Rugby finds itself played in many strange places but we often forget the first pioneers who take it to virgin territory. Thankfully, the work of Fundación Rugby Malabo has been honoured recently by Fundación Rugby Cisneros (the Foundation Arm of Cisneros Rugby Club of Complutense) here in Madrid at the Cisne Premios 2026.
From starting with no players, no pitch and no presence of Rugby Union to a thriving community hub in Malabo, we got to speak to two of the founders in the shape of Pablo Pena Rodríguez and Martin Esteban Perez Marianetti who were there to pick up the award.
Pablo explains how they kicked off. “Years ago we both lived in Equatorial Guinea, we both loved rugby and played in Spain and Argentina. So when we arrived we wanted to play Rugby but it was impossible because Rugby at that time was like zero. “
For most people of perhaps a more sane disposition, that would be where the story ends. Not for Pablo and Martin though, who decided “well if we cannot play , maybe we can start a school.” What started with one ball grew in the words of Pablo “month after month, year after year” to their own stadium.
Equatorial Guinea may not seem the most fertile territory for Rugby and when it came to the field in Malabo, this was quite literal. As Martin explained when recieving the award. “We had to turn a jungle into a field.” Hours were spent hacking down overgrowth, removing rocks and putting up a cabin until finally Academia de Rugby Malabo had a humble home of their own.
Building Rugby Malabo : A labour of love
“We have gone from a field with trees in the middle to a very cool field with around 300 players from 3-20 years old.” So how do they make it work while living in Spain? “Luckily we have a few guys including a very focussed guy from Argentina who went to live in Equatorial Guinea just to help and we’re regularly going back.” Pablo informs me. As is “sending money, which is hugely important.”
This won’t come as a shock but there isn’t a lot of cash in running a Rugby Academy in Malabo and if a player were ever to emerge from their it’s safe to safe the Foundation won’t be getting a cut, so does being recognised at Premios Cisne at least help to keep the project going?
“This kind of event is hugely important because as you said, we have no money. So to know we have the support of the people (in Spanish Rugby) and when people like Cisneros call us to say we are awarding your project, we know this support can keep us going. We are doing this because we love Rugby and Equatorial Guinea.”
Premios Cisne celebrates five years
Premios Cisne (held at Colegio Mayor) has also made it to its five year birthday, with Cineros Foundation Vice Chairman Alfonso Flores mentioning the foundation’s work with children in care and prison rugby. “All of our projects are orientated to society. We’ve had the first team in a jail in Madrid. We’ve had the first rugby tournament of prison rugby in the last four years. This is our philosophy.”
From the playing club side, the new President Fran Fernandez is equally unequivocal about the importance of the Foundation and the Premios Cisne. “I think we have to do it because our main goal is not only to get good people in sport but better people into society. So that’s why we try to incorporate the values we all know about Rugby (respect, teamworking, responsibility) and try to export them to other sites in society.”
You can follow Rugby Malabo Academy on Instagram . Featured image used with permission of Foundation Cisneros Rugby
Interviews in audio format on Premios Cisne are available below (8:15 mins)
