Luxembourg an independent state under the personal possession of William I of the Netherlands with a Prussian garrison to guard the city against another invasion from France. In 1839, following the turmoil of the Belgian Revolution, the purely Oil-speaking part of Luxembourg was ceded to Belgium and the Luxembourgish-speaking part (except the Arelerland, the area around Arlon) became what is the present state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union, OECD, United Nations, NATO, and Benelux. The city of Luxembourg, which is the country's capital and largest city, is the seat of several institutions and agencies of
Rugby union in Luxembourg has enjoyed an inordinately high-profile. Its proximity to the British Isles has also helped, meaning that they sometimes receive touring clubs from the British Isles, more often than might be expected for a rugby nation of their calibre. Neighbours Belgium, and Germany, and near neighbours, the Netherlands also have thousands of registered players, and whose rugby tradition goes back before World War II. In 2009, there were 2370 registered players in Luxembourg. There were three formally organised clubs for seniors: De Renert, and the Rugby Club Luxembourg and a club exclusively for youths, the Cercle Sportif des Communautés Européennes Luxembourg