List of rugby union competitions
1. International tournaments
Name Participants First played Last played Frequency Notes. Rugby World Cup Top 12 teams from previous World Cup (the top 3 in each group) plus 8 nations chosen from regional qualifying tournament. 1987 2007 Quadrennial. Women's Rugby World Cup 12 top national women's teams 1991 2006 Quadrennial. Six Nations Championship England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales 1883 2009 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 2009 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 2009 Annually Argentina will join the competition in 2012. Canada Cup Canada, plus up to three other invitational teams. 1993 2005 Approximately biennial International women's tournament generally including the USA. Also New Zealand and/or England. Churchill Cup Canada, England Saxons, United States and three invitational teams. 2003 2009 Annually The England Saxons are England's 'A' side. The invitational teams are also normally a national teams' 'A' sides.FIRA Women's European Championship Up to 16 European national teams 1988 2008 Annually 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 2009 Annually 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 2009 Annually Originally Pacific Five Nations — replaced the Pacific Tri-Nations. Nations Cup Argentina A, Italy A, Namibia, Georgia, Romania, Emerging Springboks 2006 2009 Annually The Emerging Springboks are South Africa's A side. The inaugural tournament in 2006 featured Argentina A, Italy A, Portugal and Russia. Asian 5 Nations cup Top five Asian sides 2008 2009 Annually The inaugural tournament in 2008 featured Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Arabian Gulf. Yearly promotion and relegation with three lower divisions.
2. Club and provincial tournaments
International
* Super 14 — teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (previously known as Super 12)
Africa
* Currie Cup — South African provincial tournament.
* Vodacom Cup.
America
* Americas Rugby Championship – Four franchised Canadian teams, the Argentina Jaguars, and a "USA Select XV".
North America 4 - Predecessor to the Americas Rugby Championship, featured franchise teams from the USA and Canada.
* Rugby Canada Super League
* Nacional de Clubes - Club competition in Argentina.
* Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby - Club competition in Brazil.
* Rugby Super League - USA club competition.
* Club Championship - Club competition in Uruguay.
Asia
* Top League - Japanese club teams.
* Microsoft Cup.
Europe
* Heineken Cup — European club, provincial and regional teams.
* European Challenge Cup and European Shield — European club, provincial and regional teams knock-out tournament.
England
* Guinness Premiership.
* RFU Championship. * National League 1.
* National League 2 North.* National League 2 South.
* Northern Division - North 2 East.
* Midlands 6 East (NW).
France
* Top 14 — French clubs.
* Rugby Pro D2.
* Fédérale 1.
* Fédérale 2.
* Fédérale 3.
* Challenge Yves du Manoir.
* Coupe de l'Espérance.
* Coupe de France.
Home nations
* Magners League — provincial/regional teams from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Tentatively slated to expand in 2010–11 to include two Italian teams. * Anglo-Welsh Cup — English and Welsh clubs knock-out tournament. From 1971–2005, open to all English clubs with no involvement from any other nation, from the 2005–06 season, has featured the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs and the four Welsh regional sides competing in the Magners League. * British and Irish Cup — Tournament to be launched in 2009 featuring sides from second-level leagues in England and Wales, plus second-tier sides from Ireland and Scotland.
Ireland
* All Ireland League (AIL/AIB League) — Irish clubs from all 32 counties.
Italy
* Super 10 (Italian premiership) — Italian clubs.
Romania
* Romanian Rugby Championship.
Russia
* Professional Rugby League - Russian club competition.
Spain
* División de Honor.
Soviet Union
* Soviet Championship.
* Soviet Cup.
Oceania
* Pacific Rugby Cup - Franchise teams from Fiji, Tonga & Samoa.
Australia
* Australian Rugby Championship - Only season in 2007.
* Australian Provincial Championship - Off season competition between Australia's Super 14 teams.
* Shute Shield - Sydney and regional NSW club teams.
* Tooheys New Cup - Sydney club teams.
* New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union - lower level suburban rugby in Sydney, the largest centrally administered rugby competition in the world.
* Queensland Premier Rugby - Queensland club competition.
Fiji
* Colonial Cup — Fiji club competition.
* Sukuna Bowl — Fiji Police vs Fiji Military.
* Sanyo Cup — Fiji's Local competition between 12 Districts.
New Zealand
* Air New Zealand Cup — New Zealand professional provincial tournament.
* Heartland Championship — New Zealand amateur provincial tournament.
* Ranfurly Shield — New Zealand provincial challenge trophy.
3. Sevens tournaments
* 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. However, due to the upcoming introduction of sevens to the Olympics in 2016, the next edition in 2013 will be the last.
* IRB Sevens World Series — Annual IRB-sponsored series of tournaments for national Sevens teams. Since 2006-07, the events in the series have been: Dubai Sevens.
South Africa Sevens.
Wellington Sevens.
USA Sevens.
Hong Kong Sevens,
Traditionally the biggest annual event in Sevens.
Australia Sevens.
London Sevens.
