The history of rugby union video games: 1984 - 2008
Rugby has a rich history of video games, from the likes of Jonah Lomu Rugby to the classic Rugby 08, and even recently the coveted Rugby Challenge series.
As a young rugby fan, there was nothing better than getting home after playing rugby on a cold wet Sunday morning, to then sit down in front of the PlayStation to control your favourite team.
Many hours would be spent running through players as Jonah Lomu or running around them as Jason Robinson. Lining up the furthest possible kick you could as Jonny Wilkinson with 99 kicking ability was always a challenge well taken.
Unfortunately, nowadays there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of funding for rugby games with EA Sports no longer releasing their rugby titles. As a result since 2007 it’s been the likes of Eko Software and Wicked Witch Software picking up the slack.
Despite calls from the likes of Ugo Monye for further development of the virtual game, there has been no solid movement as of yet. When you compare the likes of FIFA and the growth of football, rugby appears to be very much behind in progressing the game through virtual means.
Despite this, there’s no doubt rugby has had its fair share of quality titles in the past. So, let’s have a look at the history of rugby video games through the ages:
Scrum Try (Data East Corp.) – 1984
Well before the days of the PlayStation 1, the original Xbox, and even the Nintendo 64, came the DECO Cassette System. A retro gaming system that gave us our first taste of video game rugby. Released in 1984, Scrum Try was a game at its most basic level, but for the time, no less enjoyable. Check it out below:
Super Rugby (TSS) – 1989
Just 5 years later we were treated to the graphically improved Super Rugby (Japan) game on the NES system.
Rugby: The World Cup (Domark) – 1991
Coinciding with the second ever world cup, this game was a huge step forward in rugby gaming with many of the big platforms at the time hosting the game, including Amiga, Atari ST and Commodore 64.
World Class Rugby (Audiogenic Software Ltd.) – 1991
1991 was a big year for rugby games, with World Class Rugby challenging the market for the top spot in the niche. This game was notable for the ability to customise kit colours as well as the introduction of the ‘kick-o-metre’ which would determine the strength of a player’s kick.
International Rugby Challenge (Domark) – 1993
This was the first rugby game to come to the Mega Drive and was met with much applause from fans, contrary to the release on the Commodore Amiga which was littered with issues including simple spelling mistakes and bugs causing regular crashes.
Rugby World Cup ’95 (EA Sports) – 1995
The first instalment of arguably the most successful rugby series ever created, EA sports first took to the game in a collaboration with the 1995 world cup. It was miles ahead of any other game that had been created at the time, and really gave fans their first chance to feel like they were actually playing the game of rugby at home.
Jonah Lomu Rugby (Codemasters) – 1997
Still to this day, many fans believe this to be the pinnacle of virtual rugby. With the ability to control an overpowered Jonah Lomu, this was the first-time players could find themselves able to return time and time again to take control of their favourite teams without gamer fatigue.
Rugby (EA Sports) – 2000
Building on their previous success in 1995, EA Sports released the first instalment of their regular video game release that would go on to become loved all over the world. Often now found in the bargain bins at your local HMV (is that still going?), this video game was once at the forefront of the sports gaming community.
With the smoothest graphics and the best rucking capabilities known at the time, this game has gone down in folklore.
Rugby 2004 (EA Sports) – 2003
After the success of the original two EA Sports games, Rugby 2004 was met with much anticipation. It was hosted by many of the top platforms at the time and was received with solid reviews. With slightly chunky graphics it still had a way to go but it was still the most complete rugby game to date.
World Championship Rugby (Acclaim Entertainment) – 2004
Challenging the EA Sports stranglehold on rugby games came a release from Swordfish Studios, many of whom were behind the classic Jonah Lomu Rugby title back in 1997. Whilst this was a game designed around the world cup, it was released after the tournament which unfortunately affected product sales.
Rugby 2005 (EA Sports) – 2005
This was a markable improvement on the previous version of the game, with many critics appreciating the improved graphics and the smoother gameplay.
Rugby 06 (EA Sports) – 2006
This was the biggest step forward in EA’s rugby journey, with greatly improved graphics and a hugely increased number of competitions for gamers to partake in, including the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
This game also included overpowered attributes for particular players which allowed you as a gamer to really feel like you were getting the best out of your players.
Rugby Challenge 2006 (Hip Interactive, Ubisoft) – 2006
2006 was a great time for rugby gaming fans with the release of a competitor to the EA franchise. Although this title didn’t quite have the funding that the EA game did, it still held its own with smooth graphics and more unpredictable gameplay, earning itself a loyal fanbase.
Rugby 08 (EA Sports) – 2008
This was the last release of a rugby video game for quite some time, and what a way to end the EA Sports coalition with rugby. Argued by many to still be the best rugby game to play today, this title had everything.
For its time the graphics were as good as they got, the licences were all on point, the gameplay was smooth, and it was addictive enough for players to keep coming back.
Even 15 years on there are calls for this game to be remastered or even just re-released on new consoles so that gamers can play this beautiful game once again.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments