RugbyTrivia Questions & Answers
Few sports deliver the raw spectacle of rugby: muscular athletes hurling themselves into bone-rattling tackles, then springing up to chase the ball again with no helmets and barely any padding. Born in England in the nineteenth century, legend says the game began when a schoolboy at Rugby School scooped up a soccer ball and ran with it, breaking the rules and inventing a sport. Played on every continent and watched by hundreds of millions, rugby blends brute strength, lightning speed, and surprising tactical cunning. The oval ball bounces unpredictably, the action rarely stops, and an entire stadium can erupt in seconds.
Rugby actually splits into two distinct codes that parted ways in 1895 over whether players should be paid. Rugby union fields fifteen players per side and is famous for its scrums, lineouts, and rucks, while rugby league uses thirteen players and a faster, more open style. In union, a try is worth five points, with a conversion adding two; teams can also kick penalties and drop goals for three. The sport's pinnacle is the Rugby World Cup, contested every four years, where powerhouse nations like New Zealand, South Africa, England, and Australia battle for the William Webb Ellis Cup.
New Zealand's All Blacks are perhaps rugby's most iconic team, known for performing the haka, a fierce Maori ceremonial dance, before each match. Rugby's culture famously prizes sportsmanship and respect: players address referees politely, and opposing teams traditionally share food and drink afterward in a gathering called the third half. The game returned to the Olympics in 2016 in its faster seven-a-side form, called rugby sevens, played on a full-sized field with just seven players per team. From muddy school fields to roaring international stadiums, rugby remains a sport where courage, teamwork, and a touch of chaos collide in unforgettable fashion.
Rugby Quiz — 56 Questions
Each question reveals the answer and a quick explanation below it.
1. In rugby, how many points is a try worth in rugby union?
Answer: 5. A try in rugby union is worth five points.
2. How many players are on a rugby union team on the field?
Answer: 15. A rugby union team has 15 players.
3. In rugby, what is the formation called where players bind together to contest the ball after a stoppage?
Answer: Scrum. A scrum restarts play with packs binding to contest the ball.
4. Which nation won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand won the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup.
5. How many players are on a rugby league team on the field (not rugby union)?
Answer: 13. Rugby league teams field 13 players.
6. In rugby union, how many points is a successful drop goal worth?
Answer: 3. A drop goal in rugby union is worth three points.
7. Which nation won rugby union's first Six Nations title in 2000, the year Italy joined the championship?
Answer: England. England won the inaugural Six Nations in 2000 after Italy expanded the old Five Nations.
8. Which rugby union nation went unbeaten on the 1924 Olympic tour, earning the nickname 'The Invincibles' before that label applied to the All Blacks?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand's 1924 touring side went undefeated across 32 matches in Europe and were first dubbed 'The Invincibles,' predating the 1974 British Lions' use of the term.
9. Which country won the first-ever Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the inaugural Rugby World Cup final held in Auckland, establishing early All Blacks dominance in the tournament.
10. Which country won the inaugural Rugby World Cup held in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the final of the first Rugby World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand.
11. How many points is a try worth in modern rugby union?
Answer: 5. A try in rugby union is worth 5 points, with a conversion adding 2 more.
12. Which country hosted and won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand co-hosted (with Australia) and won the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup, beating France in the final.
13. How many players are on the field per team in rugby league?
Answer: 13. Rugby league is played with 13 players per side, compared to 15 in rugby union.
14. What is the name of the New Zealand national rugby union team's pre-match challenge?
Answer: The Haka. The All Blacks perform the haka, a traditional Maori ceremonial challenge, before matches.
15. In which year did South Africa famously win the Rugby World Cup on home soil, an event later depicted in the film 'Invictus'?
Answer: 1995. South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup at home, with Nelson Mandela presenting the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar.
16. Which annual rugby union tournament features England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales?
Answer: The Six Nations. The Six Nations Championship is contested annually by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales.
17. Which English player famously kicked the winning drop goal in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final?
Answer: Jonny Wilkinson. Jonny Wilkinson kicked a last-minute drop goal in extra time to win England the 2003 Rugby World Cup against Australia.
18. How many points is a penalty kick worth in rugby union?
Answer: 3. A successful penalty kick in rugby union is worth 3 points.
19. What is the name of the touring side made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales?
Answer: The British and Irish Lions. The British and Irish Lions select players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales for periodic tours of the southern hemisphere.
20. According to tradition, at which English school was rugby football invented when a pupil picked up the ball and ran?
Answer: Rugby School. Legend credits William Webb Ellis at Rugby School with originating the game by running with the ball in hand around 1823.
21. In rugby union, how many points is a penalty try worth, regardless of conversion?
Answer: 7. Since 2017, World Rugby rules award 7 points for a penalty try automatically, with no conversion attempt taken.
22. Which nation won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, defeating France in the final?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in Auckland to win the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987.
23. In rugby union, how many points is a drop goal worth?
Answer: 3. A drop goal in rugby union is worth 3 points, awarded when a player drops the ball and kicks it through the uprights as it bounces.
24. In rugby union, how many points is a penalty goal worth?
Answer: 3. A penalty goal in rugby union scores 3 points, the same as a drop goal.
25. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, and also won that inaugural tournament?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand co-hosted the 1987 Rugby World Cup with Australia and won the title, defeating France 29–9 in the final.
26. Which country won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, defeating France in the final?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand's All Blacks defeated France 29–9 in Auckland to win the first Rugby World Cup held in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia.
27. In rugby union, how many points is a penalty kick worth?
Answer: 3. A successfully kicked penalty in rugby union scores 3 points, as codified in World Rugby's laws of the game.
