page_title: Rugby union in Cuba
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Rugby union in Cuba / History
caption_attribution_description: Ernesto Guevara (primero desde la derecha) con integrantes del equipo de rugby Yporá Rugby Club. ca.1947
context_page_description: Rugby union in Cuba is a minor sport.
context_section_description: Rugby was played by famous Argentinian revolutionaries Alberto Granado and Che Guevara. After meeting through the game and going on to tour South America (see The Motorcycle Diaries) the pair would settle in Cuba and become national heroes. Alberto Granado later became Cuban's Rugby first Patron and helped develop the sport in the Country where it had not been traditionally played.
  During the 1990s and first decade of this century Rugby slowly developed with the involvement of several touring teams from foreign countries such as Canada and France. These teams helped to provide both coaching and much needed equipment.  With no olympic support at this time, Cuban rugby had no financial backing from the government with teams often playing under precarious conditions with no changing rooms, goal posts and even no markings on the pitch.
  In 2002 the Cuban Rugby Union organized the Cuban Rugby Championship for the first time, with both a 15 a side and sevens tournament.
caption: Che Guevara (first on the right) with an Argentine rugby team, c. 1948.
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