HERE you'll find a history of all the major rugby tournaments that run at any time across the globe.
Whenever there is a major international tournament running [eg Tri Nations, British & Irish Lions, Rugby World Cup, Six Nations etc.], an entire section in Kick Off will be dedicated to it. There will be weekly updates of the matches with photos, tables and the latest news form the tournament.
The current tournament we are covering is the Rugby World Cup so just click on the link below for the latest...
Below we have an overview and history of a selection of current tournaments as a starter for 10.
Click on logo for tournament match reports
IN 1871, England and Scotland played the first rugby union international. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home International Championship, comprising England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales was played in 1883. England won the first series, along with a Triple Crown. Up until 1893, England and Scotland were the only champions, with Wales winning their first title that season. Ireland won their first title the following season. The 1908 and 1909 championships won by Wales, although won during the Home Nations era, could be regarded as Grand Slams, as they also defeated France both seasons.
In 1910 the French, who had played in four of the tournaments up to that point, officially joined the competition and coined the phrase "Five Nations". England won the first championship of the new era, with the Welsh achieving the first Grand Slam the following year. The competition was suspended during World War I (1914-18). In 1931, France were ejected from the tournament, which reverted to being the "Home Nations" from 1932 through to 1939. The competition was suspended again during World War II (1939-1945). With France back in the competition, the Five Nations resumed in 1947, with a shared victory for England and Wales. France won their first shared title in 1954, and their first outright title in 1959.
By the 1970s the Five Nations Championship had become the pre-eminent series in Northern hemisphere rugby union with matches becoming all-ticket affairs, gaining huge popularity and a large television audience. The 1972 tournament was not finished after Scotland and Wales refused to play in Dublin. The season after was unique for a five-way tie, with every nation having won and lost two games. The 1970s marked the golden age for Welsh rugby; winning three Grand Slams and one Triple Crown during the decade. Until 1993, there was no tangible reward for winning the Five Nations championship. The Trophy was presented for the first time in 1993 to France.
France were the first winners of the new trophy, followed by Wales and then England. Scotland's first success came in season 1998-99 with Ireland being the latest winners in 2009. Scotland was the last nation to win the Five Nations Trophy as such because Italy joined the competition in 2000 and the tournament became known as the "Six Nations Championship". England were the first nation to win the trophy under the new format, winning the 2000 competition.
Played annually, the format of the Championship is simple: each team plays every other team once, with home field advantage alternating from one year to the next. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Unlike most other rugby union competitions the bonus point system is not used.
Victory in every game results in a 'Grand Slam'. Back to back Grand Slams have been achieved on five occasions, by Wales in 1908/1909, by England in 1913/1914, 1923/1924 and 1991/1992 and by France in 1997/1998. England holds the record for the number of Grand Slams won with 12, followed by Wales with 10, France with 8, Scotland with 3 and Ireland with 2.
Victory by any Home Nation over the other three Home Nations is a 'Triple Crown'. The Triple Crown has twice been won on four consecutive occasions, once by Wales in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 and once by England in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. England hold the record for the number of Triple Crowns won with 23, followed by Wales with 19, Scotland with 10 and Ireland with 10. Although this achievement has long been a feature of the tournament, it was not until 2006 that a physical trophy, commissioned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was awarded.
The last-placed nation at the end of the tournament is said to have won the (purely figurative) Wooden Spoon.
Several individual competitions take place under the umbrella of the tournament. The oldest such regular competition is for the Calcutta Cup, contested annually between England and Scotland since 1879. Since 1988, the Millennium Trophy has been awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland. Since 2007, France and Italy also have their own trophy: the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy; it was created for the 200th anniversary of the Italian hero who helped unify Italy, Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nizza in 1807; the city became subsequently French with the current name of Nice in 1859.
Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship. After that date, ties were broken by considering the points difference of the teams. In 2005 Wales won the Grand Slam, becoming the first team ever to win a Grand Slam playing more games away than at home, a feat repeated by Ireland winning the last Grand Slam in 2009.
In 2006, France won the competition on points difference over Ireland. Ireland received the consolation prize of the Triple Crown Trophy, presented for the first time that year. Italy once more collected the Wooden Spoon, but showed considerable improvement over past years, earning a first-ever competition point away from home in a draw against Wales.
In 2007, France again won on points difference after four teams had at least a mathematical chance of topping the table going into the final week. The Italians achieved their first away win of the tournament beating Scotland in Edinburgh. It was also the first time they won two of their matches as they went on to beat Wales in Rome. Scotland won the wooden spoon and Ireland won the Triple Crown for the second straight year and third time in four years.
The following year, Wales repeated their Grand Slam heroics of 2005 and their triumph owed everything to a startling comeback in their opening match against England. New coach Warren Gatland saw his side trailing by a 13-point deficit only for England to press the self-destruct button as Mike Phillips’ 70th minute try sealed an incredible 26-19 victory. Wales never looked back after that, dispatching Scotland 30-15, Italy 47-8, Ireland 16-12, and finally France 29-12. Winger Shane Williams’ six tries earned him the RBS Player of the Championship award. England, who reached the final of the World Cup in 2007, were forced to play runners-up as they finished ahead of France with both teams winning three of their matches. Italy finished bottom but had the consolation of a 23-20 victory over Scotland in Rome.
