Gradually this training game moved from the carpet into the sport arena. Wrestlers raised, literally, from their knees and took a basketball ball in their hands. The rules were worked out and approved by the sportsmen themselves. That is to say, there was no such complicated system of different rules as there was in basketball. Tough struggle for the ball was permitted as well as the holding of the opponent back. The game was marked by dynamics, attractiveness and gained its name - rugball or wrestler's basketball.

 How to play rugball? The purpose of the game is to score a ball in the opponent's basket. The rules are very simple: everything is permitted except for holding the legs, pushes in the back during the shot and clear provocation for a clash. There are no basketball anachronisms such as dribbling or penalty shooting. Tough wrestle together with astonishing dynamics makes rugball a very exciting and attractive game.

 RULES OF RUGBALL >>

 As it is seen from its name, there are different elements of wrestle, basketball and rugby in rugball. That's why to avoid injuries and to protect players when they fall down and clash with each other from bruises and injuries helmets and other elements for protecting elbows and knees were introduced.

 The creators of the Petersburg's rugball are the wrestlers students of the complex school of the higher sport mastership. These are Anatoly Motyl, Pavel Pogolsha, Evgeny Gasilin, Sergei Baranov, Evgeny Kulakov, Sergei Chivchi-Bashi Valery Dzhinoriya and others.
The enthusiasts of the new sport formed a team "The Neva Atlants". They are trained by Dmitrij Mikhailovich Gercheglo. Almost all of the players - are his students, those ones who were taught wrestle by him.

 In 1996 the professional club "The Neva Atlants" emerged. And in 1998 the team from Saint-Petersburg for the first time took part in the all-Russia rugball tournament, dedicated to the 275th anniversary of the city Perm. The rugball players from the shores of the Neva river have gained the Cup. They made everyone think of them as of the team, which was able to compete with very strong rugball teams from the Urals.
In December of the same year "Atlants" participated in the Urals Rugball Cup in Chelyabinsk together with the teams from Moscow, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Ulyanovsk and Kurgan. The "Atlants" won all the matches and added the Urals Cup to the Perm Cup.

