The Kazakhstan national rugby union team, nicknamed "The Nomads", is controlled by the Kazakhstan Rugby Union. Kazakhstan have been participating in international competition since 1994 after their independence from the USSR. In 2007, the fortunes of the team greatly improved by winning all five of their matches and rising 14 places in the IRB World Rankings to 32nd. This rise was the biggest by any international team over the year. This led to the team being entered into the top division of the new Asian Five Nations in 2008. Kazakhstan are now one of the leading rugby union nations in Asia, finishing second in the 2009 and 2010 Asian Five Nations to continent heavyweights Japan on both occasions. Their second-place finish in 2010 saw them advance to the four-team playoff for a final place at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. They lost 44–7 to Uruguay in Montevideo, being eliminated but it was still their best result yet. They have yet to qualify for a Rugby World Cup finals. The national side is ranked 64th in the world (as of 29 July 2019). Asian Five Nations Record 2008: 4th 2009: 2nd 2010: 2nd 2011: 4th 2012: 5th Current squad Squad to 2011 Asian Five Nations: Tairzhan Arzuev Sergey Menshikov Vladamir Chernhik Serik Zhanseitov Yevginey Shekurov Nikolay Zhuravlev Alexandr Zaharov Timur Mashurov (c) Akhmetzan Baratov Daulet Akymbekov Pavel Stikhin Ildar Abdrazakov Sergey Konev Pavel Leonov Vladamir Mitin Substitutes: Vladamir Sitdikov Dimitri Tkachenko Anton Gunbin Roman Sorokodyuba Dimitri Tronin Dastan Suleimenov Evegeniy Romanov World Cup Record See also Kazakhstan women's national rugby union team Rugby union in Kazakhstan External links Official site Tries and Tribulations Current Squad References Asian national rugby union teams Rugby union in Kazakhstan