▁the ▁Tri ▁Nations ' ▁original ▁home - and - away ▁format , ▁but ▁now ▁involving ▁four ▁teams . ▁In ▁World ▁Cup ▁years , ▁an ▁abbre vi ated ▁tournament ▁is ▁held ▁in ▁which ▁each ▁team ▁plays ▁the ▁others ▁only ▁once . ▁ ▁Rugby ▁within ▁multi - s port ▁events ▁ ▁Rugby ▁union ▁was ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁As ▁per ▁Olympic ▁rules , ▁the ▁nations ▁of ▁Scotland , ▁Wales ▁and ▁England ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁play ▁separately ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁so ver eign ▁states . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁France ▁won ▁the ▁gold , ▁be ating ▁Great ▁Britain ▁ 2 7 ▁points ▁to ▁ 8 ▁and ▁defe ating ▁Germany ▁ 2 7 ▁points ▁to ▁ 1 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁Australia ▁defeated ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁claim ing ▁the ▁gold ▁medal , ▁the ▁score ▁being ▁ 3 2 ▁points ▁to ▁three . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁field ing ▁a ▁team ▁with ▁many ▁players ▁new ▁to ▁the ▁sport ▁of ▁rugby , ▁ups et ▁France ▁in ▁a ▁shock ▁win , ▁eight ▁points ▁to ▁zero . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁again ▁defeated ▁France ▁ 1 7 ▁to ▁ 3 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁only ▁team ▁to ▁win ▁gold ▁twice ▁in ▁the ▁sport . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁International