Sport in Europe The three main domestic rugby union competitions are the fully professional Premiership (England), Top 14 (France) and Pro14 (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa). The European Rugby Champions Cup is the premier continental championship, with clubs qualifying from the three professional competitions. Rugby league is popular in northern England, where the sport formed in 1895. The game is also popular in southern France. The Great Britain national team first played in 1908, and entered the World Cup until 1992 and the Tri-Nations until 2006. England, Scotland and Wales have played independently since then. Great Britain has won the World
Sport in Scotland Scotland has co-hosted the 1999 Cricket World Cup along with England, Ireland and Netherlands. The governing body for Scottish cricket is Cricket Scotland, which administers women's cricket and junior cricket as well as the men's game. Cricket has an image as an "English" sport in Scotland, with many top players competing for the England national side, such as Jon Croft, and indeed, the national side competes in the English "counties" system. Freuchie Cricket Club in Fife famously won the Village Championship in the 1985. It is widely played in Scottish private schools, and has some presence in the major cities.