Overview

The UK as a whole is fanatical about sport and particularly about their domestic and international football teams. With a strong following for both rugby and cricket, the game of the summer, you will never be short of live sport to watch or participate in.

Football

The peoples games is avidly followed in the UK as much as anywhere in the world and England boasts some of the biggest clubs including Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. They compete for the English Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup on an annual basis as well as for European honours. Scotland also boasts a number of well known clubs such as Rangers and Celtic who regularly participate in top European competitions.

The English football team is the source of much national pride and despare in equal measures. Undoubtedly a gifted team, the English national side has only once lifted the World Cup and that was over 40 years ago in 1966. Most recently the team failed to qualify for the European Championships, however the future remains bright. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have international teams that compete well given the size of the countries, however England remains the team to beat.

Rugby

One of the most physical and brusing sports in the world, rugby is enjoying unprecedented popularity in the UK at the present time. Scotland, Wales and England all boast strong international teams and compete annually for the coveted 6 Nations Championship. In addition to this a World Cup is held every 4 years and it is England recent successes in this event which have seen rugby progress commercially and professionally like never before. England won the trophy in 2003 and were beaten finalists in 2007.

The game is made up of two 15 man teams who attempt to score tries by forcing the ball over the oppositions line. Rugby is in more accessible to casual viewers than football, although gaining tickets for the international games can be close to impossible. Try watching Wasps, Ospreys or Leicester Tigers for some world class rugby, which will give you a real taste for British sport.