Croquet games, there are regular world championships and international matches between croquet-playing countries. The sport has particularly strong followings in the UK, US, New Zealand and Australia; every four years, these countries play the MacRobertson Shield tournament. Many other countries also play. The current world rankings show England in top place for association croquet, followed by Australia and New Zealand sharing second place, with the United States in fourth position; the same four countries appear in the top six of the golf croquet league table, below Egypt in top position, and with South Africa at number five. Croquet is popularly believed
Lawn game involves hitting wooden or plastic with a mallet through a series of hoops. Croquet became popular in England in the 1860s. In the United States, the game is governed by the National Croquet Association, which coordinates annual tournaments. Several variations of the game exist. Pétanque is a form of bowls and boules where the goal is to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a "cochonnet" (literally "piglet") or jack, while standing inside a circle with both feet on the ground. Pétanque has been described as "the world's most played form of bowls."