▁anth em ▁was ▁s ung ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁a ▁sport ing ▁event . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁France ▁played ▁England ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁international ▁match . ▁ ▁Rugby ▁union ▁was ▁included ▁as ▁an ▁event ▁in ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁four ▁times ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁No ▁international ▁rugby ▁games ▁and ▁union - sp ons ored ▁club ▁matches ▁were ▁played ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁but ▁compet itions ▁continued ▁through ▁service ▁teams ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Army ▁team . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁no ▁international ▁matches ▁were ▁played ▁by ▁most ▁countries , ▁though ▁Italy , ▁Germany ▁and ▁Roman ia ▁played ▁a ▁limited ▁number ▁of ▁games , ▁and ▁Cambridge ▁and ▁Oxford ▁continued ▁their ▁annual ▁University ▁Match . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁officially ▁san ction ed ▁international ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁tournament ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁at ▁Murray field , ▁one ▁of ▁Scotland ' s ▁biggest ▁stad iums , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Rugby ▁Union ▁cent en ary ▁celebr ations . ▁ ▁World ▁Cup ▁and ▁professional ism ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁the ▁first ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁and ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁w inners ▁were ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁The ▁first ▁World ▁Cup ▁Se vens ▁tournament ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁Murray field ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Rugby ▁Se vens ▁was ▁introduced ▁into ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6