Rugby World Cup 2019 101

Rugby World Cup 2019 is here! As the tournament heads to Japan for the first time, we’ve brought together all the essential information you need from tournament facts to things you didn’t know about the host country.

We’ve also featured some of the exciting ways rugbystore.co.uk will be bringing RWC 2019 to you, including the return of our coveted fantasy league. With a great range of prizes on offer, who will emerge victorious?

The Facts

A lot of rugby has been played at World Cups since the tournament’s creation in 1987. To help you get the lowdown and impress your mates in the pub, we’ve researched these tournament facts and put them together in this handy little infographic.

You won’t be surprised to see that New Zealand fairly dominate the tournament records, having entered every tournament as one of the favourites to win.

The warm conditions in Japan will be favourable to attacking rugby so hopefully we’ll see some of those point-scoring records break as 19 nations battle to end the All Blacks’ recent dominance.

Stand-Out Games

With 48 games over the 6 weeks it can be hard to keep track of every match. To help you, we’ve picked out three intriguing games (one from each level) that you won’t want to miss in the group stages.

New Zealand v South Africa

  • Date/Time: 21/09/19 – 09:45 GMT
  • Venue: Yokohama
  • Significance: Day 2 of the competition and both teams could easily make the final. This may go a long way to deciding form for the competition

Japan v Scotland

  • Date/Time: 13/10/19 – 10:15 GMT
  • Venue: Yokohama
  • Signifiance: If results go as expected, this game will decide the final quarter-finalist. On paper, Scotland will be stronger but Japan will be more than fired up for this match

Namibia v Canada

  • Date/Time: 13/10/19 – 03:15 GMT
  • Venue: Kamaishi City
  • Significance: Namibia have never won a RWC match while Canada have struggled for form in recent years. Almost tied on rankings points, victory would be a much-needed boost for either side

Facts about Japanese Rugby

Their first RWC victory came against Zimbabwe in 1991. Their next victory in the tournament would not come until that historic 34-32 win over South Africa in 2015

University rugby is a big deal. The annual varsity match between Waseda and Kelo universities often attracts crowds of over 40,000 – four times the number who watch the Scottish varsity between Edinburgh and St. Andrews.

They have a very cool stadium. The Sapporo Dome in Northern Japan includes a fully retractable sliding pitch that switches its use between baseball and rugby/football. Don’t believe us? Have a look at this video…

Credit: Fotosport/Steve Haag Sports

rugbystore.co.uk’s Official RWC Fantasy League

It’s back, and it’s bigger than ever! With prizes to be won every week and a £100 gift card for the top team at the end of the tournament, get yourself signed up today!

To create your team, simply create an account with Superbru here, following their simple instructions.

Once you have an account, click ‘Join a Pool’ and search ‘lookpack‘ to find the rugbystore official league.

Don’t worry if you’re not signed up by the first match; with weekly prizes, you’re always in contention!

Take on the Office with our Sweepstake Kit!

Ah yes, it’s never too late to get your sweepstake set up! Thousands have already downloaded our kit which has everything you need to set up a successful sweepstake.

To really make it competitive, place a wager on your team or agree on a prize for the winner.

You can download your rugbystore.co.uk official sweepstake kit here.


Be sure to check out our FacebookTwitter and Instagram pages as we build up to Rugby World Cup 2019. With giveaways, special offers and more, rugbystore.co.uk are all set for the action to kick off in Japan!

In the meantime, browse our superb selection of Rugby World Cup 2019 replica kit and merchandise; we’ve got something for everyone at rugbystore.co.uk.

 

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