Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Rugby union in Germany is a minor sport, but one with a surprisingly long pedigree, as German rugby predates most other international teams. The sport is currently (2007) the fastest growing team sport in Germany, having experienced a 7 percent increase in the number of players in 2007. The German Rugby Federation (German: Deutscher Rugby-Verband or DRV) is the governing body for rugby union in Germany. There are 12 regional unions (Landesverbände). The DRV is a founding member of FIRA - Association of European Rugby (1934), and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1999. Moreover, it is member of the German Olympic Sport Federation (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund).