| Governing body | Australian Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| National team | Australia |
| Nickname(s) | Wallabies |
| First played | 25 July 1839[1], Sydney, New South Wales |
| Registered players | 82,818 (total) 38,010 (adult)[2] |
| Clubs | 848 |
| Competitions | |
| National | |
| Rugby World Cup | |
| Tri Nations | |
| Pacific Nations Cup | |
| Rugby World Cup Sevens | |
| IRB Sevens World Series | |
| Adelaide Sevens | |
| Club | |
| Super 14 | |
| Australian Rugby Championship | |
| Tooheys New Cup | |
| Queensland Premier Rugby | |
| ACTRU Premier Division | |
| Audience records | |
| Single match | 109,874 Australia v New Zealand, (Telstra Stadium) 15 July 2000 |
The highest level of provincial rugby union in Australia is Super Rugby. There are five Australian teams in this competition which also features teams from New Zealand and South Africa.
At present, Australia has no national club competition. The Australian Rugby Championship, which was launched in 2007 with eight teams, only lasted one season before the nation's governing body, the Australian Rugby Union, decided to discontinue the competition due to financial losses. The top level competitions of the Shute Shield in Sydney and the Queensland Premier League in Brisbane subsequently serve as the next highest level of club competition in the country. Numerous club and representative competitions serve the rugby playing community below these two competitions.
The Australian Rugby Shield is an annual competition held between country representative teams from each state.
Defunct teams.
This union is officially affiliated with the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union instead of the NSW union.
This union is also affiliated with the ACT union instead of a NSW body.
First Division
Second Division
Third Division
Fourth Division
Fifth Division
Sixth Division - Cowboy Cup
The following teams compete in first and second division competitions
'A' grade competition:
These clubs play in the 'B' grade competition, along with teams fielded from those listed under 'A' grade:
List does not include Queensland Premier League unions that also field teams in the Suburban competitions.