2009 was the year Ireland finally broke their Grand Slam hoodoo dating back to 1948. And while the fireworks of the previous year took place in the opening match, all the drama of the 2009 Championship was concentrated into the final match between Wales and Ireland at the Millennium Stadium. The Triple Crown was on the line for both teams and a 13-point Welsh victory would have been enough for Warren Gatland to lift his second consecutive Championship. Ultimately Irish fly-half Ronan O’Gara’s drop goal was the kick that secured a 17-15 victory but there was so nearly one final twist in the tale.
With the final kick of the game Welsh stand-off Stephen Jones just missed with a 50m penalty that would have seen the 61 years of Irish agony continue. That defeat allowed England to take second place in Martin Johnson’s first RBS 6 Championship in the Twickenham hotseat while winless Italy took the Wooden Spoon for the second year running. The match between France and Wales in Paris was the first Championship game to be played on a Friday night.
The 2010 RBS 6 Nations produced another Championship full of drama, excitement and a first French Grand Slam in six years.
Ireland headed into the tournament as defending champions having won their first Slam in 61 years in 2009 but their bid was derailed in the Stade de France in a 33-10 defeat.
Les Bleus also negotiated tricky trips to Murrayfield and the Millennium Stadium before demolishing Italy 46-20 to set up the Slam decider against England who had blown hot and cold over the course of the tournament.
Martin Johnson’s men produced arguably their best performance of the campaign and scored the only try of the game through full-back Ben Foden but it was not enough to prevent a 12-10 England defeat and French celebrations.
Wales meanwhile were involved in some of the games of the tournament - in particular their incredible 31-24 victory over Scotland. Warren Gatland’s side were trailing 24-17 going into the final minutes only for tries from Leigh Halfpenny and Shane Williams to seal a memorable comeback. The match was overshadowed by a horrendous neck injury to Scotland back Thom Evans who fortunately made a full recovery.
After their agonising defeat to Wales, Scotland also suffered a 16-12 defeat to Italy in Rome before snatching a 15-15 draw in the Calcutta Cup clash with England. But they saved their best performance for last in the final Six Nations match to be played at Croke Park.
Fly-half Dan Parks kicked 18 points as Scotland bagged their first win of the Championship in their 23-20 victory to deny Ireland both the triple crown and a perfect send-off to the Gaelic Athletics Association stadium before their return to the refurbished Landsdowne Road. They had to make do with a second-place finish.
That victory lifted Scotland to fifth in the table giving Italy the wooden spoon. The Azzurri impressed on home soil in both their defeat of Scotland and their battling 17-12 loss to England – both of which were achieved without injured talisman Sergio Parisse.
Ireland winger Tommy Bowe won the 2010 RBS Player of the Championship award for his three tries while over one million people attended the matches.
Copy courtesy of RBS Six Nations
RBS Six Nations Past Title Winners
2000 England
2001 England
2002 France (Grand Slam)
2003 England (Grand Slam)
2004 France (Grand Slam)
2005 Wales (Grand Slam)
2006 France
2007 France
2008 Wales (Grand Slam)
2009 Ireland (Grand Slam)
2010 France (Grand Slam)
Click on logo for tournament match reports
IN July 2010, Premiership Rugby agreed a long term partnership with the UK’s leading insurance company Aviva, which includes title sponsorship of AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBY, the most competitive league in world rugby. The Aviva Premiership replaces the Guinness Premiership.
The initial four year deal, worth £20 million, sees the two organisations work together on the elite end of the professional game in England via Aviva Premiership Rugby, but also through a significant investment in community programmes, increasing still further the reach and effectiveness of the Aviva Premiership Rugby clubs in their communities.
Mark McCafferty, Chief Executive Premiership Rugby said “A title sponsorship deal with Aviva, which is such a strong international consumer brand, is another significant milestone in the growth of Premiership Rugby and provides us with a long term partnership commitment to our sport and to our work in the community”.
Mark Hodges, Chief Executive of Aviva UK added, “This is a fantastic sponsorship which is going to give us great opportunities to reach many of the people and businesses we work with across the UK, through what is arguably the most competitive and exciting rugby competition in the world.
Jon Varney, Commercial Director of Premiership Rugby said, “Our partnership with Aviva marks the beginning of a very exciting chapter in the growth and continuing professional development of the club game in England, as we commence new broadcast contracts for the first season of Aviva Premiership Rugby with ESPN, Sky and ITV.
Click on logo for tournament match reports
COURTESY of Premier Rugby, the following is a brief history of the numerous incarnations of what has now become one of the world's most revered competitions, attracting players of an international calibre to our green and pleasant land.
Up until 2009/10, the world’s most competitive domestic rugby union competition was the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP. The top flight league has evolved over time since starting in 1987 when the Courage Leagues were formed – a league pyramid that had more than 1000 clubs playing in 108 leagues – each with promotion and relegation. Previous to this, only friendlies were played and a regional cup competition existed.
Courage League (1987 – 1997)
Initially two teams, Bath and Leicester proved to be head and shoulders above anyone else in the Courage League, and between them dominated the top of the table, with Wasps the only other side to be crowned champions in the first ten years.
Leicester were England’s first official champions when they beat Waterloo on the last day of the 87/88 season.
