Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union or more often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is simply based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international competitions, such as the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the World Under 20 Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.
The Namibia national rugby union team represents Namibia in men's international rugby union competitions nicknamed the Welwitschias, are a tier-two nation in the World Rugby tier system, and have participated in seven Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999. They are governed by the Namibia Rugby Union.
Rugby sevens is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven-minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40-minute halves. Rugby sevens is administered by World Rugby, the body responsible for rugby union worldwide. The game is popular at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months. Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby, and is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and especially in the South Pacific.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promotes and runs the sport, organises international matches for the England national team, and educates and trains players and officials.
The Japan national rugby union team, often known as the Cherry Blossoms, Sakura, and more recently The Brave Blossoms 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 and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987.
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 defeated the one other competitor in 1920 and the two other competitors at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
The Canada national rugby union team represents the Canadian Rugby Union in international rugby union competitions. They are overseen by Rugby Canada the governing body of rugby union in Canada.
The Samoa national rugby sevens team, referred to as Samoa Sevens or Manu Samoa 7s, competes in the annual World Rugby Sevens Series. Representing the polynesian country of Samoa, with a population of about 202,000, the team competes against some of the wealthiest countries in the world. The Samoa sevens team is overseen by the Samoa Rugby Football Union, which oversees all of rugby union in Samoa.
The Australia women's national rugby sevens team, are the Australia national rugby sevens team of women. They were champions of the inaugural Women's Sevens World Cup in 2009. The team plays in the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series as one of the "core teams" on the world tour, of which they have been crowned Champions three times. The team also played in the preceding competition to the current world series, the IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup. In 2016, they won the inaugural gold medal at the Rio Summer Olympics.
Trevor Ntando Nyakane is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Racing 92 in the French Top14, and also the South Africa national rugby team, His regular playing position is prop and he has the ability to play at both loosehead and tighthead.
Ajax Wanderers R.U.F.C. are a rugby union club that is based in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. The Senior men's team currently runs two teams with the top XV squad competing in the Ontario Marshall Provincial division. the 2012 season saw the men win both the 1st division and second division granting them promotion to the Ontario Marshall Premier division for the 2013 season. The Wanderers also run programme for all age groups and genders. The Following Programs are running for the 2014 season;
Cheslin Kolbe is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Suntory Sungoliath in the Japan Rugby League One and the South Africa national team. His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback. He has also recently featured at fly half for Toulouse in the top 14, and as a scrum half for the Boks. Kolbe was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He has won the Rugby World Cup twice with South Africa, in 2019 and 2023. Kolbe was nominated for 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year but lost to South Africa teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. He previously played for Toulouse in the Top14, the Stormers in super rugby, and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He has won the World Cup, Rugby Championship, and Lions Series with the Boks, the Top14, and Champions Cup with Toulouse, and Currie Cup with the Western Province.
Jeff Hassler is a Canadian rugby union player. He plays at wing and occasionally at the centre position for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR), and Rugby Canada's National 15s. He has 36 caps for the National squad in all contests, and former member of the Neath-Swansea, Ospreys.
Samisoni Viriviri Nasagavesi is a Fiji rugby union player. He played for the Fiji sevens team, and in 2014 won the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award after leading the 2013-14 World Rugby Sevens Series in tries scored.
Kevin Bryce is a Scotland international rugby union player who plays as a Hooker for Pro14 side Glasgow Warriors. He has also played at Tighthead Prop and Flanker and has previously played for Edinburgh and Yorkshire Carnegie.
Rusila Nagasau is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays rugby sevens for Fiji and was also a representative soccer player. She was included in the squad for the 2016 France Women's Sevens.
Ryan Burroughs is an American professional rugby football player who has played primarily rugby league he has represented the United States National Rugby League team in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, as well as the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9's. He last played rugby league for Barrow Raiders. He left the club to sign for rugby union's Major League Rugby side Old Glory DC. Primarily playing on the wing, he can also play as fullback or centre.
Matt Heaton is a Canadian rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Rugby ATL in Major League Rugby (MLR). He also represents Canada playing for the Canadian national rugby union team internationally.
