With 30 strapping players on the field each battling to score a try against their opponents, rugby is the ultimate team sport. Requiring speed, power and daring, it also demands excellent team spirit. Faced with increasingly well-organised defences, direct contact is not always the right approach, which is where a more free-flowing style comes into its own. And although the sport has become professionalised over the past 20 years, it has lost none of its authenticity. Whether in terms of respect for your opponent or for the referee, both on and off the pitch, rugby has managed to maintain its tradition of teamwork and camaraderie.
 

It was these noble values and the sport’s robust image, which together reflect the uncompromising watchmaking philosophy that has defined TUDOR since 1926, that led the Swiss brand to join forces with World Rugby in 2017 as part of its #BornToDare campaign. In addition to the men’s and women’s Rugby World CupTM and World Cup Sevens, TUDOR also supports the annual U20 World Cups, which provide an international platform to the sport’s future stars. TUDOR has also partnered with World Rugby Awards, which recognise the season’s best teams, players and officials every year. This year, they will be held in Yokohama City on 3 November, the day after the final of Rugby World Cup 2019. Finally, TUDOR supports the Rugby Hall of Fame, an institution established in the town of Rugby, in the UK, where the sport was born in the 1820s, celebrating those who have contributed towards its reputation.
 

For the very first time, the 9th edition of Rugby World Cup – the world’s third largest sporting event, held every four years – will take place in Asia. The sport, already well established in Japan, has seen rapid growth since the unexpected success of its national team at the last Rugby World Cup in 2015. This September, 20 teams will compete for the title of Rugby World Cup 2019 Champion, with TUDOR as official timekeeper.
 

The competing teams include the famous All Blacks, proudly representing New Zealand as three-time World Champions (1987, 2011, 2015), and looking to lift the Webb Ellis Cup again. The All Blacks are TUDOR ambassadors and enjoy a reputation that goes far beyond the limits of rugby. The Haka, an extraordinary traditional Māori challenge by which they honour their opponents before a match, only adds to their legendary status. They remain one of the most successful teams of all time in any sport, with a win-rate of over 75%. Their collective strength and bold free-flowing style make them contenders again this year, but at Rugby World Cup 2019, anything could happen: every week is different, and the gap between nations narrows a little more each year.