This week on Rugby Through the Leagues, Carl sits down with Xhino, chairman of the Albanian rugby federation, for the story of how a sport almost nobody was playing became a national project. Xhino traces it back to 2010–2012, when a handful of students inspired by YouTube clips started throwing a ball around — through the founding of Tirana Rugby Club to official federation recognition in 2024. He and Carl get into Albania's entirely self-funded growth, the touring sides making the trip out (the European Parliament Rugby Team and Nottingham Police Force among them), and why hospitality, raki and the post-match third half matter as much as anything on the pitch. Xhino lays out the pillars taking Albanian rugby forward: school programmes and touch rugby, building a base beyond Tirana in Durrës, French connections opening player pathways, women's rugby, and the long game — Rugby Europe membership and fixtures against Bosnia, Serbia and Greece.

Real stories from the leagues the mainstream skips.

⏱️ Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome & Guest Intro
(01:06) Rugby Begins in Albania
(02:18) Tirana Club & Touring Teams
(03:31) Albanian Hospitality & Raki
(06:02) The Road to Rugby Europe
(06:53) Schools & Youth Pathways
(08:02) France Links & Player Opportunities
(13:44) Growing Beyond Tirana
(18:35) Funding & Building an Ecosystem
(20:24) The 5, 10, 15-Year Vision
(22:46) Women's Rugby & the Balkan Schools Cup
(28:21) Rugby League & Learning from the NRL
(31:12) Media Buzz & Upcoming Fixtures
(32:59) How to Connect & Visit
(35:49) Final Thanks & Wrap Up

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