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Rugby is a proud team sport, its roots going back well over 150 years. It is now a truly global game and is played by over 3 million people throughout the world on all continents.
The object of the game is that two teams of fifteen players each, according to the Laws and a sporting spirit, should, by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball, score as many points as possible. The team scoring the greater number of points to be the winner of the match. In addition to the fifteen a side format which, at the top level, involves fifteen players on the field of play (8 forwards and 7 backs) and 7 replacements, there is the seven-a-side game comprising 7 players on the field (3 forwards and 4 backs) and 3 replacements. It is the seven a side format, the rugby 7s, that features in The World Games.
The game is generally played on a grass surface measuring no more than 100 metres by 70 meters. Rugby is an outdoor sport although some matches have been played in large roofed arenas and on a variety of surfaces and in all conditions. The matches for rugby 7s go over two halves, each 7 minutes long, and the final over 10 minutes each half. A match is controlled by a single referee aided by three touch judges and, for major matches, by additional electronic means of review where there is doubt as to whether a try has been scored.
The principal competition is the Rugby World Cup which is held every four years. Since the inaugural tournament held in New Zealand and Australia in 1987, there have been three World Cups, the most recent hosted by Wales in 1999, generating over £100 million pounds Sterling in revenue and reaching a global television audience of 3.1 billion. In the past 15 years when there were 20 Unions in membership of the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), the number has risen to 94 Unions. The IRB is constantly working to introduce the game to more countries and to improve playing standards through enhanced regional competitions and coaching.
Winner 2001:
Fiji Islands (1 Gold)
Federations:
Nat.: www.rugby.de
Int.: www.irb.com
Venue:
Duisburg, Sportpark Wedau - MSV-Arena
www.msv-arena.de
Dates (without engagement)
Plan
