As the only independent country on the continent during the Scramble for Africa, rugby did not have much of a presence locally due to lack of exposure to the game by rugby-playing European nations.
A co-ed team based in Addis Ababa, it consisted of rugby enthusiasts of various nationalities, sizes and ages.
Taxi drivers who once transported the first squad members to the games came to represent a large proportion of the club's players.
[3] General coverage of rugby via a South African satellite network has led to additional local interest in the sport.
As the sport is in its infancy, establishing a national rugby federation is among the future objectives of the Ethiopian squad's coaching staff.