Rugby union Rugby union Rugby union, commonly known in most of the world as rugby, is a contact team sport which originated in England in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is between two teams of 15 players using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field with H-shaped goalposts on each try line. Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by male and female players of all ages. In 2014, there were more
Rugby union in Tonga Rugby union in Tonga Rugby union is the national sport of Tonga. Tonga are considered to be a tier 2 rugby nation by the International Rugby Board. Tonga has four main rugby playing islands, Vava'u which produced players like Epi Taione, Ha'apa, ʻEua Noel Shannon which produced the Vunipola family, (eight brothers who all played for the national team), and Tongatapu the major island in the Tonga island group. Rugby union is governed by the Tonga Rugby Union who are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance. Tonga were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board which