Equipment

Equipment


A professional player (Scott Daruda of the Western Australian team, Western Force) wearing a scrum cap
The most basic items of equipment for a game of rugby union are the ball itself, a rugby shirt (also known as a "jersey"), rugby shorts, socks, and boots, which have soles with studs to allow grip on the turf of the pitch. The studs may be either metal or plastic but must not have any sharp edges or ridges.
Protective equipment is optional and strictly regulated. The most common items are mouthguards, which are worn by almost all players, and are compulsory in some rugby-playing nations.[33] Other protective items that are permitted include a scrum cap; thin (not more than 10 mm thick), non-rigid shoulder pads, and shin guards; which are worn underneath socks. Bandages or tape can be worn to support or protect injuries; some players wear tape around the head to protect the ears in scrums and rucks. Female players may also wear chest pads.[34][35]
Fingerless gloves (grip gloves) are sometimes worn to improve players' grip on the ball.
It is the responsibility of the match officials to check players' clothing and equipment before a game to ensure that it conforms to the laws of the game.

Governing bodies

See also: International Rugby Board and Timeline of foundation of national rugby unions
The international governing body of rugby union (and associated games such as sevens) is the International Rugby Board (IRB). The IRB headquarters are located in Dublin, Ireland.
Six continental associations, which are members of the IRB form the next level of administration; these are:
SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, which operates the Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions.
National unions oversee rugby union within individual countries. These are affiliated both to the IRB and with their respective regional association.

Global reach


URBA Rugby 2007 Finals

Germany playing Belgium

Japanese and Welsh rugby fans in Cardiff, Wales
Rugby union has established itself as a popular sport for both spectators and participants, particularly in Australia, Argentina, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, New Zealand, Niue, Namibia, Romania, Samoa, Scotland, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, and Wales.[36][37]
Other places with lasting traditions in rugby football, as a minority sport in most cases, include Andorra, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Moldova, Morocco, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, the United States, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
In April 2010 Lithuania broke the record of consecutive international wins previously held by New Zealand and South Africa,which was 17 consecutive wins against tier 1 nations,[38] with their 18th win in tier 2 in a match against Serbia.[39]
The United States are the most recent Olympic gold medalists; an American team stacked with American football players won the event at the Paris Olympics in 1924, which was the last year rugby union was played at the games.[40] Large numbers of players are active in North America, and the USA regularly qualify for World Cups, while Canada has participated at every World Cup.[41][42]
Japan, also a country with many registered players, will host the 2019 World Cup.[43] It will be the first country outside of traditional playing areas to host the event, and is viewed by the IRB as an opportunity for rugby union to extend its reach,[43] particularly in Asia. Previously, Japan unsuccessfully bid to host the 2011 tournament, narrowly losing to selected host New Zealand.[44]
The International Rugby Board (IRB), founded in 1886, governs the sport worldwide and also publishes the game's laws and rankings. There are currently 95 full members[45] and eight associate member countries. According to IRB figures, rugby union is played in over 100 countries spanning six continents by men and women of all ages.[46] The IRB controls the Rugby World Cup, the Women's Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup Sevens, IRB Sevens World Series, Junior World Championship, Junior World Trophy, Nations Cup and the Pacific Nations Cup. It holds votes to decide where all of these events shall be held, except in the case of the Sevens World Series. For that competition, the IRB contracts with several national unions to hold individual events.
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