List of major rugby union competitions
The following is a list of major competitions in the sport of rugby union . International competitions for national teams as well as club and provincial teams as well as leagues and cup competitions in the most important rugby countries are taken into account. Also included are trophies for which individual national teams play as well as the most important tournaments in rugby 7 (the rules of which are practically the same).
Competitions for national teams
Surname | Attendees | first edition | Events | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rugby Union World Cup | 20 national teams (the twelve best from the previous World Cup plus eight qualifiers) | 1987 | every four years | - |
Women's Rugby Union World Cup | 12 national teams | 1991 | every four years | - |
Six Nations | England , France , Ireland , Italy , Scotland , Wales | 1883 | yearly | Originally Home Nations Championships, after the admission of France's Five Nations, after the admission of Italy's Six Nations |
Six Nations (women) | England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales | 1996 | yearly | Originally the Home Nations Championship , after the admission of France 1910–1931 and 1947–1999 Five Nations , from 2000 Six Nations (Spain was replaced by Italy in 2007) |
The Rugby Championship | Argentina , Australia , New Zealand , South Africa | 1996 | yearly | Originally Tri Nations , after Argentina joined The Rugby Championship from 2012 .
During the tournament, the winners of the Bledisloe Cup , Freedom Cup , Mandela Challenge Plate and the Puma Trophy will be determined. |
Canada Cup | Canada and up to three other women's national teams | 1993 | every two years | usually with USA plus England or New Zealand |
Churchill Cup | Canada , England Saxons, USA , three invited teams | 2003 | yearly | England is represented by a reserve team, and most of the invited teams too |
African Rugby Union Championship | 16 national team from Africa | 2000 | multi-year event since 2019 | |
Africa Women's Rugby Union Championship | 4 national team from Africa | 2019 | yearly | |
Rugby Union European Championship | 36 European national teams (including Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel) | 2000 | every two years | Without a Six Nations participant, it lasts two years, divided into seven strength classes (Divisions I, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, IIIc and IIId / from 2010/2012 in Divisions Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIc, IId and III ). Serves as a World Cup qualifier in every 2nd execution. |
European Women's Rugby Union Championship | 16 European women's national teams | 1988 | yearly | The number of participating teams varies, often divided into two strength classes, France and England are represented with reserve teams |
Pacific Nations Cup | Fiji , Japan , Junior All Blacks , Samoa , Tonga | 2006 | yearly | replaced the Pacific Tri-Nations |
Asian Five Nations | five Asian national teams | 2008 | yearly | unofficial Asian Cup. Serves as World Cup qualification in every 4th execution |
Nations Cup | France A, Italy A, Romania , Russia , Scotland A, Uruguay | 2006 | yearly | - |
- Four Nations Tournament - Belgium, Spain, Welsh club selection, French amateurs
- Pan-American Championship - Uruguay, Canada, USA, Argentina
- Super Powers Cup - Canada, Japan, Russia, USA
- Rugby Junior World Championship
Championships and cup competitions
International
Europe
- European Rugby Champions Cup - European Cup for teams from Great Britain, France, Italy and Ireland (successor to the Heineken Cup )
- European Rugby Challenge Cup - European Cup for teams from Great Britain, France, Italy, Ireland and Romania (successor to the European Challenge Cup )
- European Shield - European Cup for teams that did not qualify for the above European competitions (will no longer be played)
Southern hemisphere
- Super Rugby - International championship with teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and currently a team from Argentina.
