During the Communist era, the Peace Race was a cycling competition organised between Eastern Bloc countries in an effort to create a sense of cohesion between the different states.

Riders from the different countries would race between capitals in this “Tour de France of the East”. What does this have to do with rugby? In 1969, the finale was due to go through the National Stadium in Warsaw which on that day held somewhere in the region of 100,000 spectators. To keep them entertained while the riders approached the Polish capital, the authorities decided to stage a rugby match.(…)

read more at: https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/guest-blogs/28603/they-might-be-giants-the-advance-of-the-international-rugby-match-in-poland/