It isn’t exactly outrageous to suggest that rugby is one of those sports that people tend to either love or hate. For the vast majority of football fans, for example, it is a sport that they abhor, with the same being true in reverse. Those that don’t like the sport might pay a passing interest in how the England team is getting on, but even that isn’t a given, instead depending on how passionate about the country in general such people might feel. Those from Liverpool, for example, understandably feel lukewarm at best when it comes to England as a concept, whilst those from Windsor will be much more patriotic.
In terms of the England teams, there is a men’s team, a women’s team and the men’s team also has an Under-20s side. Each of them competes in different competitions, whilst also having entirely different histories and approaches to the game when compared to the others. The men’s team represents the country in the Six Nations Championship, for instance, as well as the Rugby World Cup. The women’s team, meanwhile, is known as the Red Roses and competes most often in the Women’s Six Nations Championship on an annual basis, as well as the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
In 2008, the Under-20 rugby union team replaced the Under-19s and Under-21s, competing annually in both the Six Nations Under-20s Championship and the World Rugby Under-20s Championship. As you may well have worked out, this is all in relation to the discipline of rugby union. There is also a men’s team and a women’s team for England in the rugby league format, with the men playing their first match in 1904 and the women doing so since 1985. The men play in the Rugby League World Cup and the Rugby League European Championship, whilst the women mostly play in the World Cup.
The following is in reference to the rugby union teams:
England Rugby Union Teams
Men’s Team
Whilst the England men’s team does take part in the Rugby Union World Cup and won it for the first time in 2003, the competition that supporters most look forward to is the Six Nations Championship. This sees them pitted against teams representing France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. As well as hoping to win the overall tournament, the team also looks to win the Grand Slam, which involves beating all five of the other teams in the tournament, or the Triple Crown, which is what it’s called when you beat the other Home Nations. England have won both many times.
Women’s Team
Whereas the first time that a men’s team played an international game was in 1871, the women didn’t take part in an international matchup until 1987. Known as the Red Roses, they take part in the Women’s Six Nations Championship, which also includes France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. As with their male counterparts, the women are always looking to win the Triple Crown or the Grand Slam, both of which have been achieved numerous times. Then there is the fact that they compete in the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which they have also won more than once.
Under-20s
The first time that the England Under-20s competed on the international stage was in 2008, winning 28-15 against Wales. Prior to this, there were Under-19s and Under-21s teams that played international matches before it was centralised with the creation of the Under-20s. The two main tournaments that the Under-20s side takes part in are the IRB Junior World Championship and the World Cup. They have won both competitions at least once, as well as winning the Under-20s Six Nations Championship on numerous occasions. There is obviously some link between the Under-20s and the men’s senior team.