travelling and the limited player pool as their reason. The South/West champion, Stuttgarter RC, has also indicated that it would not take up promotion, leaving the Bundesliga with only eight clubs for the next season. It also meant, for the first time ever, that no club from Hanover would compete at the top level of German rugby.[8][9] DSV 78 protested the decision to reduce the league to eight teams again and thereby relegating the club.[10] The annual convention of the German Rugby Federation however decided in early July 2010 to allow DSV 78 to stay in the Bundesliga.[11]

In February 2011, the DRV decided that the league would continue to play with ten teams in the near future.[12]

In mid-July 2012 the Deutsche Rugby Tag, the annual general meeting of the DRV decided to approve a league reform proposed by German international Manuel Wilhelm. The new system saw the number of clubs in the Bundesliga increased from ten to 24, the league divided into four regional divisions of six clubs each and the finals series expanded from four to sixteen teams. One of the main aims of the reform was to reduce the number of kilometres travelled by individual teams and therefore reduce the travel expenses.[13][14][15] The system will remain mostly unchanged for the 2013-14 season. The only changes will be a play-off between the fourth and fifth placed teams in each group after the first stage to determine the clubs advancing to the second stage. The championship play-offs after the second stage will be reduced from sixteen to twelve clubs with the top two teams in each group advancing directly to the quarter-finals while the remaining eight will play a wild card round to determine the other four quarter finalists.[16]

At the annual general meeting of the DRV in July 2015 it was decided to return to a sixteen club format with two regional divisions of eight. The last placed in each division would be relegated while the seventh placed teams would have to play-off against the third and fourth best team of the 2. Bundesliga.[17] The German championship in turn will be contested by the best two teams in each group.[18]

Clubs participating in 2023-24

1. Bundesliga - 16 clubs
North/East

• FC St. Pauli • Berliner RC • Hamburger RC • DSV 78 Hannover • RC Leipzig • RK 03 Berlin • SC Germania List • Victoria Linden

 South/West

• RG Heidelberg • München RFC • ASV Köln Rugby • RK Heusenstamm • SC Frankfurt 1880 • SC Neuenheim • TSV Handschuhsheim • Offenbacher SCR

Championship finals

The German rugby champions are determined by a final (except in 2001-02), currently contested by the two top teams of the Bundesliga:

Finals

Season Winner Runner–Up Result
1971–72 TSV Victoria Linden SC Neuenheim 17–16
1972–73 Heidelberger RK SV 08 Ricklingen 3–0
1973–74 SV 08 Ricklingen Heidelberger TV 15–9
1974–75 TSV Victoria Linden Heidelberger RK 12–4
1975–76 Heidelberger RK TSV Victoria Linden 35–0
1976–77 SC Germania List Heidelberger RK 16–9
1977–78 FV 1897 Linden TSV Handschuhsheim 24–16
1978–79 SC Germania List Heidelberger TV 9–0
1979–80 RG Heidelberg FV 1897 Linden 16–10
1980–81 SC Germania List Heidelberger RK 28–19
1981–82 DSV 78 Hannover RG Heidelberg 15–6
1982–83 DSV 78 Hannover RG Heidelberg 16–12
1983–84 DSV 78 Hannover TSV Victoria Linden 27–6
1984–85 DSV 78 Hannover RG Heidelberg 24–9
1985–86 Heidelberger RK DSV 1878 Hannover 15–9
1986–87 TSV Victoria Linden DSV 1878 Hannover 24–0
1987–88 DRC Hannover DSV 1878 Hannover 12–9
1988–89 TSV Victoria Linden Berliner RC 20–6
1989–90 DSV 78 Hannover SC Neuenheim 31–4
1990–91 DSV 78 Hannover TSV Victoria Linden 6–3
1991–92 TSV Victoria Linden SV 08 Ricklingen 59–3
1992–93 TSV Victoria Linden DSV 1878 Hannover 18–14
1993–94 TSV Victoria Linden Heidelberger TV 15–3
1994–95 SC Neuenheim TSV Victoria Linden 14–13
1995–96 TSV Victoria Linden RG Heidelberg 9–8
1996–97 RG Heidelberg TSV Victoria Linden 15–13
1997–98 DRC Hannover TSV Victoria Linden 25–20
1998–99 DRC Hannover RG Heidelberg 24–10 / 11–22 [19]
1999–2000 DRC Hannover TSV Victoria Linden 45–12 / 34–3 [20]
2000–01 DRC Hannover SC Neuenheim 28–16 / 8–13 [21]
2001–02 DRC Hannover RG Heidelberg not held [22]
2002–03 SC Neuenheim DRC Hannover 18–9 [23]
2003–04 SC Neuenheim DRC Hannover 23–18 [24]
2004–05 DRC Hannover TSV Handschuhsheim 21–9 [25]
2005–06 RG Heidelberg SC Neuenheim 13–9 [26]
2006–07 RG Heidelberg SC 1880 Frankfurt 23–15 [27]
2007–08 SC 1880 Frankfurt RG Heidelberg 28–13 [28]
2008–09 SC 1880 Frankfurt Heidelberger RK 11–8 [29]
2009–10 Heidelberger RK SC 1880 Frankfurt 39–22
2010–11 Heidelberger RK SC 1880 Frankfurt 12–9
2011–12 Heidelberger RK TV Pforzheim 20–16
2012–13 Heidelberger RK SC Neuenheim 41–10
2013–14 Heidelberger RK TV Pforzheim 43–20
2014–15 Heidelberger RK TV Pforzheim 53–27
2015–16 TV Pforzheim Heidelberger RK 41–36
2016–17 Heidelberger RK TV Pforzheim 39–35
2017–18 Heidelberger RK RG Heidelberg 47–12
2018–19 SC 1880 Frankfurt TSV Handschuhsheim 22–12
2019–20 Canceled due to COVID-19
2020–21 Canceled due to COVID-19
2021–22 SC 1880 Frankfurt TSV Handschuhsheim 29–17
2022–23 SC 1880 Frankfurt SC Neuenheim 30-16
2023–24 - - -

Source:"Die Deutschen Meister der Männer". Deutscher Rugby Verband. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-12-25.

Winners & Finalists

As of 2016, this is the standing in the all-time winners list of the Bundesliga:

Club Championships Finals
Heidelberger RK 9 14
TSV Victoria Linden 8 15
DRC Hannover 7 9
DSV 78 Hannover 6 10
SC 1880 Frankfurt 5 7
RG Heidelberg 4 10
SC Neuenheim 3 7
SC Germania List 3 3
FV 1897 Linden 1 2
SV 08 Ricklingen 1 3
TV Pforzheim 1 4
Heidelberger TV 0 3
TSV Handschuhsheim 0 4
Berliner RC 0 1

League placings

Since 1998, the following clubs have played in the league. From 1999 to 2001, the league consisted of two regional divisions of six teams each. After an autumn (A) round, the top three from each group would reach the championship finals round in spring (S). The bottom three, together with the top three from each of the two 2nd Bundesligas would play a promotion round in spring with the top three in each group playing in the Bundesliga the following autumn. In 1997-98 and from 2001 to 2012, the league has been played in a single-division format. From 2012–13 to 2014–15 it had been divided into a first (I) and second round (II), followed by play-offs:

Club 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
A S A S A S I II I II I II
Heidelberger RK 8  ? 9 5 11 6 7 6 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
RK 03 Berlin 2 7 8 7 8 8 2 3 2 3 1 2 1
TV Pforzheim 3 4 3 2 2 2 2 2
SC Germania List 5 8 4 7 4 8 7 8 3 5 3 4 2 3 2
RG Heidelberg 5  ? 2 3 5 3 3 2 4 3 3 1 2 2 5 2 4 6 3 4 4 4 3 4 3
DSV 78 Hannover 1 4 3 3 3 4 2 6 6 3 9 7 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 3
SC Neuenheim 2  ? 4 2 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 2 4 5 3 5 5 4 2 2 5 3 4 3 4
Berliner RC 4 7 5 9 7 7 7 5 5 7 5 4 4 6 6 9 1 2 1 2 2 4 4
TSV Handschuhsheim 6  ? 7 1 6 1 4 4 5 4 2 4 6 3 6 4 3 5 5 3 6 5 5 5
FC St Pauli Rugby 12 2 4 2 5 3 6 5
SC 1880 Frankfurt 12 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 5 2 7 2 7 6
RC Leipzig 5 4 6 6
RK Heusenstamm  ? 8 6 10 11 8 7 8 9 10 2 6 1 5 1 6 7
Hamburger RC 5 6 4 5 7
ASV Köln Rugby  ? 6 4 8 6 9 10 4 7 3 8 3 8 8
RU Hohen Neuendorf 4 7 8
SG Siemensstadt/Grizzlies 3 w
RC Aachen 6 5 4
TSV Victoria Linden 1 2 5 2 2 3 5 5 6 6 6 8 4 7 4 6 5
Berliner SV 92 Rugby 4 8 3 7 5
Heidelberger TV 6 6 6
08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf 3 5 8
RC Mainz 3 8 4
Veltener RC 5
TuS 95 Düsseldorf 6
USV Potsdam Rugby 3 6 6
RC Luxembourg 5
DRC Hannover 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 3 3 7 9
DSV 78/08 Ricklingen 1 8 7 8
München RFC 10 9 4 8 8
BSC Offenbach 7 8
RC Bonn Rhein-Sieg 7 5 12
Post SV Berlin Rugby 2 9
Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby 11 8 5 10
VfR Döhren 9 6 11 6 11
SC Siemensstadt 10 10 12
SV 1908 Ricklingen 1 12
SV Odin Hannover 8

