France, New Zealand or Ireland? The Rugby World Cup, which begins on Friday, promises excitement like no other in a long time.
Almost a billion people in front of the broadcasts, 2.5 million fans in the stadiums – the Rugby World Cup, which begins on Friday, is a major global event. The battle for the Webb Ellis Cup will take place exclusively in France for the first time. The tournament, which runs from September 8th to October 28th in nine stadiums, costs the host around 500 million euros.
What is Rugby Union?
The World Cup is played in rugby union, the most popular version of the sport. There is also rugby league and Olympic rugby sevens. Rugby is one of the oldest sports in the world.
It is said to have been invented in 1823 by the English clergyman William Webb Ellis when he ignored the football rules, caught the ball and ran with it. However, there are considerable doubts about this representation. Nevertheless, the World Cup trophy is named after him.
How is the tournament going?
The tournament is divided into a group and a knockout phase. The preliminary round with 20 teams in four groups of five will be played from September 8th to October 8th. The opening game will be played by hosts France and record world champions New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris.
After the group phase, the quarter-finals begin on October 14th. From the semi-finals onwards, all games will be played at the Stade de France. All 2.5 million available tickets were sold out months before the World Cup.
Why does the World Cup last seven weeks?
Compared to the last World Cup, which was played with 32 participants and 64 games in one month, the Rugby World Cup is taking a long time. The reason for this is the enormous strain on the players. It is not unusual for several players to sustain injuries in a game. Due to the recovery time required, there is around a week between a team’s two games.
Who are the favourites?
South Africa travels to France as reigning world champions. At the 2019 World Cup in Japan, the “Springboks” prevailed in the final against England. From a European perspective, Ireland, number one in the world, and hosts France have great chances of winning the title. New Zealand is also always one of the favorites – after 1987, 2011 and 2015, the famous “All Blacks” want to become the sole record champions with their fourth World Cup title.
The big rugby nations Australia and England have had difficult months and will probably not have a say in the cup this year.
Is Germany there?
No. Germany has never qualified for a Rugby World Cup. For the tournament in France they were not represented in the six-player tournament for the last two remaining European tickets.
Where do the teams’ nicknames come from?
All Blacks, Springboks, Les Tricolores – every World Cup team has a nickname. These names often come from the association’s heraldic animals, typical plants or the national colors. But there are also exceptions. The Georgian team is called Lelos, a traditional Georgian sport similar to rugby.
What are the most important rules?
Rugby union is played with 15 players and a half lasts 40 minutes. In between there is a ten-minute half time. The play equipment may be carried, kicked or thrown backwards. It is permitted to bring the player in possession of the ball to the ground and keep him there. However, there are strict rules for the safety of the actors.
Points can be scored through a try, for which you get five points. A successful increase (conversion) can increase your score to seven points. Three points can be scored with a drop goal, as well as with a penalty kick.
If the ball goes out of bounds, there is a throw-in (line-out). Both teams form an alley into which the ball is thrown. For minor violations of the rules, the referee orders a scrum. Eight players from each team line up in three rows and press against each other. The fouled team rolls the ball into the huddle, where it has to be pushed backwards with their feet.