28. In rugby union, what is the maximum number of times a team can re-bind in a collapsed scrum before the referee must award a penalty?
Answer: There is no set maximum. World Rugby laws give referees discretion; there is no fixed numerical limit on scrum resets — the referee decides when to penalise based on fault.
29. Which country won the first-ever Rugby World Cup held in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the 1987 final co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia to claim the inaugural World Cup.
30. In rugby union, how many points is a penalty kick worth when successfully converted?
Answer: 3. A successfully kicked penalty goal scores 3 points in rugby union, the same value as a drop goal.
31. What term describes a rugby union penalty awarded when a player is tackled and teammates bind incorrectly over the ball?
Answer: Ruck. A ruck is formed when the ball is on the ground and players from both teams bind around it; infringing on a ruck leads to a penalty against the offending side.
32. In rugby union, what is awarded to a team when the opposition knocks the ball forward with their hands?
Answer: Scrum. A knock-on by hand results in a scrum being awarded to the non-offending team at the point of the infringement.
33. Which nation won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the final of the inaugural Rugby World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand in 1987.
34. In rugby union, a penalty try is now automatically awarded without a conversion kick. How many points does it score?
Answer: 7. World Rugby changed the rule in 2017 so a penalty try is worth 7 points automatically, without the need for a conversion attempt.
35. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: Australia and New Zealand jointly. The inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, with New Zealand winning the title.
36. In rugby union, what specific law governs when a scrum must be reset because the front rows did not bind correctly before engagement?
Answer: Free kick. Under World Rugby laws, a scrum that collapses or is set incorrectly without foul play typically results in a free kick, not a penalty, to the non-offending team.
37. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, and who won it?
Answer: New Zealand & Australia co-hosted; New Zealand won. The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia; New Zealand beat France 29–9 in the final.
38. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, and which team won it?
Answer: Australia & New Zealand co-hosted; New Zealand won. The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, with New Zealand defeating France 29–9 in the final.
39. In rugby union, which specific infringement results in a scrum awarded to the opposing team rather than a penalty?
Answer: Accidental offside. Accidental offside, where a player is put offside without intention, typically results in a scrum to the non-offending team rather than a penalty kick.
40. Which country won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, and who did they defeat in the final?
Answer: New Zealand defeated France. New Zealand beat France 29–9 in the inaugural Rugby World Cup final held in Auckland on June 20, 1987.
41. In rugby union, how many points is a try worth under the laws established after 1992?
Answer: 5. A try was increased from 4 to 5 points in 1992 under World Rugby laws, incentivizing attacking play.
42. In rugby union, what is the maximum number of players a team can have in a scrum at any one time?
Answer: 8. A rugby union scrum consists of eight players from each side: the front row (3), second row (2), and back row (3 — two flankers and a number 8).
43. In rugby union, what is the maximum number of players from one team allowed in a scrum?
Answer: 8. A rugby union scrum consists of 8 forwards from each team — three in the front row, two in the second row, two flankers, and one number eight.
44. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, co-hosting it with another nation?
Answer: New Zealand. The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 was jointly hosted by New Zealand and Australia, with New Zealand winning the tournament.
45. In rugby union, what specific infringement results in a penalty try being awarded regardless of where it occurred?
Answer: Collapsing a maul deliberately preventing a try. Under World Rugby laws, a penalty try is awarded when foul play prevents a probable try; deliberately collapsing a maul near the line is a classic example.
46. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, co-hosting with a neighbor?
Answer: New Zealand and Australia. The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, with New Zealand winning the tournament.
47. In rugby union, a player is shown a yellow card. How many minutes must they spend in the sin bin?
Answer: 10 minutes. Under World Rugby laws, a yellow card results in a 10-minute temporary suspension from the field of play.
48. In rugby union, a 'garryowen' refers to which tactical kick?
Answer: A high up-and-under kick. A garryowen is a high up-and-under kick designed to drop behind defenders while the kicking team chases, named after Garryowen FC in Limerick.
49. Which country won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and by what margin did they defeat France in the final?
Answer: New Zealand by 29–9. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the inaugural Rugby World Cup final held in Auckland on June 20, 1987.
50. Which country won rugby union's inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup, defeating France in the final?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand won the first Rugby World Cup 29–9 against France at Eden Park, Auckland, in June 1987.
51. Which country won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the final of the first Rugby World Cup held co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
52. Which country has won the most Rugby World Cup titles as of the 2023 tournament?
Answer: South Africa. South Africa won their fourth Rugby World Cup in 2023, surpassing New Zealand's three titles to become the most successful nation.
53. In rugby union, a player is given a yellow card and temporarily suspended for how many minutes?
Answer: 10 minutes. A yellow card in rugby union results in a 10-minute sin-bin period during which the player cannot take part in play.
54. Which country won the first-ever Rugby World Cup in 1987, defeating France in the final?
Answer: New Zealand. New Zealand defeated France 29–9 in the 1987 Rugby World Cup final held in Auckland to claim the inaugural title.
55. In rugby union, what specific infringement results in a penalty try being awarded by the referee?
Answer: Deliberate foul play preventing a probable try. A penalty try is awarded when foul play by the defending team prevents what the referee deems would have been a probable try.
56. Which country hosted the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, co-hosting with another nation?
Answer: Australia and New Zealand. The inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, with New Zealand winning the tournament.
More Sports quizzes
Ready to prove your rank?
Take today’s Daily IQ Challenge — 12 fresh questions, one global leaderboard, a new test every day.
🧠 Play today’s Daily IQ Challenge →