Brian Gerard O'Driscoll is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. He is regarded by critics as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
The Japan national rugby union team, also known as the Cherry Blossoms, the Brave Blossoms, or simply Sakura, represents Japan in men's international rugby union. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC). They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup (RWC) since the tournament began in 1987, and hosted the event in 2019.
The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
Leinster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial club rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
The United States men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States of America Rugby Football Union in men's international rugby union. USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States, and is a member of Rugby Americas North, one of six regional governing bodies under World Rugby. Until rugby returned to Olympic competition, with sevens at the 2016 Rio Games, the United States was the reigning Olympic rugby champion, having won gold at the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics.
The Canada men's national rugby union team represents the Canada in men's international rugby union competitions. They are overseen by Rugby Canada the governing body of rugby union in Canada.
William Michael Phillips is a rugby union player who plays at scrum-half. On 16 March 2013, Phillips surpassed the record of 76 caps set by Dwayne Peel as the most capped scrum-half for Wales.
Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He played most of his career for Ospreys and for the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 13 for the British & Irish Lions, and also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the second most Wales caps as captain. He retired from rugby in 2023.
Kieran James Crowley is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who is the former head coach of Italy. He has also coached the New Zealand Under-19s in the 2007 World Championships as well as coaching provincial side Taranaki. He previously served as head coach of Canada. He also spent five seasons coaching Benetton Rugby.
Todd Stanger Clever is an American retired rugby union player. He became the first American to play Super Rugby. At the international level, he was a member of the United States national team, served as captain, and is the most capped player in United States rugby union history.
The 2009 mid-year rugby union tests refers to the rugby union Internationals played from 23 May to 4 July 2009, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2009 end of year rugby internationals, also known as the Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina, tour the northern hemisphere.
Josef Schmidt HonFRCSI is a rugby union coach, born in New Zealand, who is the current head coach of the Australian Wallabies.
The 2012 mid-year rugby union tests refer to the rugby union Internationals that were played through June, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
Stuart William Hogg is a Scottish professional rugby union player, who plays for Montpellier of the French Top 14.
Ireland and United States first played each other at rugby union in 1994 with Ireland emerging victorious, 26–15 at their home ground, Lansdowne Road, in Dublin. They have played each other eleven times, five times in the United States, five times in Ireland and once at a neutral venue in New Zealand during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Ireland and the US also played each other in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, but the fixture was played at Ireland's home ground. Ireland's 83-3 victory against the USA in June 2000 is their highest score and largest winning margin against any international opponent. Ireland have won all eleven matches played between the teams. In March 1990 an under-25 Ireland side beat at full USA side 12–10 at Thomond Park. Four days prior to competing in their first international test match, a full USA side beat an Ireland Development side 20-13 at the Galway Sportsground on 1 November 1994.
In June 2013, Ireland toured North America, playing test matches against Canada and the United States. The tour was part of the second year of the global rugby calendar established by World Rugby, which will run until 2019, with Ireland helping to expand Test opportunities for Tier 2 nations in 2013.
Joe Cokanasiga is a professional rugby union player for the England national rugby union team. He plays wing for Bath, having previously represented London Irish. He helped his former team win promotion from the RFU Championship in 2016–17 season to the English Premiership for the 2017–18 season.
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