ge ois ▁sport ▁by ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁people ▁with ▁limited ▁appeal . ▁The ▁earliest ▁countries ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁playing ▁of ▁compet itive ▁rugby ▁include ▁South ▁Africa , ▁and ▁neighbour ing ▁Rh odes ia ▁( mod ern - day ▁Z imb ab we ), ▁which ▁formed ▁the ▁Rh odes ia ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁more ▁recent ▁times ▁the ▁sport ▁has ▁been ▁emb rac ed ▁by ▁several ▁African ▁nations . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁Mad agas car ▁has ▁experienced ▁crow ds ▁of ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁at ▁national ▁matches , ▁while ▁Nam ib ia , ▁whose ▁history ▁of ▁rugby ▁can ▁be ▁dated ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁have ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁stages ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁four ▁times ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁Other ▁African ▁nations ▁to ▁be ▁represented ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Rugby ▁Rank ings ▁as ▁Member ▁Un ions ▁include ▁C ô te ▁d ' I vo ire , ▁Ken ya , ▁U g anda ▁and ▁Z amb ia . ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁Ken ya ▁are ▁among ▁the ▁ 1 5 ▁" core ▁teams " ▁that ▁particip ate ▁in ▁every ▁event ▁of ▁the ▁men ' s ▁World ▁Rugby ▁Se vens ▁Series . ▁ ▁Women ' s ▁rugby ▁union ▁ ▁Records ▁of ▁women ' s ▁rugby ▁football ▁date ▁from ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁documented ▁source ▁being ▁Em ily ▁Valent ine ' s ▁writ ings , ▁in ▁which ▁she