Rugby 08

Rugby 08 is the seventh rugby union released by Electronic Arts, and the official game of the 2007 IRB Rugby World Cup. It features 23 national teams (some unlicensed), the fully licensed Super 14, Guiness Premiership (England), Celtic League and French and Italian team (unlicensed), as well as the Junior All Blacks, the Australian A’s and the unlicensed Pacific Islanders and Barbarians, as well as dozen of stadiums.

Game modes include the Rugby World Cup, Practice, several national and international tournaments such as the 6 Nations. Tri-Nations, Super 14, Guiness Premiership and the European Trophy, as well as the World League, where the player takes complete control of a team in the 3rd division, and builds his way up to the top division, while earning enough transfer points on the field to keep wages in check and get new signings. A new game mode is also featured, where the player has to re-write history from previous world cups in order to unlock highlight videos from each World Cup and other goodies.

Other features include more flexible camera control, allowing the player to kick the ball more accurately and react quickly after a scrum or lineout, new set pieces and faster defending formations and improved AI. The Impact Players also make a return, and you can expect Dan Carter to pin-point a punt almost from end to end or Bryan Habana to wreck defenses apart with his speed.

The soundtrack is provided by bands such as Malajube, Howling Bells or Tokyo Police Club.