How many rugby world cups

Which team you support in sport can depend on many things. But who should you barrack for in this packed weekend of sport if none of your favoured teams are in any of the games? The rules allowing this reflect the difficulty of balancing national team integrity and development.

Twenty years later it is going through a tumultuous time which is even affecting its attitude to the Springboks. New way of engaging in a scrum will be used at the World Cup this weekend. We'll put you in the picture. The world's premier rugby nation. Many of you have no doubt learned to locate the country on a map thanks to its world-famous All Blacks.

New Zealand founded its national team in , which played its first match that same year against the Australian state of New South Wales. The men's national team is known as the All Blacks , in reference to their all-black kit.

Its badge is a silver fern. The All Blacks are regarded as the best team in the world. They are the favourites to win every competition they take part in. They also hold a number of other records: consecutive World Cup wins 16 and consecutive test wins South Africa have been major rivals of the All Blacks since They played their first match in , in the early days of international rugby, on home soil against the British Lions.

Isolated for many years in response to the country's apartheid policy, South Africa have acquired a formidable reputation. They are nicknamed the Springboks in reference to an antelope found in southern Africa. World Rugby is known to want to take a major tournament to the United States but McLennan says it would make more sense to wait until the Eagles national team is more consistently competitive.

I think they need time to invest in their team and build their stocks up. Want to talk all things rugby union from Sixways to the Six Nations? Log In. Contact us Sign up for newsletters. Log In Register now My account. Rugby Union. Rugby World Cup fixtures in full: Groups, draw, venues, dates, route to final and everything else we know The next tournament will be held in France and the hosts will face New Zealand in the opening match in Saint-Denis Reigning champions South Africa will head to Rugby World Cup as one of the favourites Photo: Getty.

By Evan Bartlett.