The upcoming Rugby World Cup is a great chance to integrate a high-interest topic into your classroom program. Keep reading to learn more about Rugby World Cup activities you could use in your classroom.

Rugby World Cup Activities

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, hosted by Japan, will be watched by an audience of millions, and no doubt is already a topic of great excitement for many students in your class. The tournament runs from the 20th of September until the 2nd of November. For New Zealand, those dates stretch from the last week of term three until a couple of weeks into term four, meaning this is a topic that could build and build. There are plenty of ways to bring Rugby World Cup activities into a range of curriculum areas.

RWC 2019 Literacy Ideas

Look at the rules of rugby and write explanations on how the game works.
Hold a class debate or explore persuasive writing through the lens of the Rugby World Cup e.g.
- Men and women rugby players should be paid the same amount.
- The game of rugby was better before it turned professional.
- Our country cares too much about rugby.
Write a biography or report about a favourite rugby hero.
Visual Language: Explore the symbols of the Rugby World Cup and their meaning e.g. team logos, country flags, Rugby World Cup logo.
Integrate the Rugby World Cup into your reading program. We have a free “The History of Rugby” reading resource that looks at the history of both men’s and women’s rugby. Keep reading to find the link.

RWC 2019 Maths Ideas

The game of rugby is full of statistics and numbers! Take a screenshot of any half time statistics board and the opportunities for mathematical questions are endless. Here are a few ideas:
- Compare the scores of different teams and how many points they have scored versus how many points have been scored against them.
- Explore percentages by comparing the possession statistics of each team.
- Find the prices for tickets to travel to Japan and calculate how long it would take to save up if you got $10 pocket money a week.
- Compare the stadium capacity of the various venues and plot this on a graph.
NZ Maths has a great rugby/stats unit where students predict the winner of the Rugby World cup using stats on the top ranked teams. Click here to see more.

RWC 2019 Creative Thinking Ideas

Design a rugby uniform for a new country.
Think of a new rule that you could add to rugby and explain why it would make the game better.
Using instruments or a program such as Garageband to create a song to celebrate the Rugby World Cup. Side note – did you know the tournament as an official anthem “World In Union”? Read more here.

RWC 2019 Social Studies Ideas

Compare and contrast two countries that are competing in the Rugby World Cup.
Explore the history of the tournament with our free “The History of Rugby” activity pack.
Investigate what Japan has had to do to prepare to host the Rugby World Cup e.g. venue preparation, advertising, infrastructure, safety, communication, and so on.
Plot each Rugby World Cup venue on a map of Japan and learn more about the country’s geography.

Our Rugby World Cup Activities

Rugby World Cup Scavenger Hunt Puzzle Poster

Check out the great work by Room 7 at Churton School!

Engage your students in the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan with our interactive scavenger hunt and puzzle pack! Your students will learn about the history of the World Cup, its traditions, and this year’s event! Use this resource with small groups, pairs or individual students – the choice is yours. Click here to see more.

Japan Country Study

Your students will love learning about Japan with our Japan Country Study Scavenger Hunt. Your students will learn about the history, food, culture, economy, politics, sport, geography, and natural features of Japan… and more! The complete puzzle makes a Japanese flag design – this will look great on your classroom wall. Click here to learn more about this resource.

Did you say freebie?

We’ve put together a free reading and social studies/history resource that explores the history of rugby (both men’s and women’s. This resource features a non-fiction text and six higher-order thinking follow up activities. I think you and your students will love it!

Onwards and upwards,

Rugby World Cup Activities