Algeria national rugby union team

The Algeria national rugby union team represents Algeria in men's international rugby union. The team is administered by the Algerian rugby Federation (FAR). The first match they competed in was on the 24th February 2007, in a game in Tunis against the Tunisia national rugby union team (to which Algeria won by 8-7). While almost all current national team players play for clubs in the French championship, there are some national players who practice the sport in Australia, New Zealand, Romania and England. The first coach of the Algeria national rugby union team was Morad Kellal.

Algeria

Nickname(s)	"Les Lionceaux" (The Lion Cubs)[1]
Ground(s)	Stade Ahmed Zabana
Coach(es)	Boumedienne Allam
Captain(s)	Nasser Benamor
Most caps	Rabah Abdelkader (12)
Top scorer	Johan Bensalla (59)
Most tries	Yazid Chouchane (3)
Team kit Change kit
First international
Kazakhstan 5–26 Algeria (June 6, 2015)
Largest win
Zambia 0–31 Algeria (October 20, 2018)
Largest defeat
Malaysia 19–11 Algeria (June 14, 2015)
World Cup
Appearances	None (First in -)
Best result	-

History

Before 2015

Rugby is played on Algerian territory during French colonization. After this period, its practice decreased rapidly, until disappearing in 1972.[2] At the invitation of the Tunisia national rugby union team, Algeria brought together Nabeul a selection of the best Algerian players from rugby and started on the international stage On 27 February 2007 against Tunisia, a match that she won 8 to 7 Algeria,[3] the Fennecs dream of having a federation with an attempt of Samir Khamouche playing at Castres and a penalty Of Nadir Boukhaloua playing Lyon OU. Later, the Algerians won 20 points to 17 against the hopes of the Stade français at the Villeneuve stadium of the commune of Clichy, department of Hauts-de-Seine, As well as against other African teams, including the Ivory Coast team.,[3] in the absence of a federation recognized by the Algerian State, it does not appear in the World Rugby Rankings and has not yet played an official meeting.[3]

2015: return of rugby union in Algeria

Preparation of the setting up of official bodies

Disappeared in the early 1970s, rugby found its place in Algeria. On January 1, 2015, after eight years of discussions and exchanges, the Ministry of Sports, assisted by the Algerian Olympic Committee, validates the creation of the National Algerian Rugby Association which will become the rugby union current 2015.

The objectives of this new body are the Rugby World Cup in 2019 in Japan, not forgetting the Africa Cup. With the recognition of the Federation, the selection can now appeal to players who play in the Top 14 to build a highly competitive national team. For Sofiane Abdelkader Benhassen, founder of the pilot club of the Oranese Stadium in 2008, who has been appointed president, priority is also and above all to popularize the discipline in Algeria and to make this sport known to the youth of the country through the creation of schools.

Crescent Cup Rugby Championship

On June 1, 2015, the Algerian Rugby Union team flew to Malaysia for the Crescent Cup Rugby Championship, their first official international competition.,[4] The Algerian rugby union team started its tournament with a 26–5 victory against the Kazakhstan team, ranked 39. He is victorious for the first official match in the history of the Algerian selection of rugby. Confirmation that the Algerian potential is indeed there. after the piece and against the same team again won 15–0 to qualify to the final to face the owner of the land shed Malaysian team stopped due to riots between the players.[5]

Creation of the national federation

On 17 November 2015, the federation was formally established in Algiers at a general assembly meeting chaired by Mustapha Larfaoui, Honorary President of the Algerian Olympic Committee Olympic and Sports Algerian and in the presence of 18 clubs representing 16 wilayas. Sofiane Benhassen is elected the first president of the Algerian rugby union (FAR).[6][7] Membership in the continental federation Rugby Africa is planned in December 2016.[8]

The first official match played under the auspices of the Algerian federation on December 18, 2015 Oran against the Tunisia. Salim and Djemaï Tebani are breeders of this first official meeting on Algerian soil.[9] In Ahmed Zabana Stadium of Oran, Algeria won this game 16–6 with a team consisting mainly of players based in France and two players trained in Algerian clubs.[10]

