The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams. The tournament was first held in 1987, when the tournament was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
The Italy national rugby union team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship against the other top rugby teams in Europe. The team is also known as the Azzurri (Azures).
The Rugby Europe International Championships is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations.
The Andorra national rugby union team, nicknamed Els Isards represent Andorra in international rugby union competitions. As of 2 September 2018, they were ranked 70th out of 100 rugby-playing nations by the World Rugby. They play most of their home games in Andorra la Vella, the country's capital, though have had some matches in Foix, which is in France.
The Netherlands national rugby union team first played in 1930. The team competes in the 2017–18 Rugby Europe Trophy of the European Nations Cup, and has never qualified for the Rugby World Cup.
The Russia national rugby union team, nicknamed the Bears, is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia (RUR). The RUR is considered the official successor union of the Soviet Union by World Rugby and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s. Since 1992, the team has played as Russia. Its first test match as Russia was against the Barbarians in Moscow in June 1992 and the country's first test against an official Test nation was against Belgium later that same year.
Women's international rugby union has a history going back to the late 19th century but it was not until 1982 that the first international fixture involving women's rugby union took place. The match was organised in connection with the Dutch Rugby Union's 50th anniversary. As part of the celebrations on June 13, 1982 the French national women's team played the Dutch, in Utrecht, Netherlands, with France winning 4–0 in a game that has since been recognised as the first ever women's international rugby union match.
The Wales women's national rugby union team first played in 1987. Wales plays in the Women's Rugby World Cup and the Women's Six Nations Championship.
The Ireland women's national rugby union team represents Ireland in international women's rugby union competitions such as the Women's Six Nations Championship and the Women's Rugby World Cup. They have also represented Ireland in the FIRA Women's European Championship. Ireland won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. In 2013 they also achieved both a Triple Crown and Grand Slam. They finished fourth in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup after defeating New Zealand in the pool stages. Ireland hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. The team was originally organised by the Irish Women's Rugby Football Union. However, since 2009 it has been organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union
The 2010 FIRA tournament included all the continent's major teams who did not qualify for the World Cup, plus Sweden and a France "A" team. Prior to the tournament Jean-Claude Baqué, Chairman of the FIRA-AER, explained the philosophy of the European Trophy. "The European Trophy is an important tournament for the development of women 15's rugby within Europe. The European Championship takes place each four years but the FIRA-AER must propose games to emerging unions through a serious competition and with the help of the big nations" Unusually, and for no published reason, all games were only 35 minutes per half.
The 2010 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship was the seventh annual international rugby union competition for Under 18 national rugby union teams in Europe. The event was organised by rugby's European governing body, the FIRA – Association of European Rugby (FIRA-AER). The competition was contested by 24 men's junior national teams and was held in late March and early April 2010. It was hosted by the Italian region of Veneto, with the final played at the home ground of Benetton Treviso.
The 2009 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship was the sixth annual international rugby union competition for Under 18 national rugby union teams in Europe. The event was organised by rugby's European governing body, the FIRA – Association of European Rugby (FIRA-AER). The competition was contested by 32 men's junior national teams and was held in early April 2009. It was hosted by the French region of Var - Côte d'Azur, with the final held in Toulon.
The 2011 Women's European Trophy was the 16th rugby tournament organised by FIRA for the continent's national teams. The venues were in and around A Coruña in Spain, and the games have been played between 30 April and 7 May.
The 2011 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship was the eighth annual international rugby union competition for Under 18 national rugby union teams in Europe. The event was organised by rugby's European governing body, the FIRA – Association of European Rugby (FIRA-AER). The competition was contested by 28 men's junior national teams and will be held in April 2011. It was hosted by the French region of Armagnac and Bigorre. The tournament was won by the under-18 team of Ireland, who took out the title for the first time, beating England in the final. For the first time, France did not reach the championship game and finished in fourth place only.
The 1996–97 FIRA Tournament was the 32nd edition of the European rugby union championship for national teams organized by the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA).
The 2012–14 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe. It is divided into two tiers; Division 1A and Division 1B.
The 2013 Women's Qualification Tournament was the 18th annual rugby tournament organised by FIRA for the continent's national teams and also a qualification tournament for 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup. Six teams took part - the fifth and sixth ranked teams from the Six Nations, based on 2012 and 2013 results, Italy and Scotland; the finalist from the 2012 European Championship, Spain ; the two finalists from 2012 European Group B, Sweden and the Netherlands; and Oceania's entrant Samoa, who were disputing a qualification place from one of the European teams.
The 2014–16 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe. It is divided into two tiers; Division 1A and Division 1B.
