What Is The Rugby World Cup?

The Rugby World Cup is one of the premier sporting events on earth. The tournament is held every four years by a host nation, which is usually a country or a handful of countries that have a strong link with the game. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987 and was hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, The International Rugby Board, and is contested by 20 of the men's national rugby union teams. Teams are split into four pools and play three games apiece. The winners and runners up of each group go through to the knockout stages. The winners for the tournament, held over a month period, are awarded the William Web Ellis Trophy, a golden cup named after the inventor of rugby football. England are the current holders of the World Cup after their victory over Australia in the final of the 2003 competition. The next Rugby World Cup will take place in France in the Autumn of 2007.