• In May, 1999 The Russian Rugball Federation was formed, and in July rugball has gained the status of an independent sport.
• In October, 1999 the first Russian Rugball Cup was held in Russia. The first champion was the team "The Neva Atlants"
• In December, 1999 the Peter Cup tournament was held in Saint-Petersburg with the participation of all the best teams in Russia. The first winners of the Cup were the hosts of the tournament "The Neva Atlants".
• In November, 2000 the second Russian Cup was held in Moscow. 9 best teams from Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Perm, Novosibirsk, Ulyanovsk, Azov, Tumen, Ekaterinenburg and Chelyabinsk took part in the tournament. For the second time the champions were the team "The Neva Atlants"
• In December, 2000 the Peter Cup, the tournament, which has already become traditional, was held in Saint-Petersburg. The holders of the trophy were again the team from the city on Neva - "The Neva Atlants"
• In April, 2001 the International Cup of the professional Czech Rugball League, category "A", "ASK NELSON" was organized. The prize fund was 1 million of Czech kronas. In the final game "The Neva Atlants" were stronger than the hosts of the Cup and won the Cup and the first prize.
• In the end of April the tournament of the strongest Russian teams for the Cup of Prikamie took place in Perm. "The Neva Atlants" won the final game where they met with the team "The Prikamie Bears" and took the Cup.
• In august 2001 the first stage of the international beach rugball journey was held in Moscow. The games would take place in five countries: Czech Republic, Turkey, Thailand, Russia and Israel. "The Neva Atlants", playing on the sand surface for the first time, were the strongest and have won the first prize - the right to come to the next stage of the tournament. information >>
• November, 2001. The 3rd Russian Rugball Cup took place in Saint-Petersburg. Having played in all the matches very confidently, "The Neva Atlants" won the third title in a row.
• May, 2002. International tournament was held in Saint-Petersburg, dedicated to the Victoru Day. Sportsmen from Moscow, Ukraine, Moldova and Saint-Petersburg competed on the small arena of the "Jubilejnij" palace. "The Neva Atlantes" won all the games. information >>.
• May, 2002. IV Championship of Russia in rugball took place in in Novosibirsk. Teams from Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Barnaul, Saint-Petersburg, Berdsk, Tumen and Perm took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the title for the fourth time. information >>
• June, 2002. First games in beach rugball for the prizes of the "Men's Health" magazine took place in Saint-Petersburg. "The Neva Atlantes" won the tournament.
• September, 2002. International Black Sea Cup was held in Odessa. Rugball's teams from Ukraina, Moldova and Russia took part in the tournament. The Cup went to Saint-Petersburg together with the team "The Neva Atlantes". information >>
• December, 2002. International tournament "Peter the Great Cup" was held in Saint-Petersburg. Sportsmen from the Czech team "ASK NELSON", Ukranian "The Khatkiv Lions", Kazach "Berkut", Moldovian "Tigers", Pridnestrovian "Real" and Saint-Petersburg "The Neva Atlantes" took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the title. information >>
• May, 2003. Second international tournament in memory of Vicrory Day was held in Charkiv, Ukraina. Sportsmen from Russia, Ukraina, Pridnestrovie took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the tournament. information >>
• December, 2003
  IV International tournament "Peter the Great Cup" was held in Saint-Petersburg. Sportsmens of Russia, Ukraina, Pridnestrovie and Estonia took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the Cup and golden medals. information >>
• May, 2004
  First International tournament in memory of K.K.Yakovlev was held in Saint-Petersburg. Rugaball's teams of Russia, Ukraina, Pridnestrovie took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the Cup and golden medals. information >>
• September, 2004
  First International tournament "Cup of Azov Sea" was held in Mariupol, Ukraine. Rugaball's teams of Russia and Ukraina took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the Cup and golden medals.
• October, 2004
  Rugball's championship of Saint-Petersburg. Five teams of Saint-Petersburg took part in the tournament. "The Neva Atlantes" won the golden medals. information >>
• November, 2004
  VI rugball's championship of Russia took place in Novosibirsk, rugball's teams from Saint-Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Perm, Novosibirsk, Barnaul and Nazarov took part in the tournament.
  "Atlants of Neva" (Saint-Petersburg) won the gold medals. information >>
• March, 2005
  International tournament "Friendship" took place in St.Petersburg, rugball's teams from Russia and Ukraina took part in the tournament.
  "Atlants of Neva" (Saint-Petersburg) won the Cup and golden medals. information >>
• May, 2005
  Second international tournament in memory of Konstantin Ykovlev took place in St.Petersburg, rugball's teams from Russia and Ukraina took part in the tournament.
  "Atlants of Neva" (Saint-Petersburg) won the Cup and golden medals. information >>
• December, 2005
  VII chapionship in rugball of Russia has passed in Tver, rugball's teams from Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Perm and Kaliningrad took part in the competitions. Gold medals and Cup of VII chapionship at "Atlants of Neva"(Saint-Petersburg), "Tevtons Orden" (Kaliningrad) on the second place and the bronze - has got "Sobol" (Novosibirsk). information >>
• May, 2006
  III tournament in memory of Konstantin Yakovlev has passed in Petersburg, rugball's teams from Russia (Saint-Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Perm, Moscow) and Ukraina took part in the competitions. Gold medals and Cup at "Atlants of Neva"(Saint-Petersburg), "Ural legion" (Ekaterinburg) on the second place and the bronze - has got "Medvedi Prikamia" (Perm). information >>
• December, 2006
  VIII championship of Russia in rugball has passed in Podolsk (near Moscow). Strongest rugball's teams from Moscow, St.-Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Perm, Cheboksary, Ulianovsk, Ekaterinburg and Podolsk took part in the championship.
  "Atlants of Neva" (St.-Petersburg) won VIII championship, second place - team of Ekaterinburg, bronze prize-winner - rugball team of Novosibirs. information >>
• May, 2007
  IV international tournament in rugball of memory of the first president of the Petersburg rugball's federation Konstantin Yakovlev has passed in St.Petersburg. In the competitions took part teams from Ukraine and Russia.
  Winner of tournament - team "Atlants of Neva" from St.Petersburg, second place - "Ural legion" from Ekaterinburg, bronze - "Vitiazi" from Moscow.

Today they play rugball not only in Russia, but also in Europe. There are professional teams in Holland, France, Czech Republic. From year to year this new sport attracts more and more followers. The emergence of rugball teams in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia is a matter of a very close future.