Argentina
- Nacional de Clubes
- Amateur leagues of the individual regional associations
Australia
- Toohey's New Shute Shield - professional league in the Sydney area
- New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union - Six amateur leagues in New South Wales for teams outside Sydney
- Queensland Premier Rugby League in Queensland
Germany
- Rugby Bundesliga - Top German league
France
- Top 14 - professional league
- Pro D2 - professional league
- Fédérale 1 - Amateur League
- Fédérale 2 - Amateur League
- Fédérale 3 - Amateur League
- Challenge Yves du Manoir - club tournament (1932 to 2003)
- Coupe de l'Espérance - replacement championship during the First World War
- Coupe de France - Cup competition (1906 to 1986)
Great Britain
- British and Irish Cup - Semi-professional cup competition in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
England
- English Premiership - professional league in England
- RFU Championship - professional league in England
- National League 1 - semi-professional league in England
- National League 2 North - amateur league in the north of England
- National League 2 South - amateur league in southern England
- Anglo-Welsh Cup - cup competition in England and Wales
Scotland
- Pro14 - professional league in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Italy
-
Scottish Hydro Electric Championship - Scottish league structure
- Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership - The top three Scottish amateur leagues
- Scottish Hydro Electric National Leagues - The three lower, Scotland-wide amateur leagues
- Scottish Hydro Electric Regional Leagues - Three regional amateur leagues: Caledonia Regional Leagues (three divisions), East Regional Leagues (two divisions), West Regional Leagues (three divisions)
- Scottish Hydro Electric Cup - Cup competition for clubs below the Premiership
- Scottish Hydro Electric Super Cup - Former cup competition for clubs in the first division of the Premiership
- Border League - Oldest rugby union league in the world, independent, regional amateur league and therefore not part of the Scottish league structure; However, clubs also take part in the league structure, i.e. they play in two leagues
- Grampian Alliance League - Independent, regional amateur league and therefore not part of the Scottish league structure
- Highland Alliance League - Independent, regional amateur league and therefore not part of the Scottish league structure
Wales
- Pro14 - professional league in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Italy
- Principality Premiership - semi-professional league in Wales
- WRU National Leagues - Five multi-pronged amateur leagues under the Premiership
- Anglo-Welsh Cup - cup competition in England and Wales
- SWALEC Cup - Cup competition in Wales
Ireland
- Pro14 - professional league in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Italy
- All-Ireland League - The top four Ireland- wide amateur leagues
- Provincial Leagues - Connacht (west), Leinster (east), Munster (south), Ulster (mostly Northern Ireland)
- British and Irish Cup - Semi-professional cup competition in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Italy
- Pro14 - professional league in Italy, Ireland, Wales, South Africa and Scotland
- Super 10 - professional league
- Serie A - Amateur League
- Serie B - Amateur League
- Serie C - Amateur League
- Coppa Italia - Cup competition
Japan
- Top League - first-class professional league
- Top Challenge League - second class semi-professional league
- Microsoft Cup - trophy competition
Namibia
- Rugby Premier League - league
New Zealand
- ITM Cup - professional league for regional teams
- Heartland Championship - amateur league for regional teams
- Ranfurly Shield - Cup competition
- Hanan Shield - Cup competition
- Amateur leagues of the individual regional associations
Oceania
- Pacific Rugby Cup - semi-professional all league in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga
- Colonial Cup - amateur league in Fiji
Spain
- Superibérica de Rugby - professional league with regional teams
- División de Honor - semi-professional league, top division for clubs
- Copa del Rey - Cup competition
South Africa
- Currie Cup - professional league
- Pro14 - professional league in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Italy
- Vodacom Cup
International trophies
- Antim Cup - Georgia and Romania
- Bledisloe Cup - Australia and New Zealand
- Calcutta Cup - England and Scotland
- Cook Cup - Australia and England
- Copa Ibérica de Rugby - Spain and Portugal
- Freedom Cup - South Africa and New Zealand
- Dave Gallaher Trophy - France and New Zealand
- Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy - France and Italy
- Hopetoun Cup - Australia and Scotland
- Lansdowne Cup - Australia and Ireland
- Mandela Challenge Plate - Australia and South Africa
- Millennium Trophy - Ireland and England
- Puma Trophy - Argentina and Australia
- Trophée des Bicentenaires - Australia and France
- Tom Richards Trophy - Australia and British and Irish Lions
7-a-side rugby
- 7th rugby world championship - held every four years, the most important tournament in 7th rugby
- IRB Sevens World Series - annual tournament series for national teams
- Commonwealth Games
- Hong Kong Sevens - most famous tournament of the IRB World Sevens Series
- Middlesex Sevens - traditional invitation tournament in London
- Melrose Sevens - oldest rugby 7-a-side tournament in the world