Key

Champions Championship round participants

Player statistics

The top try and point scorers in recent season were:

Season Player Tries Player Points
2007–08
2008–09 Germany Alexander Pipa (TSV) 22 Germany Thorsten Wiedemann (TSV) 212
2009–10 Germany Alexander Pipa (TSV) 22 Germany Fabian Heimpel (RGH) 225
2010–11 New Zealand Caine Elisara (HRK) 27 New Zealand Keiran Manawatu (SC 1880) 282
2011–12 New Zealand Caine Elisara (HRK) 31 New Zealand Luke James Muggeridge (HRK) 234

References

  1. ↑ Getränke-Hersteller gegen Gold-Händler (in German) Offenbach-Post, published: 28 May 2011. accessed: 21 August 2011
  2. ↑ Die Deutschen Meister der Männer Archived 2007-10-25 at the Wayback Machine (in German) List of German rugby championship finals, accessed: 25 December 2008
  3. ↑ Geschichte Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine (in German) DRV website – History, accessed: 9 October 2014
  4. ↑ SC Frankfurt 1880 Deutscher Meister, RK 03 Berlin steigt auf (in German) scrum.de, accessed: 26 December 2008
  5. ↑ In Deutschland müssen Profis dem Platzwart helfen (in German) Die Welt online, published: 5 September 2007, accessed: 29 December 2008
  6. ↑ DRT beschließt Reform des Spielbetriebs Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine (in German) Rugby-Journal - Reforms 2008, accessed: 7 January 2009
  7. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne - Archiv 2007/2008 - 1. Frauenbundesliga (in German), accessed: 29 December 2008
  8. ↑ Victoria Linden verzichtet auf den Bundesligaaufstieg (in German), totalrugby.de, published: 27 May 2010, accessed: 29 May 2010
  9. ↑ RC gewinnt Zweitligameisterschaft - verzichtet aber dennoch auf den Aufstieg (in German), totalrugby.de, published: 31 May 2010, accessed: 1 June 2010
  10. ↑ Abstieg von Hannover 78 besiegelt - Bundesligasaison 2010/2011 mit nur 8 Mannschaften (in German) totalrugby.de, published: 8 June 2010. accessed: 14 June 2010
  11. ↑ Deutscher Rugby-Tag beschloss neuen Pokal-Austragungsmodus (in German) Rugby-Journal, published: 4 July 2010, accessed: 5 July 2010
  12. ↑ Es bleibt bei 10 Vereinen in der Bundesliga (in German) totalrugby.de, published: 9 February 2011, accessed: 5 March 2011
  13. ↑ DRT 2012: Ligareform kommt / Vertrag mit DRV-Vermarkter wird überprüft (in German) totalrugby.de, published: 16 July 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012
  14. ↑ DRT (in German) DRV website, published: 16 July 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012
  15. ↑ Rugby-Vizemeister TVPforzheim will 2013 den Titel holen (in German) Pforzheimer Zeitung, published: 9 May 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012
  16. ↑ Bundesligaausschuss beschließt Modifikation des Spielsystems (in German) totalrugby.de, published: 5 June 2013, accessed: 7 June 2013
  17. ↑ Rugby-Verband modifiziert Spielsystem (in German) Frankfurter Neue Presse, published: 7 July 2015, accessed: 9 July 2015
  18. ↑ Rugby-Bundesliga startet am Wochenende in ihre 45. Saison - Spielmodus erneut reformiert (in German) totalrugby.de, published: 27 August 2015, accessed: 12 September 2015
  19. ↑ 1. Rugby Bundesliga (in German) Results of the 1998–99 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  20. ↑ 1. Rugby Bundesliga (in German) Results of the 1999–2000 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  21. ↑ Rugby Archiv – Endrunde Frühjahr 2001 (in German) Results of the 2000–01 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  22. ↑ Rugby Archiv – Rugby Spielpläne – 2001/2002 (in German) Results of the 2001–02 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  23. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – 2002/2003 (in German) Results of the 2002–03 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  24. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – 2003/2004 (in German) Results of the 2003–04 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  25. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – Archiv 2004/2005 (in German) Results of the 2004–05 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  26. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – Archiv 2005/2006 (in German) Results of the 2005–06 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  27. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – Archiv 2006/2007 (in German) Results of the 2006–07 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  28. ↑ Rugby Spielpläne – Archiv 2007/2008 (in German) Results of the 2007–08 season, accessed: 25 December 2008
  29. ↑ Rugby–Journal – Bundesliga 2008–09 Archived 2010-03-23 at the Wayback Machine accessed: 26 December 2008

attendance

Rugby Bundesliga has not got a lot of attendance

Total attendance for tournament = 10,221 average attendance for match = 50

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