Scotland Sevens.
* The National Schools Sevens - held at Rosslyn Park, in England, the biggest sevens competition in the world.
* Commonwealth Games — Quadrennial, most recent tournament in 2006.
* Other:
Amsterdam Sevens
Bangkok Sevens Benidorm Sevens Bogota Sevens
Caldy Sevens Cape Fear Sevens
Caribbean Sevens
Cayman Sevens
Cwmtawe Sevens
Heidelberg Sevens
Henley Sevens
Kinsale Sevens Kiama Sevens
Lisbon Sevens
Melrose Sevens
Middlesex Sevens Neuchatel Sevens
New York Sevens Northern Sevens
Punta del Este Sevens
Rome Sevens
Safari Sevens Scandinavian Sevens
Singapore Sevens
Sofia Sevens
Santa Teresa Sevens
Sri Lanka Sevens
4. Other tournaments
* Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament held annually in Japan.
* English Colts Club Knockout Cup — Held annually.
* Ulster Schools Cup — Annual schools competition.
* Munster Schools Senior Cup — Annual schools competition.
* Craven Week — Annual South Africa schools competition.
* Bingham Cup — Held every two years, this is the largest international gay rugby tournament and honours 9/11 hero, Mark Bingham
* Rugby union at the Maccabiah Games: representative XVs from various countries have been taking part in the Maccabiah Games since 1981.
5. 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.
* Centenary Quaich - Ireland and Scotland, since 1989.
* Le Crunch — England and France (traditional name), since 1906.
* Millennium Trophy — England and Ireland, since 1988.
* Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy — France and Italy, since 2007.
Tri Nations Trophies
* Bledisloe Cup — Australia and New Zealand, since 1931.
* Mandela Challenge Plate — Australia and South Africa, since 2000.
* Freedom Cup — New Zealand and South Africa, since 2004.
Name Participants First played Last played Frequency Notes. Rugby World Cup Top 12 teams from previous World Cup (the top 3 in each group) plus 8 nations chosen from regional qualifying tournament. 1987 2007 Quadrennial. Women's Rugby World Cup 12 top national women's teams 1991 2006 Quadrennial. Six Nations Championship England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales 1883 2009 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 2009 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 2009 Annually Argentina will join the competition in 2012. Canada Cup Canada, plus up to three other invitational teams. 1993 2005 Approximately biennial International women's tournament generally including the USA. Also New Zealand and/or England. Churchill Cup Canada, England Saxons, United States and three invitational teams. 2003 2009 Annually The England Saxons are England's 'A' side. The invitational teams are also normally a national teams' 'A' sides.FIRA Women's European Championship Up to 16 European national teams 1988 2008 Annually 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 2009 Annually 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 2009 Annually Originally Pacific Five Nations — replaced the Pacific Tri-Nations. Nations Cup Argentina A, Italy A, Namibia, Georgia, Romania, Emerging Springboks 2006 2009 Annually The Emerging Springboks are South Africa's A side. The inaugural tournament in 2006 featured Argentina A, Italy A, Portugal and Russia. Asian 5 Nations cup Top five Asian sides 2008 2009 Annually The inaugural tournament in 2008 featured Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Arabian Gulf. Yearly promotion and relegation with three lower divisions.
2. Club and provincial tournaments
International
* Super 14 — teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (previously known as Super 12)
Africa
* Currie Cup — South African provincial tournament.
* Vodacom Cup.
America
* Americas Rugby Championship – Four franchised Canadian teams, the Argentina Jaguars, and a "USA Select XV".
North America 4 - Predecessor to the Americas Rugby Championship, featured franchise teams from the USA and Canada.
* Rugby Canada Super League
* Nacional de Clubes - Club competition in Argentina.
* Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby - Club competition in Brazil.
* Rugby Super League - USA club competition.
* Club Championship - Club competition in Uruguay.
Asia
* Top League - Japanese club teams.
* Microsoft Cup.
Europe
* Heineken Cup — European club, provincial and regional teams.
* European Challenge Cup and European Shield — European club, provincial and regional teams knock-out tournament.
England
* Guinness Premiership.
* RFU Championship. * National League 1.
* National League 2 North.* National League 2 South.
* Northern Division - North 2 East.
* Midlands 6 East (NW).
France
* Top 14 — French clubs.
* Rugby Pro D2.
* Fédérale 1.
* Fédérale 2.
* Fédérale 3.
* Challenge Yves du Manoir.
* Coupe de l'Espérance.
* Coupe de France.
Home nations
* Magners League — provincial/regional teams from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Tentatively slated to expand in 2010–11 to include two Italian teams. * Anglo-Welsh Cup — English and Welsh clubs knock-out tournament. From 1971–2005, open to all English clubs with no involvement from any other nation, from the 2005–06 season, has featured the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs and the four Welsh regional sides competing in the Magners League. * British and Irish Cup — Tournament to be launched in 2009 featuring sides from second-level leagues in England and Wales, plus second-tier sides from Ireland and Scotland.
