As well as the Rugby World Cup, there are many more international rugby tournaments that you won't want to miss. You'll see some of the fiercest competition at the annual Six Nations games between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy.
The games are held in each of the competing countries, and the winning team is presented with the Championship Trophy. Up until now, England has won the most Six Nations Championships, followed by Wales. There's also a Women's Six Nations Championship, played annually between the same countries.
Another popular form of rugby is Rugby 7s, a quicker game played with 7 players on each team instead of the full 15. Games last around 10 minutes each half. Rugby 7s tournaments include the Rugby 7s World Cup, held every 4 years. The current champions are Fiji, and the next World Cup is to be held in 2009. The IRB Sevens World Series is a series of international Rugby 7s tournaments held all over the world.
Tickets for the Six Nations are always in high demand. The host Union of each match issues tickets (e.g. Scottish Rugby Union). They sell out well in advance, so make sure you book early, and only through the Unions to ensure you get a genuine ticket. For more information, visit RSB Six Nations (www.rbs6nations.com/tickets.htm). It's easier to get hold of tickets for Rugby 7s games. You can get these from the Rugby Football Union (www.rfu.com/index.htm) website.