all teams must re-qualify for each RWC, typically: | |
New Zealand | |
England | |
South Africa | |
Australia | |
Ireland | |
Scotland | (Westmoreland) Championship Trophy |
Wales | |
Argentina | their matches |
France | Triple Crown Trophy; awarded only if |
Canada | ENG, SCOT, IRE or WALES wins all |
Japan | their matches against the other 3. |
Italy | |
Romania | |
Le Crunch; ENG vs FRANCE |
Ireland |
Ulster (or Ulster Rugby Union) - Provincial, |
Munster (The Red Army) |
Leinster (former Leinster Lions) - Provincial, professional |
Connacht |
Scotland |
Edinburgh Rugby (formerly Edinburgh Reivers, Edinburgh Gunners) |
Glasgow Warriors (former Glascow-Caledonia Rugby) |
Wales |
Scarlets (former Llanelli Scarlets) |
Ospreys (Y Gweilch), formerly Neath-Swansea Ospreys (Gweilch Tawe-Nedd) |
Newport Gwent Dragons (Newport RFC and Welsh Rugby Union) |
Cardiff Blues (Gleision Caerdydd) |
Italy |
Aironi Rugby (translates as Heron Rugby) |
(Benetton (sponsor)) Rugby Treviso |
Anglo-Welsh Cup is English and Welsh premier sides in tournament |
Super 10 (Italien premiership) is the top tier Italien Rugby competition |
Heineken Cup; 24 teams from the IRB Six Nations qualifying nationally. |
24 qualifying teams from: |
England (Aviva Premiereship) |
France (Top 14) |
* Toulouse |
* Biarritz |
* Clermont |
* Perpignan |
* Castres |
* Toulon |
* Racing Métro |
Ireland (Magner's League) |
* Munster |
* Leinster |
* Ulster |
Scotland (Magner's League) |
* Glasgow Warriors |
* Edinburgh |
Wales (Magner's League) |
* Cardiff Blues |
* Ospreys |
* Scarlets |
* Newport Gwent Dragons |
Italy (Magner's League) |
* Benetton Treviso |
* Aironi |
European Challenge Cup |
2nd tier of H Cup |
12 teams from the RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby. |
6 top clubs from the Principality Premiership |
3 Irish provinces represented by 'A' teams |
3 Scottish sides, top clubs from the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership |
Tri Nations |
South Africa |
Bulls (Pretoria + East Rand and Limpopo Province) |
Cheetahs (Bloemfontein (Free State + Northern Cape)) |
Lions (Johannesburg + Mpumalanga and NW) |
Sharks (Durban + KwaZulu-Natal) |
Stormers (Capetown + northern Western Cape) |
New Zealand |
Blues (North Auckland Peninsula vicinity) |
Chiefs (central and eastern North Island inc. S. Auckland) |
Crusaders (N and central South Island inc. Christchurch +) |
Highlanders (Southern South Island, including Dunedin and Invercargill) |
Hurricanes (S and SW North Island, inc. Wellington, +) |
Australia |
Brumbies (Aus. Capital Territory and S. New South Wales inc. Canberra) |
Waratahs (N and Cent. New South Wales inc. Sydney) |
Reds (Queensland inc. Brisbane) |
Force (all of W Australia inc. Perth) |
Rebels (Victoria inc. Melbourne) |
