International rugby is currently in a transitional phase as the sport integrates new global competition structures like the Nations Championship alongside traditional test match windows.
Latest results
The Rugby Championship 2026 2026
🇿🇦South Africadef.New ZealandThe title was decided based on the final standings after the conclusion of the round-robin tournament in September.
Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 2025
🏴Englanddef.CanadaEngland secured the title by defeating Canada in the final match of the tournament.
Six Nations Championship 2025 2025
🏆Irelanddef.FranceIreland claimed the championship title by finishing at the top of the table after the final round of fixtures.
British & Irish Lions Tour 2025 2025
🏆British & Irish Lionsdef.AustraliaThe Lions won the test series against the Wallabies following a decisive victory in the final test match.
Men's Rugby World Cup 2023 2023
🇿🇦South Africadef.New ZealandSouth Africa won the final by a single point to claim their fourth world title.
Next up
Rugby World Cup 2027 Final Qualification Tournament
United Arab Emirates · November 8-18, 2026
This tournament will determine the final team to qualify for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup.
Men's finals, 1987 – 2023
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | France | 🇿🇦South Africa | New Zealand | 12–11 |
| 2019 | Japan | 🇿🇦South Africa | England | 32–12 |
| 2015 | England | 🇳🇿New Zealand | Australia | 34–17 |
| 2011 | New Zealand | 🇳🇿New Zealand | France | 8–7 |
| 2007 | France | 🇿🇦South Africa | England | 15–6 |
| 2003 | Australia | 🏴England | Australia | 20–17 (aet) |
| 1999 | Wales | 🇦🇺Australia | France | 35–12 |
| 1995 | South Africa | 🇿🇦South Africa | England | 15–12 (aet) |
| 1991 | England | 🇦🇺Australia | England | 12–6 |
| 1987 | New Zealand | 🇳🇿New Zealand | France | 29–9 |
Women's finals, 1991 – 2025
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | England | 🏴England | Canada | 33–13 |
| 2021 | New Zealand | 🇳🇿New Zealand | England | 34–31 (played 2022) |
| 2017 | Ireland | 🇳🇿New Zealand | England | 41–32 |
| 2014 | France | 🏴England | Canada | 21–9 |
| 2010 | England | 🇳🇿New Zealand | England | 13–10 |
| 2006 | Canada | 🇳🇿New Zealand | England | 25–17 |
| 2002 | Spain | 🇳🇿New Zealand | England | 19–9 |
| 1998 | Netherlands | 🇳🇿New Zealand | United States | 44–12 |
| 1994 | Scotland | 🏴England | United States | 38–23 |
| 1991 | Wales | 🇺🇸United States | England | 19–6 |
All-time champions
Men's World Cup
1995, 2007, 2019, 2023
1987, 2011, 2015
1991, 1999
2003
Women's World Cup
1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021
1994, 2014, 2025
1991
How it's played
Rugby union is 15-a-side: teams carry the ball forward but may only pass backwards, contesting possession after every tackle in a ruck. A try grounding the ball in-goal is worth 5 points, converted for 2 more, with penalties and drop goals worth 3. After two 40-minute halves the higher score wins.
A brief history of rugby
Tradition holds that William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran during a football match at Rugby School — the act commemorated by the trophy that now bears his name.
England's clubs form the Rugby Football Union, and England plays Scotland in the world's first international football match of any code in Edinburgh.
New Zealand and South African tours of Britain spread the game across the Empire. The 1905 'Originals' All Blacks tour makes the haka and the black jersey world-famous.
France joins the Home Nations to form the Five Nations in 1910, and Italy's arrival makes it the Six Nations in 2000 — rugby's oldest annual tournament.
New Zealand wins the first Rugby World Cup, hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand. The first Women's Rugby World Cup follows in 1991, won by the United States.
South Africa wins on home soil with Nelson Mandela presenting the trophy in a Springbok shirt — weeks later, the sport formally turns professional after a century of amateurism.
Rugby sevens joins the Rio Olympics, reintroducing the sport to the Games 92 years after the 15-a-side tournament of 1924 and fuelling sevens' global growth.
Men's Rugby World Cup 2027
Hosted by Australia
📅 October 1 – November 13, 2027
The first men's World Cup in Australia since 2003, with the final in Brisbane.
Women's Rugby World Cup 2029
Hosted by United States
📅 2029 — exact dates to be confirmed
The first women's World Cup hosted in the USA, growing the game ahead of the 2031 men's tournament.
Leading try scorers
Will Jordan continues to lead international rugby union try-scoring charts following his record-breaking performance in the 2026 Nations Championship.
Will Jordan
New Zealand · Test Tries
He became New Zealand's all-time leading try-scorer in Tests during the 2026 Nations Championship.
David Campese
Australia · Test Tries
He remains the historical benchmark for try-scoring excellence for the Wallabies.
Bryan Habana
South Africa · Test Tries
He holds the record for the most international tries scored by a South African player.
Rory Underwood
England · Test Tries
He continues to hold the record for the most tries scored in international matches for England.
Jack Bostock
Australia · Test Tries
He made a significant impact by scoring a hat-trick on his Test debut against New Zealand in October 2026.
Tom Curry
England · Test Tries
He scored tries in consecutive matches during the 2026 series against the Wallabies.
Josh Moorby
New Zealand · Test Tries
He made a live-wire debut for the All Blacks during the 2026 Nations Championship.
Christian Wade
England · Premiership Tries
He recently equalled the all-time Premiership try-scoring record in October 2026.
Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.
Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.
Current Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.