Launch of the Maghreb Tri-Nations

In December 2016, the Algerian Rugby Federation in collaboration with Rugby Africa will organize the first edition of a Maghreb Tri-nations grouping Algeria, Tunisia national rugby union team and the Morocco national rugby union team. World Rugby has validated it, and the event will take place at Oran, Algeria.[11][12]

Africa Cup

The Algerian team, in their first participation in the tournament, signed in the North Group with Cameroon and Nigeria, but the Cameroonian team had been postponed through lack of organization that Rugby Africa disqualified Cameroon and suspended the activity of the country's federation for three months.[13] which made the organizing committee to play a home-and-home series matche against Nigeria in Zambia, but the latter also withdrew to be a final Winner North vs Winner South against Zambia November 4, 2017 at Mufulira Leopards Rugby Club. in a historic match as the first official match to enable the Algerian team to win a 30–25 in the first defeat to Zambia in its home since 2002.[14] the Algerian national team will play next season in the Rugby Africa Silver Cup.

World Cup record

The team has neither qualified for or being invited to any of the Rugby World Cups, because of its relatively recent foundation.

Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Salim Tebani
Assistant coach	Djemai Tebani
General manager	Azzouz Aib
President of the Algerian federation (FAR)	Sofiane Abdelkader Benhassen
Fitness coach	Nahim Rouabah

Record

Overall

As of 20 October 2018 their record against all nations is as follows:

Opponent	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win %	For	Aga	Diff
Egypt	1	1	0	0	100.00	50	0	+50
Ivory Coast	2	2	0	0	100.00	48	31	+17
Kazakhstan	2	2	0	0	100.00	41	5	+36
Libya	1	1	0	0	100.00	50	0	+50
Malaysia	1	0	1	0	00.00	11	19	-8
Morocco	2	0	2	0	00.00	24	32	-8
Senegal	1	1	0	0	100.00	22	18	+4
Kenya	0	0	0	0	00.00	0	0	0
Uganda	0	0	0	0	00.00	0	0	0
Tunisia	4	3	1	0	75.00	73	53	-20
Zambia	2	2	0	0	100.00	61	25	+35
Total	16	12	4	0	75.00	380	183	+196

Rugby World Cup

World Cup record									World Cup Qualification record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A		P	W	D	L	F	A
1987	Did not enter								Did not enter
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023	To be determined								To be determined
Total	0/9	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0

Africa Cup

Africa Cup record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A
2000 to 2016	Did not enter
2017	Champions Bronze Cup	1	1	0	0	30	25
2018	Champions Silver Cup	3	3	0	0	76	31
2019-20		0	0	0	0	0	0
2020	To be determined
Total	3/18	4	4	0	0	106	56

North African Tri Nations

North African Tri Nations record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A
2016	Third place	2	0	0	2	26	28
2017	Second place	2	1	0	1	49	33
2018	Not played
2019	To be determined
Total	2/2	4	1	0	3	75	61

Crescent Cup

Crescent Cup record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A
2015	Second place	3	2	0	1	52	24
Total	1/1	3	2	0	1	52	24

African Development Trophy

African Development Trophy record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A
2004 to 2009	Did not enter
2010	Champions North Section	2	2	0	0	100	0
Total	1/7	2	2	0	0	100	0

Individual all-time records

Statistics from The beginning of the match against Kazakhstan on 6 June 2015, before this date unofficial matches.

