▁best - known ▁rugby ▁playing ▁nation ▁in ▁South ▁America , ▁found ing ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁Rugby ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁several ▁other ▁countries ▁on ▁the ▁continent ▁have ▁a ▁long ▁history . ▁Rugby ▁had ▁been ▁played ▁in ▁Brazil ▁since ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁but ▁the ▁game ▁was ▁played ▁regularly ▁only ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁when ▁São ▁Paulo ▁beat ▁Santos ▁in ▁an ▁inter - city ▁match . ▁It ▁took ▁Uruguay ▁several ▁ab orted ▁attempts ▁to ▁adapt ▁to ▁rugby , ▁led ▁mainly ▁by ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁Monte video ▁Cr icket ▁Club ; ▁these ▁efforts ▁succeeded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁with ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁league ▁and ▁four ▁clubs . ▁Other ▁South ▁American ▁countries ▁that ▁formed ▁a ▁rugby ▁union ▁include ▁Chile ▁( 1 9 4 8 ), ▁and ▁Par agu ay ▁( 1 9 6 8 ). ▁ ▁Asia ▁ ▁Many ▁Asian ▁countries ▁have ▁a ▁tradition ▁of ▁playing ▁rugby ▁d ating ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁India ▁began ▁playing ▁rugby ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Cal cut ta ▁Football ▁Club ▁forming ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 . ▁However , ▁with ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁British ▁army ▁regiment , ▁interest ▁in ▁rugby ▁dimin ished ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁The ▁Cal cut ta ▁Football ▁Club ▁was ▁dis band ed , ▁and ▁rugby ▁in ▁India ▁fal tered . ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁claims ▁to ▁have ▁founded ▁their ▁union ▁in