Super Powers Cup
Encyclopedia
The Super Cup was an annual international rugby union
competition contested by national teams from Canada
, Japan
, Russia
and the United States
. It was previously known as the Super Powers Cup.
The Super Powers Cup was first launched in 2003. It was planned that China
, Japan, Russia
and the United States would play each other once. However, because of the SARS outbreak the Chinese team were forced to withdraw. Russia won the inaugural competition, defeating the USA 30-21 in Krasnoyarsk
, Russia
.
For the 2004 competition Canada replaced China. In May of that year Japan won the second edition of the Super Powers Cup in Tokyo, where the entire tournament had been staged, beating Russia 29-12 (May 27) and Canada 34-21 (May 30) in the process. The USA defeated Russia in the third-place playoff.
In 2005 the tournament was renamed the Super Cup and the participants were again changed, with Romania taking the place of Russia. Romania had been given 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board (IRB)
, meaning greater funding and integration into the international calendar, while Russia were at the time considered a third tier nation. Canada and Japan met in the final, with the Canadians winning 15-10. The USA beat a Romanian team missing many of their France-based professionals 23-16 in the third place play-off.
The competition was discontinued in 2005 after the IRB undertook a new Strategic Investment programme, with funding instead going to several new tournaments including the Pacific Nations Cup, featuring Japan, and the IRB Nations Cup, involving Romania.
In February of 2009, representatives from the IRB, Rugby Canada
, the Japan Rugby Football Union
, the Rugby Union of Russia
and USA Rugby
met in Tokyo
to discuss the possibility of reviving the tournament under the Super Powers Cup name. November 2010 is the proposed start date. Further negotiations between the unions are expected.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competition contested by national teams from Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
, Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
, Russia
Russia national rugby union team
The Russian National Rugby Union Team, is the national team representing Russia at the sport of rugby union.Rugby union in Russia is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia . The RUR is the official successor union of the Soviet Union and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s...
and the United States
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
. It was previously known as the Super Powers Cup.
The Super Powers Cup was first launched in 2003. It was planned that China
China national rugby union team
The China national rugby union team represents the People's Republic of China in international rugby union. China have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup, but attempted to qualify in both 2003 and 2007.They are currently ranked 66th in the world....
, Japan, Russia
Russia national rugby union team
The Russian National Rugby Union Team, is the national team representing Russia at the sport of rugby union.Rugby union in Russia is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia . The RUR is the official successor union of the Soviet Union and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s...
and the United States would play each other once. However, because of the SARS outbreak the Chinese team were forced to withdraw. Russia won the inaugural competition, defeating the USA 30-21 in Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
For the 2004 competition Canada replaced China. In May of that year Japan won the second edition of the Super Powers Cup in Tokyo, where the entire tournament had been staged, beating Russia 29-12 (May 27) and Canada 34-21 (May 30) in the process. The USA defeated Russia in the third-place playoff.
In 2005 the tournament was renamed the Super Cup and the participants were again changed, with Romania taking the place of Russia. Romania had been given 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board (IRB)
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
, meaning greater funding and integration into the international calendar, while Russia were at the time considered a third tier nation. Canada and Japan met in the final, with the Canadians winning 15-10. The USA beat a Romanian team missing many of their France-based professionals 23-16 in the third place play-off.
The competition was discontinued in 2005 after the IRB undertook a new Strategic Investment programme, with funding instead going to several new tournaments including the Pacific Nations Cup, featuring Japan, and the IRB Nations Cup, involving Romania.
In February of 2009, representatives from the IRB, Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada, is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Canada was incorporated in 1974, and stems from the Canadian Rugby Football Union, a body established in 1884 that now governs amateur Canadian football as Football Canada; and the now-defunct Rugby Union of...
, the Japan Rugby Football Union
Japan Rugby Football Union
The Japan Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in Japan. It was formed November 30, 1926 and is currently one of only two federations from a "Tier 2" country with a seat on the International Rugby Board executive council, the sport's international governing body...
, the Rugby Union of Russia
Rugby Union of Russia
Rugby Union of Russia is the governing body for rugby union in Russia. It was founded in 1936 originally as the Rugby Union of the Soviet Union...
and USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
met in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to discuss the possibility of reviving the tournament under the Super Powers Cup name. November 2010 is the proposed start date. Further negotiations between the unions are expected.
Past winners
- 2003
Russia - 2004
Japan - 2005
Canada
See also
- Canada national rugby union teamCanada national rugby union teamThe Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
- China national rugby union teamChina national rugby union teamThe China national rugby union team represents the People's Republic of China in international rugby union. China have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup, but attempted to qualify in both 2003 and 2007.They are currently ranked 66th in the world....
- Japan national rugby union teamJapan national rugby union teamThe Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
- Russia national rugby union teamRussia national rugby union teamThe Russian National Rugby Union Team, is the national team representing Russia at the sport of rugby union.Rugby union in Russia is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia . The RUR is the official successor union of the Soviet Union and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s...
- United States national rugby union teamUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...