The following year regular fixtures were introduced and Bath started their reign of domination going on to win six titles in eight years as the men from the Rec took the English game by storm. Wasps interrupted their run in 1990 and Leicester won in 1995 – with Wasps claiming their second title in 1997.
By this stage the concept of professionalism was gaining momentum and the changes spread through the sport rapidly, altering the face of rugby from a game to a business.
Allied Dunbar Premiership (1997 – 2000)
The Courage League had been very popular but the league really took off when Allied Dunbar took over the title sponsorship of Division One in 1996.
Newcastle was the first of the “professional” clubs as Sir John Hall dug deep in his pockets and turned the club, formerly known as Gosforth, into the 1998 champions.
Leicester then flexed their considerable muscle and went on one of the greatest winning streaks ever. From 1999 to 2002 they were almost unstoppable as they claimed four consecutive titles. What was so impressive was their 57 unbeaten home wins that stretched from 30th December 1997 to 30th November 2002 and included 52 successive wins. So great was their superiority that they only lost 14 games out of the 92 games played over the four seasons.
Zurich Premiership (2000 – 2005)
By the end of the 1990s the Premiership had become the Zurich Premiership and had developed into the most competitive club competition in the world.
Over the years the format of the league developed and evolved and today we see sides play every other side in the Premiership twice – home and away.
Today the Premiership Champions are decided by an end of season play-off with the side finishing third taking on the team that came second for the right to meet the top team in the Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham.
For the past three seasons London Wasps have played the competition format to perfection, peaking at the right time to be crowned English Champions in 2003, 2004 and 2005 under the expert guidance of Director of Rugby Warren Gatland.
Professionalism
Professionalism has undoubtedly played its part in moulding the Premiership. While the Southern Hemisphere embraced the new era, the sport in England was hanging on to its gentlemanly traditions. In 1995 with the end of the amateur game at international level, the clubs decided to take control of the game’s biggest commodity – the players.
Clubs like Saracens, Newcastle and Northampton were lucky enough to attract rugby-loving benefactors but the professional era also had its casualties as clubs like Richmond and London Scottish were forced into administration when their wealthy backers pulled out.
However the rugby prospered and there is no doubt that the strength and standard of the Premiership played an important part in England’s World Cup victory in 2003.
Perhaps it was a long time for the game to get its league sorted out, but to steal a line from the Premiership sponsors, Guinness® “Good things come to those who wait”.
Guinness Premiership Past Title Winners
2000-1 Leicester Tigers
2001-2 Leicester Tigers
2002-3 Gloucester Rugby
2003-4 Bath Rugby
2004-5 Leicester Tigers
2005-6 Sale Sharks
2006-7 Gloucester Rugby
2007-8 Gloucester Rugby
2008-9 Leicester Tigers
2009-10 Leicester Tigers
Click on logo for tournament match reports
IN June 2011, it was announced that financial institution Rabobank has taken over the sponsorship of the Celtic League from Magners.
In April, Magners announced an end to the drinks company's association with the league it had sponsored since 2006.
Rabobank has agreed a four-year deal for the league to carry the name of its online banking arm.
The 11th season of the tournament sees the RaboDirect PRO12 take place across four nations, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in a 12-team competition.
The RaboDirect PRO12 consists of a 22 weekend league stage, when all twelve teams play each other on a home & away basis, with the top four teams at the end of the season qualifying for the Play-Off Semi-finals and Final. The tournament continues through the Rugby World Cup and the 2012 RBS 6 Nations tournaments.
The champions of the 2011/12 RaboDirect PRO12 will be the winners of the Final. The tournament will run from the first weekend of September 2011 with the Final held on the last weekend of May 2012.
Click on logo for tournament match reports
THE Magners League is the rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The 10th season of the tournament saw the Magners League expanded to four nations as Italy joined Ireland, Scotland and Wales in a 12 team cross-border competition; the agreement paving the way for the introduction of two new Italian super sides, Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby.
The tournament consist of a 22 weekend league stage, when all twelve teams will play each other on a home and away basis, with the top four teams at the end of the season qualifying for the Play-Off semi-finals and final. The Grand Final was played on 20th May 2011 with Munster taking the title after defeating Leinster 19-9 at Thomond Park.
It is one of the three major leagues in Europe, along with the English Guinness Premiership and the French Top 14. The league champion was formerly determined solely from league performance, however from the 2009–10 season, a play-off structure has been introduced, similar to the Guinness Premiership. It was originally known as the Celtic League (Irish: An tSraith Cheilteach) (Welsh: Y Gynghrair Geltaidd)
The Magners League season takes place between September and May, with each team playing every other team on a home and away basis. Magners League matches avoid the traditional international weekends in November and during the Six Nations Championship. The Welsh, Irish and Scottish rugby unions now use the Magners League as the sole determinant for European qualification.
From the 2009/10 season both the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup winners will qualify automatically for the following season’s Heineken Cup and will each earn an extra Heineken Cup spot for their countries – over and above their guaranteed allocations.
Both Ireland and Wales can have four teams competed in the Heineken Cup if one their clubs win the Heineken Cup or the European Challenge Cup.
The changes mean that the Italian/Celtic League 24th Place Play-Off is no longer required and the extra place earned by England this year, which was available to the most successful nation from England, France or Italy, is also no longer applicable.
Magners League Past Title Winners
2001-2 Leinster [Ireland]
2002-3 Munster [Ireland]
2003-4 Llanelli Scarlets [Wales]
2004-5 Ospreys [Wales]
2005-6 Ulster [Ireland]
2006-7 Ospreys [Wales]
2007-8 Leinster [Ireland]
2008-9 Munster [Ireland]
2009-10 Ospreys [Wales]
2010-11 Munster [Ireland]
Click on logo for tournament match reports
THE European Rugby Cup known as the Heineken Cup is the senior European competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six IRB nations in Europe: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Romania competed in the first year of the competition only. The competition is organised by the European Rugby Cup, who are also responsible for the secondary championship, the Amlin Challenge Cup. It is one of the most prestigious trophies in the sport. The tournament was launched in the European summer of 1995 on the initiative of the then Five Nations committee to provide a new level of professional cross-border competition. The competition is known as the H-Cup in France because of alcohol advertising.
Each European nation has a different qualifying system, though in total, 24 teams contest the pool stages in six pools of four. According to performances, the number of clubs from each nation changes. The tournament is held from October to May, with various stages scheduled around domestic club competitions.
The Heineken Cup is open to clubs in the Magners League, Guinness Premiership, Super 10 and the Top 14. Clubs that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup can enter the European Challenge Cup.
22 places are awarded by country, with each country deciding how to allocate their alloted places:
England: 6 teams (selected by performance in Guinness Premiership)
France: 6 teams (selected by performance in Top 14 Championship)
Ireland: 3 teams (selected by performance in Magners League)
Wales: 3 teams (selected by performance in Magners League)
Scotland: 2 teams (selected by participation in Magners League)
Italy: 2 teams (selected by performance in Super 10 Championship)
From the 2009/10 season both the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup winners will qualify automatically for the following season’s Heineken Cup and will each earn an extra Heineken Cup spot for their countries – over and above their guaranteed allocations.
Both Ireland and Wales can have four teams competed in the Heineken Cup if one their clubs win the Heineken Cup or the European Challenge Cup.
However, England and France, who have six automatic places, will only be allowed a maximum of seven teams, so if either country wins both the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup the second additional spot will pass on to the club with the highest ERC European Ranking who has not already qualified from any of the other five nations.
The changes mean that the Italian / Celtic League 24th Place Play-Off is no longer required and the extra place earned by England this year, which was available to the most successful nation from England, France or Italy, is also no longer applicable.
The 23rd and 24th Heineken Cup places will go to the nation(s) of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup winners.
The 2008–09 tournament was won by Ireland's Leinster, who beat the Leicester Tigers of England 19–16 in the final at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Toulouse have been the most successful team, winning the competition three times.
Heineken Cup Past Title Winners
1995-6 Toulouse [France]
1996-7 Brive [France]
1997-8 Bath [England]
1998-9 Ulster [Ireland]
1999-2000 Northampton Saints [England]
2000-1 Leicester Tigers [England]
2002-3 Leicester Tigers [England]
2003-4 London Wasps [England]
2004-5 Toulouse [France]
2005-6 London Wasps [England]
2006-7 Toulouse [France]
2007-8 Munster [Ireland]
2008-9 Leinster [Ireland]
2009-10 Toulouse [France]
Click on logo for tournament match reports
THE inaugural Amlin Challenge Cup saw the introduction of three of the Pool runner-ups from the Heineken Cup at the quarter-finals with the winner automatically qualifying for the 2010/11 Heineken Cup - and also earning an additional Heineken Cup spot for their country.
The 2009/10 European season kicked-off with Amlin Challenge Cup action on 8th October 2009 with the clash of Worcester Warriors and Montpellier live on Sky Sports and France 4, while Friday 9th October saw Castres Olympique welcome Toulon live on Eurosport France. A minimum of two games are broadcast live from each of the 6 Pool weekends.
Twenty teams from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Romania - including former double Heineken Cup winners London Wasps - contested the 2009/10 Amlin Challenge Cup in which a host of international stars were on parade.
These included French captain Lionel Nallet and international team-mate Sebastien Chabal with newcomers Racing-Metro 92; Springbok Johann van Niekerk at Toulon; Steve Borthwick and Justin Marshall at Saracens and Simon Shaw, Danny Cipriani and Phil Vickery at Wasps.
AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP ... SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
* European Club rugby celebrates 15 seasons in 2009/10 with the inaugural Heineken Cup played in 1995/96.
* The first European Challenge Cup tournament was played the following season in 1996/96.
* There have been 13 European Challenge Cup finals with 265 players from 17 nations the proud owners of European Challenge Cup final winners' medals.
* Three clubs - Sale Sharks, Harlequins, ASM Clermont Auvergne (as Montferrand in 1999) have won on two occasions. London Wasps are the only team to have won both the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup.
* There have been 972 European Challenge Cup matches played so far. The four-figure barrier will be broken when Worcester Warriors clash with Connacht Rugby at Sixways in Round 3 on Saturday, 12 December.
* The 2010 Amlin Challenge Cup winners will automatically qualify for the 2010/11 Heineken Cup - and also earn an additional place in the tournament for a club from their country.
* The ERC Ranking points available to the Amlin Challenge Cup winner has been increased from 5 to 6 points
* Three Heineken Cup teams who have finished as Pool runners-up will qualify for the knock-out stages of the Amlin Challenge Cup. The trio who finish as the third, fourth and fifth ranked Heineken Cup Pool runners-up will contest the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals with the five Pool winners.
* The arrivals of Racing-Metro 92 and Olympus Rugby XV Madrid will take the number of teams who will have taken part in the tournament to 90.
* Connacht Rugby - who have been ever present and played more tournament matches than any other team - will play their 85th tournament match when they host Spanish side Olympus Rugby XV Madrid in Round 1.
* Saracens will become the ninth team to play 50 tournament matches when they launch their title challenge at home to Rugby Rovigo in Round 1 on Sunday, 11 October - and Castres Olympique will join those elite 50-match teams if they qualify for the knock-out stages.
* There have been 6,045 tries scored in those 972 matches at a match average of over six tries a game.
Copy courtesy of ERC Rugby
European Challenge Cup Past Title Winners
1996-7 Bourgoin [France]
1997-8 Colomiers [France]
1998-9 Montferrand [France]
1999-2000 Pau [France]
2000-1 NEC Harlequins [England]
2001-2 Sale Sharks [England]
2002-3 London Wasps [England]
2003-4 NEC Harlequins [England]
2004-5 Sale Sharks [England]
2005-6 Gloucester Rugby [England]
2006-7 Clermont Auvergne [France]
2007-8 Bath Rugby [England]
2008-9 Northampton Saints [England]
Amlin Challenge Cup Past Title Winners
2009-10 Cardiff Blues [Wales]
Click on club logo for tournament match reports
THE Top 14 is a rugby union club competition which is played in France. The Top 14 is at the top of the national league system of French National Rugby League. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Rugby Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14, though the competition was previously known as the Top 16.
The first ever final took place in 1892, between two Paris-based sides, Stade Français and Racing Club, with the latter becoming the inaugural champions. The competition has been held on an annual basis since, with the exception being between 1915 and 1919 because of World War I. The current champions are Perpignan.
The Top 14 also serves as the qualification route for French clubs into the two European Rugby competitions; the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. A minimum of six French clubs qualify for top level of competition, the Heineken Cup. The top six ranked French clubs (one through to six on the points ladder) at the end of the regular season qualify for the following season's Heineken Cup. In accordance with rules changes that take effect with the 2009–10 season, the winners of the Heineken and Challenge Cups each receive automatic Heineken Cup berths for the following season; unlike past years, these berths are not at the expense of a country's allocation. However, England and France are capped at seven Heineken Cup berths each. If either country produces both Cup winners in the same season, one of its league berths in the Heineken Cup will instead go to the club that is ranked highest in the European Rugby Club Rankings that is (1) not of that country and (2) not already qualified for the Heineken Cup. This means that France will have seven berths if either of the following happens:
A French club wins either of the two Cup competitions.
English clubs win both Cup competitions, and the club that stands highest in the ERC Rankings among those that did not otherwise qualify for the Heineken Cup is French.
All Top 14 clubs that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup automatically qualify for the Challenge Cup. This means that all Top 14 clubs will participate in European competition during a given season.
The French clubs have had huge success in the European competitions. The inaugural Heineken Cup, the 1995-96 season was won by Toulouse, which would lead to two other championships as well (2002-03 and (2004-05). It would also not be until the fifth championship game until there was no French team in the final. In addition, there have also been two occasions where the final was an all French encounter (Toulouse v Perpignan in 2002-03 and Toulouse v Paris in 2004-05).
2009-10 SEASON
The 2009/10 Top 14 season kicked off in August and anticipation reached fever pitch after a frenzied summer of transfer activity, especially from the nouveaux riche free spenders at Toulon and Racing-Metro 92.
Cross Channel interest will be as never before following a raft of British signings - despite warnings about the players’ international futures – with the high profile arrival of Jonny Wilkinson leading the way.
Wilkinson has apparently rediscovered both the joys of life and rugby after switching from Newcastle Falcons to Toulon, and is set to make his Top 14 bow on Friday night when he will sample the cauldron of passion that is the Stade Felix Mayol for the first time in a competitive match.
Pre-season form has been encouraging – three wins from three – and with Paris giants Stade Francais providing the opposition it is bound to be a night to remember down on the Cote d’Azur. New coach Philippe Saint-Andre has overseen the import of an incredible 17 new players down at Toulon – financed by the benevolent backing of president Mourad Boudjellal – and it will be fascinating to see how quickly the former Sale boss can get his new squad to gel.
Newcomers Racing-Metro 92 have also caused a stir in the transfer market, signing former Sale favourite Sebastien Chabal, together with France captain Lionel Nallet and Springbok international Francois Steyn as they seek to make an immediate impact after running away with the ProD2 title last season.
The potential power of both Toulon and Racing should make this season’s campaign even more enthralling than last, especially with the revamped play-offs expanded to include six rather than four teams.
That’s also good news for the other wannabes, such as Brive – another club seemingly ever ready to splash the cash – and Biarritz. Together these four sides will be striving to break the dominance of France’s traditional ‘Big Four’ of Stade Toulousain, Stade Francais, Clermont Auvergne and defending champions Perpignan.
Intriguingly, the Catalan champions have been the quietest club in Top 14 during the off-season, although whether this is due to confidence or an almighty hangover from their exuberant title celebrations remains to be seen.
Their final victory over Clermont Auvergne ended a 54-year wait for their seventh French title, but now they must contend with the novel pressure – for the current squad anyway – of defending the ‘Bouclier de Brennus’.
A trophy-less season for Stade Toulousain did not go down well at the 17-times champions and veteran coach Guy Noves has recruited shrewdly during the off-season, while Stade president Francais Max Guazzini has underwritten another spending spree in an effort to boost his own club’s ambitions.
And what of Clermont Auvergne? Will 2009/10 finally be the season they shed the ‘perennial bridesmaids’ tag and claim their first French title? Ten final defeats out of 10 is a desperate record and the psychological barrier appears to be rising ever-higher after three consecutive final reverses.
It all adds up to a fascinating season ahead, and that’s without even considering the intriguing sideshow of the Heineken Cup – in which French clubs so disappointed last year.
Top 14 Past Title Winners
1995-6 Stade Toulousain
1996-7 Stade Toulousain
1997-8 Stade Français
1998-9 Stade Toulousain
1999-2000 Stade Français
2000-1 Stade Toulousain
2001-2 Biarritz Olympique
2002-3 Stade Français
2003-4 Stade Français
2004-5 Biarritz Olympique
2005-6 Biarritz Olympique
2006-7 Stade Français
2007-8 Stade Toulousain
2008-9 US Perpignan
2009-10 Clermont Auvergne
Click on club logo for tournament match reports
THE Tri Nations is an international rugby union competition that is contested annually by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The competition is organized by SANZAR, a consortium formed by the three countries' rugby governing bodies – the Australian Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the South African Rugby Union. These three teams have dominated international rankings in recent years and some consider the Tri Nations to be the toughest competition in international rugby.
In 2009, Argentina was formally invited to join the Tri Nations, and all conditions have now been fulfilled. The Tri Nations will become the Four Nations in 2012 when the negotiation of a participation agreement with the UAR is complete.
The series is played on a home-and-away basis. From the first tournament in 1996 through 2005,the three teams played each other twice. Since then, each team has played the others three times, except in the Rugby World Cup year of 2007 when the series reverted to a double round-robin. Since the inception of the series the games played between Australia and New Zealand also go toward determining the winner of the Bledisloe Cup each year. The Freedom Cup is contested between New Zealand and South Africa, and the Mandela Challenge Plate between Australia and South Africa.
HISTORY
The opening tournament of 1996 was dominated by the All Blacks who stormed to victory undefeated, leaving the Springboks and the Wallabies with just one win each—against each other. The opening exchange was between New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand winning by over 40 points and, although they won all four of their games, the later matches were a lot closer in their scorelines. The launch of the Tri Nations was considered a huge success.
A similar story unfolded the following year, 1997. The All Blacks maintained their dominance over the new competition and again went undefeated. Australia and South Africa found themselves in similar position again with just one win each. The 1998 series was something of a turnaround for all nations with South Africa winning the tournament and Australia finishing second. Two-time winner New Zealand finished at the bottom with no wins. In the following tournament in 1999 New Zealand again became Tri Nations champions and defending champions South Africa fell to the bottom.
Australia, the World Champions at the time, won their first Tri Nations championship in 2000. That tournament is also notable for Australia’s opening match against New Zealand at Stadium Australia where 109,874 spectators attended. Jonah Lomu scored a try in injury time to grab the win for the All Blacks. The game was hailed as one of the greatest ever, and the end competition thought by some to be the best Tri Nations ever at the time.
Australia continued their reign as Tri Nations champions by successfully defending the trophy the following year. Their run ended in 2002 when the All Blacks won the championship again. New Zealand successfully defended it in 2003. South Africa won the 2004 tournament where the three nations finished with two wins each. The Springboks emerged as winners due to their superior table points. The trophy returned to New Zealand in 2005 and the Wallabies failed to win a game. In 2006 New Zealand retained the trophy with 2 games still to be played. In 2007, the Tri Nations was shortened to two games against either team, because it clashed with the Rugby World Cup in France. The Tri Nations championship and the Bledisloe Cup came down to the final match, between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park. New Zealand ran out easy winners, and lifted both the trophies. There was some controversy as South Africa fielded less than a full strength squad in the away legs in Australia and New Zealand in anticipation of the World Cup. New Zealand defended their title in 2008, in beating Australia in the final match in Brisbane. In 2009, South Africa claimed the season crown in their final match with an away win over New Zealand in Hamilton.
Tri Nations Past Title Winners
1996 New Zealand
1997 New Zealand
1998 South Africa
1999 New Zealand
2000 Australia
2001 Australia
2002 New Zealand
2003 New Zealand
2004 South Africa
2005 New Zealand
2006 New Zealand
2007 New Zealand
2008 New Zealand
2009 South Africa
Click on club logo for tournament match reports
Something Super is coming to Rugby...
IN 2011, Super 14 has been transformed. Super Rugby boasts an exciting new-look format. A 15th team has been established in Australia - the Melbourne Rebels. The competition has moved to a five-team Conference system and an expanded finals series will be introduced. It is bigger, better and the best yet...
THE Super Rugby competition is not only expanded to 15 teams in 2011, it is undergoing a significant format revamp. A new three-Conference system is in place where the five teams within each country make up nationally-based Conferences and play their four ‘local’ rivals on a home and away basis (eight games in total). They also play four of the other five teams in each of the other two Conferences on a home or away basis (another eight games).
This leads to an overall program of 16 games per team in the regular season, as opposed to the previous 13 - and separate Australian Conference, South African Conference and New Zealand Conference tables will chart the fortunes of teams in each country.
A three-week finals series involving six teams - as opposed to the previous two-week playoffs for four teams - will further increase the length of the season. At the end of the regular season matches, the top team in each Conference will qualify for the finals. The other three teams to qualify will be the sides with the most number of competition points - irrespective of the Conference in which they are based. The Conference winners are also ensured of a home finals match. Therefore, at least one finals match will be played in each country each year.
SUPER RUGBY SNAPSHOT...
- An increase in overall matches from 94 to 125 (an increase of 33%)
- A 50% increase in the length of the season in non-World Cup years – from 16 weeks to 24 weeks
- A 31% increase in the length of the season in World Cup years – from 16 weeks to 21 weeks
- Each team will play 12 of its 16 regular-season games within its own country – with only four matches overseas
- There will be 20 regular season local derbies in each country as opposed to six in Australia, 10 in South Africa and10 in New Zealand under the Super 14 format
- Half of all regular season matches will be local derbies
- 40 Super Rugby regular season matches played in each country each season as opposed to 26 in Australia under the Super 14 structure and 32 or 33 in South Africa and New Zealand
FINALS
• The top team in each Conference will automatically advance to the finals in positions 1, 2 or 3 (depending on
their individual competition points totals)
• The other three teams to advance will be those with the highest number of competition points outside of the Conference winners
• The teams qualifying in 4th, 5th and 6th can come from any Conference - they could all come from one Conference
• In week one of the finals the teams qualifying 1st and 2nd will rest
• The 3rd placed team, as a Conference winner, will host the 6th placed team in a sudden-death Qualifier
• The 4th placed team will host the 5th placed team in another sudden-death Qualifier
• The two winners will play the top two sides in Semis the following week
• The winners of the Semis will meet in the Final
Click on club logo for tournament match reports
THE Super 14 is the largest Rugby union competition in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia (Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and Western Force), five teams from New Zealand (The Blues, The Chiefs, The Hurricanes, The Crusaders and The Highlanders) and five teams from South Africa The Cheetahs, The Stormers, The Sharks, The Lions and The Bulls). The fourteen sides all play against one another once in the regular season, with no divisional or pool system. With each team granted one bye week, this phase of the competition runs for fourteen weeks.
The teams in the top four places on the competition ladder after the regular season enter the two-week knockout phase of the tournament. Two semi-finals (in which the top-ranked team hosts the fourth, and second-ranked hosts the third) are contested to decide the two finalists, which is played at the highest ranked winner's home ground, as opposed to a pre-selected neutral venue.
The current competition was inaugurated in 1996, and from the first season through to 2005, the competition was known as Super 12; the name change came about following the expansion for the 2006 season. The term Super Rugby is sometimes used when talking about the Super 14 and Super 12 collectively. Matches are now broadcast in 41 countries.
The competition will be known as the Super 15 from Season 2011, as a 15th franchise from the Australian state of Victoria, the Melbourne Rebels have been awarded a licence.
HISTORY
Super 6
Before 1996, regular competitive rugby union had taken shape in a number of southern hemisphere competitions, the earliest of which was the South Pacific Championship, which was launched in 1986. The original competition consisted of three teams from New Zealand; Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington along with two Australian teams; Queensland and New South Wales, and Fiji. The competition was relaunched as the Super Six in 1992.
SUPER 10
In 1992, the Super 10 replaced the South Pacific Championship and Super Six tournaments. With South Africa being readmitted into international sport following the dismantling of apartheid, there was an opportunity to launch an expanded competition which would also feature South Africa's top provincial teams. The inaugural competition featured the following teams: Waikato, Auckland, Otago and North Harbour (New Zealand); Natal Sharks, Transvaal and Northern Transvaal (South Africa); Queensland and New South Wales (Australia), Western Samoa (Pacific Nations representative). The Super 10 was won by Transvaal (South Africa) in 1993, and by Queensland (Australia) in 1994 and 1995. Waikato won the first season 29–12 over Auckland.
SUPER 12
The official declaration of professionalism in rugby union in August 1995 led to a restructuring of the Super 10 competition. Following the success of the 1995 World Cup Australia, New Zealand and South Africa rugby boards formed SANZAR (South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby) to administer an annual 12-team provincial/franchise based competition pitting regional teams from the three nations against each other. In addition it was decided to hold an annual Tri-Nations Test Series between the three countries. A significant reason for the development of the Super 12 was the threat to rugby union from rival football code rugby league: part of the business model for the Foxtel pay TV network in Australia was to attract subscribers by offering an exclusive product (such as rugby union) which could not be seen on free-to-air broadcast television. By setting up the Super 12, the Unions had a product that was in demand from viewers, enabling them to sell a 10 year contract for exclusive television rights to News Corp for US$ 555 million, giving them both coverage and financial support to kickstart the new competition.
With significant sponsorship, and rugby turning a professional sport in 1995, the Super 12 competition successfully kicked off in 1996 with five New Zealand franchises, four South African provinces and three domestic Australian teams competing. New Zealand's dominance of the competition began in the first year when the Auckland Blues won the inaugural competition defeating South African side the Natal Sharks 45 – 21 in a home final. The Blues would repeat the success of 1996 beating Australian side the ACT Brumbies 23 – 7 in the 1997 final.
