rugby union summer olympics rugby union men medal sport modern summer olympic games played seven competitions sport debuted paris games gold medal won host nation subsequently featured london games antwerp games paris games united_states successful nation olympic rugby tournaments having won gold medal france medals gold shortly games dropped rugby union olympic sport numerous attempts bring sport olympic programme october voted session copenhagen include version sport summer olympics rio_de_janeiro event debut olympic programme summer youth olympics inclusion sport introduced famous reviving modern olympics helped establish rugby france domestic french club championship france international new year day formed rugby union featured national olympic committees france germany great_britain entered teams games german british teams national teams current sense word represented great_britain represented germany rules different today points awarded tries given drop goal points awarded goal mark reduced points eliminated completely points penalties conversions respectively modern game france won gold beating great_britain points defeating germany points sources list german team second points difference determination people watched game france great_britain largest crowd games player french team known coloured athlete compete olympic games rugby union played games games included olympics held sport native country involved organization sport edition olympics like games teams entered representing australia new_zealand france hosts great_britain included ireland france pulled prior commencement tournament unable field representative team represented tour britain best english welsh players tour new_zealand time great_britain represented cornwall county team chosen appropriate defeated durham english county championship choice cornwall controversial players represented england defeated points expected defeated great_britain claiming gold medal score points match white city stadium played poor conditions fog slippery field australian team members later win olympic gold medal win rugby gold united_states win gold medal rowing games rugby programme sport failed appear provisional schedule summer olympics cancelled world war campaign send american games antwerp started california berkeley rugby union touring party returned british_columbia undefeated granted permission entry pool players stanford berkeley squad champion player coach stanford time team prominent member arrived antwerp romanian teams withdrawn leaving france united_states english decided enter team interfere start english domestic season match played rain spectators featuring players new sport rugby caused shock winning match points zero points scored second half team members took home medals antwerp finishing second meters dash winning meters relay team sport included subsequent games paris decided send team order defend gold medal host nation romania entered american team mainly players seven members team squad departed seven day voyage england ocean liner new_york_city defeated romania crowd france defeated romania entered final game favorites gold medal game played spectators venue large wire fence built field game defeated france team win gold twice sport final whistle pitch invaded french team aided police best protect opponents medal ceremony took place police protection gold silver france bronze romania rare vintage footage gold medal match included rugby documentary giant awakens rise american rugby exclusion pitch invasion paris olympics given rugby poor image problems attracting sufficient teams viable sport desire include individual women events spelled death rugby olympics baron stepped head departure sport lost major advocates turned request stage rugby amsterdam games exhibition tournament held berlin games france germany italy romania competing date rugby match played olympics france beat germany final african countries summer olympics montreal demand new_zealand excluded met new_zealand rugby team toured south_africa banned olympics politics rugby union olympic sport declined exclude new_zealand efforts inclusion italy soviet_union south_korea requests rugby union brought request pass games came close failed sport admission backed apart supporting individual host cities requests focus efforts returning sport olympics early 1990s efforts began reunite movements series informal meetings secretary secretary wales elected chairman march olympic recognition began earnest convinced olympic membership initially non participation sport beneficial rugby offer member unions membership france italy romania members decades demand rugby olympics mounted rugby nations africa asia oceania americas joined sport seen providing realistic medal opportunity number smaller nations significant step process acceptance achieved ceremony held cardiff november officially confirmed ceremony president pointed rugby history values tune olympic philosophy traditions historic meeting cardiff led representation annual meetings consideration inclusion programme future olympic games plan presented rugby golf chinese martial art sports submitted proposal meeting singapore inclusion games stated sport added dropped confident sport finally included official olympic programme selection sports nominees potential sports went determined voting procedure recently rugby competed golf available spaces olympics final decision session copenhagen october number high profile people events influence include games march senior delegates attended rugby world cup invitation event attracted fans days saw wales crowned men world champions australia won women world cup world cup enlisted rugby biggest names assist bid march announced ambassadors bid april unveiled ambassador coincide general assembly saw announce drop rugby world cup order improve chances sport included benefit olympics premier event international rugby rugby baseball dropped olympic programme golf roller sports speed skating seeking included games leaders seven sports formal presentations executive board june new system place session sport needs simple majority thirds majority required august announced executive board recommending rugby inclusion olympic games october session copenhagen voted include games separate competitions men women held similar format existing world series originally proposed including teams sex number team ball sports events presentation session members asked teams included chief executive responded followed guidance executive members feels teams add results games cumulative nations players participated match counted notable rugby players involved olympics number fields notable rugby players include founder modern olympics rugby fan referee french championship rugby union final march france track events scotland track events canada gold olympic ireland track events represented ireland cricket golf competing davis cup ireland gold olympic water polo olympic represent countries great_britain belgium international president rugby player won gold france carried torch twice olympics notable plays competitive rugby ireland international competed ireland shot games barcelona winning caps ireland rugby union team
Rugby union at the Summer Olympics