Following the performances of the Canadian, American and Argentine teams at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, some commentators have suggested the Lions conduct a shortened tour the Americas in the future.

Recent popularity has been increased with the Irish Wolfhound's success in the Rugby League World Cup which was held in Australia in 2008.

In the movie Invictus, Mandela gives the captain of the national South African rugby team the poem to inspire him to lead his team to a Rugby World Cup win, telling him how it inspired him in prison.

The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World Cup, including the 3rd / 4th place play-off.

The National Stadium, which was used by Wales national rugby union team, was officially opened on 7 April 1984, however in 1997 it was demolished to make way for the Millennium Stadium in 1999, which hosted the 1999 Rugby World Cup and became the national stadium of Wales.

* 1987 – First ever Rugby World Cup kicks off with New Zealand playing Italy at Eden Park, Auckland.

The MCG, often referred to by locals as " The G ", has also hosted other major events, including International Rules between the Australian Football League ( AFL ) and Gaelic Athletic Association, international Rugby union, State of Origin series ( rugby league ), FIFA World Cup qualifiers and International Friendly matches, serves as the finish line for the Melbourne Marathon and also major rock concerts.

* 1954 – Great Britain defeats France to capture the first ever Rugby League World Cup in Paris in front of around 30, 000 spectators.

Despite the anecdotal nature of the sport's origin, the Rugby World Cup trophy is named after him.

In 1987 the first Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand and Australia, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand.

The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987.

simple: Rugby World Cup

The Confederation of African Rugby governs rugby games in the region and chooses the best team to play in the Rugby World Cup.

** The 1977 Rugby League World Cup culminates in Australia's 13 – 12 victory over Great Britain at the Sydney Cricket Ground before about 24, 450 spectators.

Rugby increased in size and audience, as the Rugby World Cup became the third most watched sporting event in the world with the 2007 Rugby World Cup organized in France.

** South Africa wins the Rugby World Cup.

* October 9 – The 1985-88 Rugby League World Cup culminates in Australia's 25 – 12 victory over New Zealand at Auckland's Eden Park before 47, 363 spectators.

Other transnational competitions include the Pro 12, involving Irish, Italian, Scottish and Welsh teams ; The Rugby Championship, involving South African, Australian, New Zealand and Argentinian Teams ; and the Heineken Cup, involving the top European teams from their respective domestic competitions.

Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere .< ref name =" historymain ">

The winners are awarded the William Webb Ellis Cup, named after William Webb Ellis, the Rugby School pupil who – according to a popular myth – invented rugby football by picking up the ball during a game.

* 1937 – Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft, at Rugby, England.

Some saw the 1891 team — the first sanctioned by the Rugby Football Union — as the English national team, though others referred to it as " the British Isles ".

It came two years before an inter-club rugby game under the auspices of the Rugby Football Union would be played in England ; though it must be remembered that rugby had been codified 24 years before this in 1845 and played by many schools, universities and clubs even before the laws were first put on paper.

After retiring from the army he had established a business training horses first in Cheshire and then at ' The Mount ', near Rugby.

The first German Rugby team was founded in Hanover in 1878.

* 1870 – The first game of rugby in New Zealand is played in Nelson between Nelson College and the Nelson Rugby Football Club.

Oxfordians say the first of these phrases could refer to one of Edward de Vere's manors, Bilton, near the Forest of Arden, in Rugby, on the River Avon.

In 1883, he visited England for the first time, and studied the program of physical education instituted by Thomas Arnold at the Rugby School.

In 1845, the first football laws were written by Rugby School pupils ; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the Blackheath Club's decision to leave the Football Association in 1863 and the split between rugby union and rugby league in 1895.

Historically an amateur sport, in 1995 the International Rugby Board ( IRB ) removed restrictions on payments to players, making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time.

Significant events in the early development of rugby football were the production of the first set of written football laws at Rugby School in 1845, which was followed by the ' Cambridge Rules ' drawn up in 1848.

In 1973 the first officially sanctioned international sevens tournament took place at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations.

* 1895 – The first game of what would become known as rugby league football is played, in England, starting the 1895 – 96 Northern Rugby Football Union season.

* January 4 – England celebrates its first ever win over the All Blacks in Rugby Union, in particular the 2 famous tries by " The Prince " HH Alexander Obolensky.

* September 7 – The first game of what would become known as rugby league football is played, in England, starting the 1895 – 96 Northern Rugby Football Union season.

* March 27 – The first Rugby Union International results in a 4 – 1 win by Scotland over England.

The capacity of the proposed Stadium was later adjusted to first 35, 000 and then 38, 000 and the organising bodies of all three sports-Irish FA, Ulster Rugby and Ulster GAA-agreed in principle to support the integrated scheme.

In 1979, Benetton first sponsored their ( then amateur ) local rugby team, A. S. Rugby Treviso.

* Dave Gallaher – first All Blacks Rugby captain.

The first record of football being played on Tyneside dates from 3 March 1877 at Elswick Rugby Club.

The Rattler Rugby team is the first full contact sport on the campus since the football program back in the 1940s.

The county government was first organized on April 6, 1889 ; Rugby has always been the county seat.