2008–09 IRB Sevens World Series normal 16 teams) was spread out over a three-day period. The series' tournaments are identical to 2007–2008 and span the globe: The 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens was not a part of the 2008-09 series. Unlike the 2005 edition held in Hong Kong, the 2009 edition did not replace one of the 2008-09 series events. The World Cup was held in Dubai from March 5–7, 2009 and won by Wales. Prior to the season, the IRB announced the 12 "core teams" that would receive guaranteed berths in each event in the 2008–09 series: The one new core team was the
History of rugby union matches between England and Ireland and a one-off match in April 1988 to celebrate the millennium of the city of Dublin. The winners of the 1988 match, England, were awarded the Millennium Trophy which then became the trophy for the annual match between the teams. The Millennium Trophy is currently held by Ireland, who won the most recent match 24–15 at the Twickenham Stadium during the 2018 Six Nations Championship. In the Home Nations Championship (1874–1909 and 1932–1939), England played Ireland on 41 occasions, England winning 27, Ireland 13 with one match having been drawn. In the Five Nations (1910–1931 and 1947–1999), England played Ireland