Ireland
* All Ireland League (AIL/AIB League) — Irish clubs from all 32 counties.
Italy
* Super 10 (Italian premiership) — Italian clubs.
Romania
* Romanian Rugby Championship.
Russia
* Professional Rugby League - Russian club competition.
Spain
* División de Honor.
Soviet Union
* Soviet Championship.
* Soviet Cup.
Oceania
* Pacific Rugby Cup - Franchise teams from Fiji, Tonga & Samoa.
Australia
* Australian Rugby Championship - Only season in 2007.
* Australian Provincial Championship - Off season competition between Australia's Super 14 teams.
* Shute Shield - Sydney and regional NSW club teams.
* Tooheys New Cup - Sydney club teams.
* New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union - lower level suburban rugby in Sydney, the largest centrally administered rugby competition in the world.
* Queensland Premier Rugby - Queensland club competition.
Fiji
* Colonial Cup — Fiji club competition.
* Sukuna Bowl — Fiji Police vs Fiji Military.
* Sanyo Cup — Fiji's Local competition between 12 Districts.
New Zealand
* Air New Zealand Cup — New Zealand professional provincial tournament.
* Heartland Championship — New Zealand amateur provincial tournament.
* Ranfurly Shield — New Zealand provincial challenge trophy.
3. Sevens tournaments
* 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. However, due to the upcoming introduction of sevens to the Olympics in 2016, the next edition in 2013 will be the last.
* IRB Sevens World Series — Annual IRB-sponsored series of tournaments for national Sevens teams. Since 2006-07, the events in the series have been: Dubai Sevens.
South Africa Sevens.
Wellington Sevens.
USA Sevens.
Hong Kong Sevens,
Traditionally the biggest annual event in Sevens.
Australia Sevens.
London Sevens.
Scotland Sevens.
* The National Schools Sevens - held at Rosslyn Park, in England, the biggest sevens competition in the world.
* Commonwealth Games — Quadrennial, most recent tournament in 2006.
* Other:
Amsterdam Sevens
Bangkok Sevens Benidorm Sevens Bogota Sevens
Caldy Sevens Cape Fear Sevens
Caribbean Sevens
Cayman Sevens
Cwmtawe Sevens
Heidelberg Sevens
Henley Sevens
Kinsale Sevens Kiama Sevens
Lisbon Sevens
Melrose Sevens
Middlesex Sevens Neuchatel Sevens
New York Sevens Northern Sevens
Punta del Este Sevens
Rome Sevens
Safari Sevens Scandinavian Sevens
Singapore Sevens
Sofia Sevens
Santa Teresa Sevens
Sri Lanka Sevens
4. Other tournaments
* Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament held annually in Japan.
* English Colts Club Knockout Cup — Held annually.
* Ulster Schools Cup — Annual schools competition.
* Munster Schools Senior Cup — Annual schools competition.
* Craven Week — Annual South Africa schools competition.
* Bingham Cup — Held every two years, this is the largest international gay rugby tournament and honours 9/11 hero, Mark Bingham
* Rugby union at the Maccabiah Games: representative XVs from various countries have been taking part in the Maccabiah Games since 1981.
5. 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.Six Nations Trophies
* Calcutta Cup — England and Scotland, since 1879.
* Centenary Quaich - Ireland and Scotland, since 1989.
* Le Crunch — England and France (traditional name), since 1906.
* Millennium Trophy — England and Ireland, since 1988.
* Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy — France and Italy, since 2007.
Tri Nations Trophies
* Bledisloe Cup — Australia and New Zealand, since 1931.
* Mandela Challenge Plate — Australia and South Africa, since 2000.
* Freedom Cup — New Zealand and South Africa, since 2004.
Other Trophies
* Anexartisias Cup (Independence Cup) — Cyprus and Greece.
* Antim Cup — Georgia and Romania.
* Cook Cup — Australia and England.
* Dave Gallaher Trophy — France and New Zealand.
* Elgon Cup — Kenya and Uganda.
* Hillary Shield — England and New Zealand.
* Hopetoun Cup — Australia and Scotland.
* James Bevan Trophy — Australia and Wales.
* Lansdowne Cup — Australia and Ireland.
* Puma Trophy — Argentina and Australia.
* Prince William Cup — South Africa and Wales.
* Trophée des Bicentenaires — Australia and France.
* Tom Richards Trophy— Australia and the British and Irish Lions.
* Antim Cup — Georgia and Romania.
* Cook Cup — Australia and England.
* Dave Gallaher Trophy — France and New Zealand.
* Elgon Cup — Kenya and Uganda.
* Hillary Shield — England and New Zealand.
* Hopetoun Cup — Australia and Scotland.
* James Bevan Trophy — Australia and Wales.
* Lansdowne Cup — Australia and Ireland.
* Puma Trophy — Argentina and Australia.
* Prince William Cup — South Africa and Wales.
* Trophée des Bicentenaires — Australia and France.
* Tom Richards Trophy— Australia and the British and Irish Lions.
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