International Deaf Rugby Organisation
"Similarity through Rugby"

Brief History of International Deaf Rugby Organisation
In August 1995, in representing our first proposal to respective New Zealand Deaf Rugby Football Union Mr. Reginald Leach (President) and Mr. Kevin Pivac (Secretary) and South Africa Deaf Rugby Football Union Mr. Eugene van Vuuren (Manager) and Mr. Louis Barnard (Assistant Manager) of the South Africa Deaf Rugby party in New Zealand tour. They are unanimous in Kevin Pivac as convenor desire and totally focused on formulating an International Deaf Rugby Organisation and Deaf Rugby World Championship that is capable to meet all challenges as we progress to the 21st Century in 2002.

The International Deaf Rugby Organisation (IDRO) was founded in the Cardiff Rugby Football Club of the Trophy Room at the Westgate Street, Cardiff in Wales on 26 November 1998.

The authorized representatives of the following Organisation signed the foundation act:

  • England - London and Home Counties Deaf Rugby Club
  • Japan - Japan Deaf Rugby Football Club JDRFC
  • New Zealand - New Zealand Deaf Rugby Football Union NZDRF
  • South Africa - South Africa Deaf Rugby Football Union SADRFU
  • Wales - Wales Deaf Rugby Football Club WDRFC
Representing New Zealand were: Kevin Pivac and Reginald Leach; South Africa: Dirkie Marais and Lucas van Vuuren; Wales: Anthony Troy and Richard Jones; England: Steve Wherry and Marcel Hirshman; Japan: Koji Nagata.

Photo by Kevin Pivac

Unfortunately, Paul Welch (Australia) couldn't arrived in Cardiff during this meeting, he got lost and couldn't find the IDRO meeting. Paul meet them at the hotel after that the meeting.

The first official international matches took place on the continent at the beginning of the century. The idea of founding an international organisation began taking form. In general, one intended recognising the leading role of the New Zealander who had already founded their Deaf Rugby Football Union in 1991. Thus, Kevin Pivac, temporary administrator was accepted and agreed by the representatives until the new Executive Council of IDRO in 2000, with adopted and acceptance of new constitution in the later. So Kevin Pivac took the opportunity and sent out invitations to the founding assembly. The services rendered by the founders were enormous. One began organising international deaf rugby at a higher level.

The first IDRO Assembly held twenty-one months later on 12-13 August 2000 held at Copthorne Orchid Hotel, 214 Dunearn Road, Singapore, elected Kevin Pivac as Chairman. Reginald Leach (New Zealand) was made Vice-Chairman. Ian Glover (Wales) was appointed General Secretary and Treasurer, with the assistance of Executive members of Peter Powe (Wales) and Dirkie Marais (South Africa). These pioneers were faced with an immense task because IDRO only existed on paper so to speak. One had to give it shape, create Unions as national representations and get hold of new members. In the meantime, the Unions from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales had joined IDRO. Other Unions from Fiji, France and Scotland, recognised the National Deaf Rugby Unions affiliated to IDRO and joined in the later. This was IDRO's first big success, thanks to Kevin Pivac, with great personal efforts.


New IDRO Logo
The IDRO Executive Council 2000

The idea of having a major international competition was still up in the air and so the IDRO assumed the responsibility for the administration and organisation of a tournament that took place within the context of the Deaf Rugby World Championships in Auckland in 2002. The New Zealand Deaf Rugby Football Union was appointed by the IDRO as the Host Union for the inaugural 2002 Deaf Rugby World Championships Tournament with the support of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. The NZRFU is affiliated to IRB to provide such approval of the Deaf Rugby World Championships in 2002