Wikipedia:WikiProject Rugby union/Notability criteria#National sides
{{WikiProject notability essay|sort-by=Rugby union criteria}}
This page is part of the WikiProject on Rugby union and provides a list of known fully professional leagues, and tier one and tier two nations. As such it can be used as an aide in considering the WP:ATHLETE guideline, which states that athletes that have 'competed at the fully professional level of a sport' are generally notable.
List of notable fully professional leagues since 1995
=Men's competitions=
==Transnational competitions==
==Domestic competitions==
- {{flag|Australia}} - Australian Rugby Championship (2007) and National Rugby Championship (2014–2019)
- {{flag|England}} - English Premiership and RFU Championship (2009–)
- {{flag|France}} - Top 14 and Pro D2
- {{flag|Japan}} - Japan Rugby League One (formerly Top League)
- {{flag|New Zealand}} - Bunnings NPC (previously National Provincial Championship, Air New Zealand Cup, ITM Cup and Mitre 10 Cup)
- {{flag|South Africa}} - Currie Cup Premier Divison
=Women's competitions=
- (none)
=Non-notable professional competitions=
The following professional leagues are currently not considered notable by the WikiProject:
==Transnational competitions==
==Domestic competitions==
- {{flag|France}} - Championnat Fédéral Nationale
- {{flag|Italy}} - Top10
- {{flag|Japan}} - Top Challenge League (until 2021)
- {{flag|Portugal}} - Campeonato Português de Rugby
- {{flag|Romania}} - SuperLiga
- {{flag|Russia}} - Russian Rugby Championship
- {{flag|South Africa}} - Currie Cup First Division, Vodacom Cup (1998–2015) and Rugby Challenge
- {{flag|Spain}} - División de Honor de Rugby
==Women's competitions==
National sides
=Men's=
==High performance unions<ref name="highperformancerugbyunion">{{Cite book|author=[[World Rugby]] |title=High Performance Playbook 2016–2020 |publisher=World Rugby |year =2017|pages=8|chapter = Current High Performance Investment Unions|url=https://resources.world.rugby/worldrugby/document/2017/11/14/60dfa688-678c-4682-becb-219533e4bbd7/171108-HP-Playbook-12pp-final-A5-hi-res.pdf}}</ref>==
- {{ru|Argentina}} (1910–present)
- {{ru|Australia}} (1899–present)
- 20px British and Irish Lions (1888–present)
- {{ru|Canada}} (1932–present)
- {{ru|England}} (1871–present)
- {{ru|Fiji}} (1924–present)
- {{ru|France}} (1906–present)
- {{ru|Georgia (country)}} (at Rugby World Cups in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 and from 2016–present)
- {{ru|Ireland}} (1875–present)
- {{ru|Italy}} (1929–present)
- {{ru|Japan}} (1932–present)
- {{ru|Namibia}} (at Rugby World Cups in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 and from 2016–present)
- {{ru|New Zealand}} (1903–present)
- {{ru|Romania}} (1919–present)
- {{ru|Samoa}} (1924–present)
- {{ru|Scotland}} (1871–present)
- {{ru|South Africa}} (1891–present)
- {{ru|Tonga}} (1924–present)
- {{ru|United States}} (1912–present)
- {{ru|Uruguay}} (at Rugby World Cups in 1999, 2003 and 2015 and from 2016–present)
- {{ru|Wales}} (1881–present)
==Other [[Rugby World Cup]] participants ==
- {{ru|Ivory Coast}} (1995)
- {{ru|Portugal}} (2007)
- {{ru|Spain}} (1999)
- {{ru|Russia}} (2011 and 2019)
- {{ru|Zimbabwe}} (1987 and 1991)
=Women's=
No tier ranking exists so based upon appearances at the world cup as for men's third tier teams
== [[Women's Rugby World Cup]] semi-finalists==
- {{ruw|Australia}} (2010)
- {{ruw|Canada}} (1998, 2002, 2006, 2014)
- {{ruw|England}} (1991, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017)
- {{ruw|France}} (1991, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017)
- {{ruw|Ireland}} (2014)
- {{ruw|New Zealand}} (1991, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017)
- {{ruw|United States}} (1991, 1994, 1998, 2017)
- {{ruw|Wales}} (1994)
References
{{reflist}}