List of rugby union competitions

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The following is a list of notable rugby union competitions that are still currently in existence. This includes both international tournaments played by national Test teams and also domestic club and provincial competitions.

Contents

[edit] International tournaments

Name Participants First played Last played Frequency Notes
Rugby World Cup Top 8 teams from previous World Cup (currently those making the knock-out rounds) plus 12 nations chosen from regional qualifying tournament. 1987 2007 Quadrennial Qualification for the 2011 competition has changed to the Top 12 teams from the 2007 tournament plus 8 qualifiers.
Women's Rugby World Cup 12 top national women's teams 1991 2006 Quadrennial[1]
Six Nations Championship England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales 1883 2007 Annually Originally the Home Nations Championship, then the Five Nations with France's entry into the competition in 1910. Became the Six Nations when Italy was added in 2000.
Women's Six Nations Championship England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales 1996 2007 Annually Originally the Home International Championship. Became the Five Nations in 1999 when France joined. Spain was added in 2000, but Ireland did not play all the other countries in 2000 or 2001, making the first true Women's Six Nations the 2002 competition. Spain were replaced by Italy effective in 2007.
Tri Nations Australia, New Zealand, South Africa 1996 2007 Annually There is a possibility that Argentina will join the competition in or after 2012.
Canada Cup Canada, plus up to three other invitational teams. 1993 2005 Approximately biennial International women's tournament generally including the USA (missing only in 2005), plus New Zealand and/or England.
Churchill Cup Canada, England Saxons, United States and three invitational teams. 2003 2007 Annually The England Saxons are England's A side. The invitational teams are also normally a national team's A side.
FIRA Women's European Championship Up to 16 European national teams 1988 2007 Annual Tournament for European women's national teams. Number of participants varies from year to year. The tournament is often divided into two "pools", dependent on playing strength. France and England, when they take part, normally enter "A" teams.
European Nations Cup 36 European national teams 2000 2006 Biannually Excludes European sides in the Six Nations Tournament. Played over two years on home and away basis with the competition split into three divisions. Including sub-divisions, the competition includes 7 levels, with promotion and relegation.
Pacific Nations Cup Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Junior All Blacks, Samoa, Tonga 2006 2007 Annually Originally Pacific Five Nations — replaced the Pacific Tri-Nations.
Nations Cup Argentina A, Italy A, Namibia, Georgia, Romania, Emerging Springboks 2006 2007 Annually The inaugural tournament in 2006 featured Argentina A, Italy A, Portugal and Russia.

[edit] Club and provincial tournaments

[edit] International

  • Super 14 — teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (previously known as Super 12)

[edit] Africa

[edit] America

[edit] Asia

[edit] Europe

[edit] England

[edit] France

[edit] Home nations

[edit] Ireland

[edit] Italy

[edit] Romania

[edit] Russia

[edit] Spain

[edit] Soviet Union

[edit] Oceania

[edit] Australia

[edit] Fiji

[edit] New Zealand

[edit] Sevens tournaments

[edit] Other tournaments

[edit] International trophies

The trophies in this list are regularly contested between two nations. Some of the competitions for these trophies form part of other international tournaments, such as the Six Nations and Tri Nations.

[edit] Six Nations Trophies

[edit] Tri Nations Trophies

[edit] Other Trophies

[edit] 2008 rugby union schedule

v • d • e
Rugby union schedule for 2008
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
H. Cup Six Nations Championship Heineken Cup
Guinness Premiership
Magners League Magners League
Top 14
Mid-Year Tests End of year Int'ls
Sevens
Pacific Rugby Cup Churchill Cup Air New Zealand Cup
Super 14 Pacific Nations Cup Tri Nations

[edit] 2006/2007 rugby union schedule

v • d • e
Rugby union schedule for 2007
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
H. Cup Six Nations Championship Heineken Cup World Cup H. Cup
Guinness Premiership Guinness Premiership
Mid-Year Test Series Pre-RWC tests 2007 Autumn internationals
Under 19 World Championship Pacific Nations Cup
Magners League Magners League
Top 14 Top 14
Sevens Australian Rugby Championship Sevens
Churchill Cup Air New Zealand Cup
Currie Cup
Super 14 Tri Nations
v • d • e
Rugby union schedule for 2006
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Celtic League IRL in NZ and AUS Magners League
H. Cup Six Nations Championship Heineken Cup WAL in ARG H. Cup AUS in ITA, IRL, SCO H. Cup
Guinness Premiership ENG in AUS Guinness Premiership
Top 14 FRA in RSA Top 14
Super 14 NZ in ARG Tri Nations NZ in ENG, FRA, WAL
World Sevens Series Sevens
Powergen Cup North America 4 SCO in RSA North America 4 RSA in IRL and ENG
GFI Hong Kong Tens U21 World C'ship Air New Zealand Cup ARG in ENG, ITA, FRA
Commonwealth Sevens Pacific Rugby Cup Churchill Cup Australian Provincial C'ship PI in SCO, WAL, IRL
European Challenge Cup Pacific Five Nations Currie Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup qualifying

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Since second tournament in 1994
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