Rugby union

Rugby Union is a team sport that was developed from the rules used to play football at Rugby School in England. Two teams, each of 15 players have the task of outscoring the opposing team. Players clutch a prolate spheroid ball in their hands or arms, and may pass it backwards or laterally across the pitch, or kick it in any direction. The opposing players attempt to halt the ball-carrier by tackling him or her with their arms and bodies. When tackled, the ball carrier must release the ball, at which time a contest for possession of the ball commences (either a ruck or a maul).

Tournaments

Major tournaments

Rugby Union World Cup

• Men's and women's versions of the Rugby World Cup take place every four years.

England won this most recently on Saturday 22 November, 2003, with Jonny Wilkinson scoring a last minute drop-goal to win the match 20-17 in extra time (normally a game is 80 minutes, in extra time it goes to 100 minutes), beating Australia in a closely contested match. Previous winners have all been participants in the Tri-Nations competition, with South Africa and New Zealand winning one World Cup apiece and Australia winning two World Cups.

Related Topics:
England - 22 November - 2003 - Jonny Wilkinson - Australia

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Six Nations Rugby Tournament

The first steps towards the modern day Six Nations tournament took place in 1871 when England lost by one goal to Scotland at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh. In the 1880s, both Wales and Ireland joined and the Home International Championships emerged. France joined the tournament in the 1900s and in 1910 the term Five Nations first appeared. However, the Home Nations (England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland) excluded France in 1931 amid a run of poor results, allegations of professionalism and concerns over on-field violence. France then rejoined in 1939-1940, though the Second World War halted proceedings for a further eight years. France has played in all the tournaments since WWII, the first one of which was played in 1947.

Related Topics:
Six Nations tournament - 1871 - England - Scotland - 1880s - Wales - Ireland - France - 1900 - 1910 - Home Nations - 1931 - 1939 - 1940 - Second World War - 1947

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In 2000, Italy also joined the tournament, leading to the modern-day Six Nations competition that takes place annually.

Related Topics:
2000 - Italy

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• If a team wins all five of their games they achieve a "Grand Slam".
• If one of the Home Nations beats the other three, this is called the "Triple Crown".
• The Calcutta Cup is contested in the annual Six Nations match between England and Scotland.
• The team finishes bottom is said to have won the "Wooden Spoon".

Wales won the Grand Slam, the Triple Crown, and the Six Nations championship in 2005 and Italy was left with the Wooden Spoon.

Related Topics:
Wales - Grand Slam - Triple Crown - 2005 - Italy - Wooden Spoon

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Tri Nations Series

The Tri Nations Series is an annual international Rugby Union series held between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series is played on a home and away basis with the three nations playing each other twice.

Related Topics:
Tri Nations Series - Australia - New Zealand - South Africa

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Since the inception in 1996 of the Tri Nations, the games played in it between Australia and New Zealand also determine the winner of the Bledisloe Cup each year.

Related Topics:
1996 - Australia - New Zealand - Bledisloe Cup

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Recently, the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate has also been contended for in the Tri Nations, played between Australia and South Africa, and currently held by South Africa.

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However, starting in 2006, there will be a new system in which each nation will play the others three times.

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Other tournaments

• Super 14 — teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
• National Provincial Championship (NPC) — New Zealand provincial tournament
• Ranfurly Shield — New Zealand provincial challenge trophy
• Currie Cup — South African provincial tournament
• English Rugby Union competitions — includes Guinness Premiership and National Division 1.
• Powergen Cup — English clubs knock-out tournament
• Celtic League — provincial/regional teams from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
• Ligue Nationale de Rugby — French clubs
• Super 10 (Italian premiership) — Italian clubs
• Heineken Cup — European club, provincial and regional teams
• European Challenge Cup and European Shield — European club, provincial and regional teams knock-out tournament
• Top League - Japanese club teams
• Colonial Cup — Fiji club competition
• Churchill Cup — Canada, England, and the United States, with one invited team. From 2006, the tournament is to expand to include 3-5 invited teams.
• In this competition, England does not send its full national side, instead sending its "senior A" team. The invited teams are likewise to be senior A-caliber teams from among the European and Southern hemisphere powers
• European Nations Cup — national teams from second tier countries
• Pacific Tri-Nations — Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa
• Pan-American Championship — Uruguay, Canada, United States and Argentina
• Super Powers Cup — Canada, Japan, Russia and United States
• Rugby World Cup Sevens — Sponsored by the IRB, and held every four years, this is the highest prize in the Sevens version of the game.
• World Sevens Series — Annual IRB-sponsored series of tournaments for national Sevens teams.
• Ulster Schools Cup — Annual Schools competition
• see also: Rugby union at the Olympic Games