Most caps

#	Player	Pos	Span	Mat	Pts	Tries	Conv	Pens	Drop	Won	Lost	Draw	Win %
1.	Rabah Abdelkader	Flanker	2015–present	12	5	1	0	0	0	8	4	0	66.67
1.	Boris Bouhraoua	Scrum-half	2015–present	12	11	1	3	0	0	8	4	0	66.67
3.	Nasser Benamor	Prop	2015–2018	11	0	0	0	0	0	7	4	0	63.64
4.	Khaled Kahlouchi	Flanker	2015–present	10	5	1	0	0	0	7	3	0	70.00
5.	Lou Bouhraoua	Scrum-half	2015–present	9	11	0	1	3	0	5	4	0	55.56
5.	Mohamed Belguidoum	Centre	2015–present	9	10	2	0	0	0	6	3	0	66.67
7.	Maxim Meneghini	Centre	2016–present	8	0	0	0	0	0	5	3	0	62.50
7.	Yazid Chouchane	Wing	2015–present	8	10	2	0	0	0	5	3	0	62.50
7.	Djamel Ouchene	Wing	2015–present	8	10	2	0	0	0	7	1	0	87.50

Last updated: Algeria vs Zambia, 20 October 2018. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most tries

#	Player	Pos	Span	Mat	Pts	Tries	Conv	Pens	Drop
1.	Yazid Chouchane	Wing	2015–present	8	15	3	0	0	0
1.	Rémi Cardon	Flanker	2017–present	5	15	3	0	0	0
3.	Yakine Djebbari	lock	2016–present	6	10	2	0	0	0
3.	Djamel Ouchene	Wing	2015–present	8	10	2	0	0	0
3.	Mohamed Belguidoum	centre	2015–present	9	10	2	0	0	0
3.	Walid Batchali	Flanker	2018–present	3	10	2	0	0	0

Last updated: Algeria vs Zambia, 20 October 2018. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most points

#	Player	Pos	Span	Mat	Pts	Tries	Conv	Pens	Drop
1.	Johan Bensalla	Fly-half	2015–present	7	59	0	7	13	2
2.	Yoan Saby	Fly-half	2017–present	5	22	0	5	4	0
3.	Yazid Chouchane	Wing	2015–present	8	15	3	0	0	0
3.	Rémi Cardon	Flanker	2017–present	5	15	3	0	0	0
5.	Enzo Kralfa	Scrum-half	2018–present	3	14	1	1	3	0
6.	Lou Bouhraoua	Scrum-half	2015–present	9	11	0	1	3	0
6.	Boris Bouhraoua	Scrum-half	2015–present	11	11	1	3	0	0
8.	Mohamed Belguidoum	centre	2015–present	9	10	2	0	0	0
8.	Walid Batchali	Flanker	2018–present	3	10	2	0	0	0

Last updated: Algeria vs Zambia, 20 October 2018. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most points in a match

#	Player	Pos	Pts	Tries	Conv	Pens	Drop	Opposition	Venue	Date
1.	Johan Bensalla	Scrum-half	15	0	0	5	0	Tunisia	Oran	24/12/2016
2.	Yoan Saby	Fly-half	11	0	1	3	0	Ivory Coast	Toulouse	14/7/2018
2.	Johan Bensalla	Scrum-half	11	0	1	3	0	Tunisia	Oran	18/12/2015
4.	Johan Bensalla	Scrum-half	10	0	2	2	0	Zambia	Mufulira	4/11/2017
4.	Rémi Cardon	Flanker	10	2	0	0	0	Zambia	Mufulira	4/11/2017
4.	Enzo Kralfa	Scrum-half	10	1	1	1	0	Senegal	Toulouse	8/7/2018

Last updated: Algeria vs Zambia, 20 October 2018. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Most tries in a match

Current squad

The following players have been called up to play for the Algeria squad at least once within the last 24 months.

Head coach: Salim Tebani and Djemaï Tebani

• Caps updated: 18 December 2015

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province Malik Hamadache Prop (1988-10-17) 17 October 1988 3 Section Paloise Karim Bougherara Prop (1989-01-03) 3 January 1989 1 Union Sportive Bressane Sofiane Chellat Prop (1990-01-12) 12 January 1990 4 RC Massy Bekada Belhaouari Prop (1991-08-19) 19 August 1991 3 Blagnac SCR Reda Benlebbad Prop (1992-07-18) 18 July 1992 1 Lombez SC Nasser Benamor Prop (1978-04-24) 24 April 1978 7 Avenir Valencien Mourad Frih Prop (1991-10-01) 1 October 1991 4 Stade niçois Amine Bouladjeraf Prop (1992-07-09) 9 July 1992 1 Stade Oranais Yassine Saaoui Hooker (1991-02-05) 5 February 1991 5 CS Beaune Bilal Abed Scrum-half (1989-07-30) 30 July 1989 6 Stade Dijonnais Côte D'Or Mahmoud Djenadi Scrum-half (1991-04-19) 19 April 1991 4 CARF rugby Moussa Reghis Scrum-half (1982-08-20) 20 August 1982 5 US Annecy Saïd Hireche Flanker (1985-05-27) 27 May 1985 1 CA Brive Samir Doukbi Flanker (1985-11-10) 10 November 1985 2 US seynoise Rabah Abdelkader Flanker (1987-06-21) 21 June 1987 4 Stade olympique millavois Walid Bouregba Flanker (1994-06-21) 21 June 1994 4 Lézignan Sangliers Khaled Kahlouchi Flanker (1984-02-14) 14 February 1984 6 US Saint-Sulpice Danyl Youcef Flanker 5 RC Martigues Port-de-Bouc Boris Bouhraoua (c) Scrum-half (1984-05-04) 4 May 1984 8 AC Bobigny 93 Rugby Lou Bouhraoua Scrum-half (1991-11-03) 3 November 1991 4 AC Bobigny 93 Rugby Johan Bensalla Fly-half (1991-04-01) 1 April 1991 1 Lombez SC Nadir Boukhaloua Fly-half (1987-08-14) 14 August 1987 5 SO Givors Mohamed Belguidoum Centre (1994-01-24) 24 January 1994 1 U Prodvinalco Cluj Vincent Haouari Centre (1983-04-12) 12 April 1983 5 RCHC La Crau Said Tamghart Centre (1980-05-13) 13 May 1980 4 Whitehaven RLFC Djamel Ouchene Wing (1988-01-31) 31 January 1988 3 Sporting nazairien rugby Mehdi Chouchane Wing 4 Avenir sportif de Bédarrides Yazid Chouchane Wing 4 Avenir sportif de Bédarrides Jilali Aïb Wing (1983-11-22) 22 November 1983 5 EV Malemort BO Samir Khamouche Wing (1986-09-16) 16 September 1986 9 CO Berre XV See also Rugby union in Algeria Algerian rugby federation References http://www.lemonde.fr/rugby/video/2015/12/31/la-renaissance-du-rugby-en-algerie_4840476_1616937.html "A l'ombre des Fennecs, les Lionceaux algériens de l'ovale veulent se faire les griffes". rugbyrama.fr. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "En Algérie, les Fennecs rêvent d'avoir une fédération". rugbyrama.fr. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Salim Tebani: "On n'est plus les oubliés du sport algérien"". rugbyrama.fr. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Malaysia v Algeria rugby union final abandoned after savage brawl". The Guardian. June 16, 2015. "La Fédération algérienne voit le jour". lequipe.fr. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "La Fédération algérienne de rugby est née". lexpressiondz.com. 17 November 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "L'Algérie ralliera le Rugby Afrique en décembre 2016". aps.dz. 16 December 2015. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Première pour l'Algérie sur son sol". lequipe.fr. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Première réussie pour l'Algérie". lequipe.fr. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Zone Afrique : un Tri Nations au Maghreb en décembre". lequipe.fr. Paris. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "World Rugby donne son accord pour un Tri-nations à Oran !". lagazettedufennec.com. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016. "Pas de Coupe d'Afrique pour un rugby camerounais en crise". rfi.fr (in French). 25 May 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017. "FINALE DE LA BRONZE CUP 2017 : L'EXPLOIT ALGÉRIEN !". rugbyafrique.com. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017. External links Algerian rugby team statistics Algerian Rugby union facebook page