Rugby Union

Rugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m long and 70 m wide. At each end of the field is an H-shaped goal. It is one of the most popular sports in the world, being played in over a hundred countries, on every continent.

William Webb Ellis is often credited with the invention of running with the ball in hand when, in 1823, at Rugby School he caught the ball while playing football, and ran towards the opposition goal. Ellis was immortalised at the school with a plaque commemorating his innovation. 25 years later the first rules were written by pupils - this was one of recognized events in the early development of rugby; others include the Blackheath Club's decision to leave The Football Association in 1863, and in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league.

Rugby union has been governed by the International Rugby Board since its formation in 1886 and currently has a membership of 115 national unions. In 1995 the IRB removed restrictions on payments to players, making the famously amateur game professional at the highest levels.

The Rugby World Cup, first held in 1987, takes place every four years, with the winner of the tournament receiving the Webb Ellis Cup. The Six Nations in Europe and the Tri Nations in the southern hemisphere are major international competitions held annually. Major domestic competitions include the Top 14 in France, the Guinness Premiership in England, the Currie Cup in South Africa, and the Air New Zealand Cup in New Zealand. The Magners League is a transnational competition involving the three Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with Italian involvement planned starting in 2010–11.

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