Join the 21 Year Anniversary Fundraiser and Help Support Indonesian Rugby
Saturday, 1 November 2025 | Fundraising Event in Jakarta
Rugby is not the first thing you think of when you think ‘Indonesian national sport,’ and this sentiment was even less believable two decades ago. With local rugby union clubs found in 25 out of 38 Indonesian provinces, and an official national team to boot, the dream of a handful of friends has become a reality 21 years later. This is the story of Indonesian Rugby.
Whilst rugby balls have certainly bounced on the mudding grounds of tanah airku for decades, in its earliest day it was more a sport enjoyed and played by expatriate communities, with a few curious Indonesians getting into the ruck. A few local clubs formed, and rumour has it, even a rag-tag international team who made it to the Hong Kong Sevens – a story for another time.
By 2004, there were six rugby clubs across five Indonesian provinces: ISCI Komodos and JJRG (Jakarta), Bali Chooks, Papua Kotekas (West Papua), Sangatta Saracens (East Kalimantan), and Gosowong Miners (North Maluku). Competitions between them and other Southeast Asian clubs became regular, with the famous ‘Bali Rugby Tens’ one of the annual favourites – by then already running for a decade. The mood around rugby was positive, with more and more Indonesians getting involved in their respective, local clubs.
Photos courtesy of Indonesian Rugby
A major galvanising moment for Indonesian rugby was in fact when tragedy struck during the 2002 Bali Tens, and 27 rugby players and supporters lost their lives during the horrific First Bali Bombings. This brought the Indonesian rugby community closer, with memorials, fundraisers and support building a national camaraderie. This solidified the idea that the future of the game in Indonesia was for Indonesians.
This is what spurred seven friends – Andrew Nugroho, Stephen Barber, Paul Quaglia, Lawrence Jorgensen, Andrew Vater, Brian Millen, Deano Herewini – to dream up a wild idea: make rugby a national sport, and have it played across the archipelago. Walking the talk, on 10 May 2004 they founded ‘Indonesian Rugby’, an official foundation (Persatuan Rugby Union Indonesia, PRUI) with the purpose of developing the sport and culture of Rugby Union in Indonesia.
Ten Years to Recognition
Having taken their first official step, the mission pushed them forward, and just a year later, October 2005, they became a Full Member of Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU); this became a catalyst to mobilise a team with a national identity, and in 2006 the first ever Indonesian Men’s Team ‘The Rhinos’ went into official competition. At the time, the team consisted of both expatriate and Indonesian players, but all proud to play under the Indonesian flag.
Below: Development rugby clinics with young Indonesians across the country
Photo courtesy of Indonesian Rugby
In 2008, Indonesian Rugby was granted an Associate Membership to the International Rugby Board (IRB), now known as World Rugby and then started the first Indonesian Men’s 7s team, The Harimau. It took longer for women to adopt the sport, but with development initiatives pushing, Indonesia’s first women’s team, The Cendrawasih, finally started to compete in 2010.
Ironically, despite being already recognised by international bodies and organisations, it wasn’t until 2013 that the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) recognised rugby as an official ‘National Sport’, seeing the growing local adoption and enjoyment of the sport. World Rugby gave Indonesia full membership in the same year.
In under 10 years, rugby went from an expat hobby to a recognised national sport, with rugby-loving Indonesians not only playing, but joining the foundation to help grow and introduce the sport further. Since then, Indonesian rugby has competed in SEA Games (2017) and Asian Games (2018), along with other major international rugby competitions, with fully-Indonesian players representing their country on the field.
Indonesian Rugby Today
From only six clubs in five provinces in 2004, Indonesian Rugby is now represented by a total of 42 rugby clubs across 25 provinces in Indonesia (as of 2025). There are 2,888 registered players across the country – 1,260 of which are female – 74 registered coaches and 89 registered referees.
Today, the PRUI Board is run by passionate Indonesians who continue the vision of those seven friends – the ball has been effectively passed down the line, and across the nation, from Aceh to Merauke.
But this didn’t happen by itself. It took a concerted effort over the decades to develop both the interest and infrastructure surrounding sport, with support coming from international and local sports communities. One of the most effective methods has been the Rugby Masuk Sekolah (Rugby Goes to School) programme, where the sport is brought directly to national school students. Through this programme, over 30,000 students nationwide have held, thrown and kicked a rugby ball.
Whilst Indonesian teams now play on the world stage, rugby’s domestic scene has also become increasingly competitive and organised. Since 2016, the sport has been included in the Pekan Olahraga Nasional (PON) — Indonesia’s largest multi-sport event held every four years, where athletes from every province compete for national honours. At the regional level, Pekan Olahraga Provinsi (Provincial Sports Week) brings together regency-based teams from provinces. Complementing these is the National Rugby Championship, an annual competition that, by 2025, will feature youth categories from Under-14 to Under-18 alongside the senior-level sevens tournament — nurturing a clear pathway for young players aspiring to the national stage.
Photos courtesy of Indonesian Rugby
What’s Next for Indonesian Rugby?
Looking ahead, the next chapter is ambitious. Between 2025 and 2030, PRUI aims to strengthen its national teams across all age groups, establish Indonesia’s first Women’s XVs side by 2026, and break into the Top 8 of Asia’s sevens circuit. The organisation also plans to certify over 300 local coaches, referees, and medics — ensuring that rugby’s growth is built on strong foundations.
From a handful of dreamers two decades ago to thousands of players across the nation today, the story of Indonesian Rugby is one of determination, teamwork, and resilience. As PRUI prepares for its upcoming fundraiser, it’s not just about supporting a sport, it’s about investing in a community that continues to prove that rugby’s true power lies in unity.
Join the 21 Year Anniversary Fundraiser and Help Support Indonesian Rugby
Saturday, 1 November 2025 | Fundraising Event in Jakarta
For more on Indonesian Rugby:
@instagram.com/indonesianrugby
https://rugbyindonesia.or.id/