The Blues then reached their third successive final in 1998 but went down to fellow countrymen the Canterbury Crusaders 13 – 20. This would mark the beginning of the Crusaders' three-year dominance as they went on to win the 1999 and 2000 finals over the Otago Highlanders and ACT Brumbies respectively. The 2001 season was the first in which no New Zealand franchise reached the final, being contested between the ACT Brumbies and Natal Sharks with the Brumbies convincing winners, with a 36 – 6 scoreline.
The Crusaders won their 4th final in 2002 and missed out on their 5th in 2003 with a four-point loss to fellow countrymen the Blues. In 2004 the Brumbies took revenge on their 2000 final loss to the Crusaders defeating them 47 – 38 in front of a home crowd. The Crusaders would bounce back to win the 2005 final 35 – 25 against the Australian side the New South Wales Waratahs who reached their first ever final. This was the last year of the 12 team format.
From the early 2000s Australia had started to push for the inclusion of a fourth Australian team, and South Africa for another team from its country. There was also speculation of including a team from the South Pacific Island nations, such as Fiji; or a combined Pacific Islanders team from Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. Argentina was also pushing for inclusion in the Super 12. In the early 2000s the provincial names from the New Zealand franchises were dropped. So the Canterbury Crusaders become the simply The Crusaders. Also South Africa followed the New Zealand franchise model, where previously South African participation was decided by the previous year's Currie Cup placings.
SUPER 14
In September 2004, SANZAR began negotiations for a new television deal to take effect in 2006. That December, SANZAR announced that a new TV deal had been signed, with News Corporation winning the rights for the UK, Australia and New Zealand and Supersport winning rights for South Africa. The contract is worth USD 323 million over five years, which is a 16% annual increase compared to the previous deal.[7] It covers international fixtures as well as the Super 14. SANZAR remained free to negotiate separate deals for other markets, such as France, Japan and the Americas.
The TriNations is the "cash cow" for the SANZAR partners as it provides nearly 60 per cent of the money from News Ltd. The Super 14 made up about 30 per cent of the deal.
Under the new deal, Australia and South Africa each got one extra team in the competition, and a third round of fixtures was added to the Tri Nations Series. The proposal also included the possibility of splitting the updated Super 14 into two seven-team divisions, but it was decided to keep the competition in its traditional single-table format. However, Argentina and the Pacific Islands remain shut out of the competition under this proposal.
It was confirmed in 2005 that the new Australian team in the competition would be based in Perth and was named the Western Force. The addition of the new South African team led to considerable controversy, including government involvement. Finally, the five teams for 2006 were confirmed to be the country's existing four teams, plus the Central Cheetahs, which draws its players from the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces.
The Cats (now the Lions) playing the Sharks.
The two new teams didn't perform all that well, the South African franchise the Cheetahs did the better of the two teams finishing 10th on the ladder notching up 5 season wins. The Australian franchise the Western Force only managed one victory and ended winning the wooden spoon as last placed 14th. The highlight for the Force was a 23-all draw against eventual champions the Crusaders, who defeated first-time finalists the Hurricanes 19 – 12.
For the 2007 season, 22 All Blacks missed the competition's first seven rounds as part of an All Black "conditioning programme". The conditioning programme was a part of the All Blacks' 2007 Rugby World Cup preparations, and every New Zealand franchise was without players for the first seven rounds. At the end of the regular season, for the first time since 1998, no Australian franchise had made the semi-finals. Although the Brumbies were strong and the Western Force experienced vast improvement it was a poor season for the Queensland Reds and Waratahs who finished last and second last respectively. Also, it was known before the final that the competition would be won for the first time ever by a South African team, as the Sharks and Bulls, who finished 1–2 on the season ladder, both won their respective semifinals. The final, held in Durban, saw the visiting Bulls win 20–19.
Super 14 Past Title Winners
2006 Crusaders [New Zealand]
2007 Bulls [South Africa]
2008 Crusaders [New Zealand]
2009 Bulls [South Africa]
2010 Bulls [South Africa]
THE 2011/12 season marks the start of a new era for the LV= Cup.
Following an exciting two years, LV= has signed as title sponsor for a further four years and in conjunction with Rugby Football Union, Welsh Rugby Union and Premiership Rugby is re-launching the Cup for the new season.
The tournament will take on a fresh look and feel, including a new logo and the introduction of the inaugural LV= Cup Breakthrough Player of the Season Award to reflect its status as a prime development pathway for the stars of tomorrow.
LV= recognises the value the competition brings to Rugby Union by offering younger, up and coming players the opportunity to experience first-team action, allowing these players to develop their talents before going on to compete at the highest level.
ABOUT THE LV= CUP
Now in its third season, the LV= Cup is played between the 12 Aviva Premiership Rugby clubs and the four Welsh regions.
The competition derives from the RFU Senior Knockout Cup, which has been played since 1972 and has been previously called the John Player, Pilkington, Tetley’s Bitter, Powergen and EDF Energy cups.
In the 2010-11 LV= Cup final, Tom Voyce’s trophy- winning experience with London Wasps rubbed off on his Gloucester team- mates as the Cherry & Whites ensured five trophy- less years came to an end with a 34-7 victory over Newcastle Falcons.
