This timeline lists the foundation dates of the national governing bodies for rugby union—known as rugby unions or federations. The first union was the
Rugby Football Union (RFU) that was founded in 1871 to govern rugby union within
England. It was founded following the first ever rugby union international, played between
England and
Scotland in 1871. The
Scottish Football Union (later renamed the Scottish Rugby Union) was then founded in 1873, the
Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879 and the
Welsh Rugby Union in 1881.
1889
South African Rugby Board (merged with South African Rugby Union in 1992 to form South African Rugby Football Union; merged body renamed South African Rugby Union in 2005)
1892
New Zealand Rugby (founded as New Zealand Rugby Football Union, known as New Zealand Rugby Union from 2006–2013)
1974
Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (founded as Gulf Rugby Football Union) — then an overseas member of the Rugby Football Union; became independent in 1990. Officially disbanded in 2011; to be replaced with separate national unions in each of its former member countries. The new United Arab Emirates union was founded shortly before the AGRFU dissolution.
1992
South African Rugby Union (founded as South Africa Rugby Football Union, a merger of the white South African Rugby Board and the non-racial South African Rugby Union; adopted current name in 2005)