▁National ▁un ions ▁over see ▁rugby ▁union ▁within ▁individual ▁countries ▁and ▁are ▁affili ated ▁to ▁W R . ▁Since ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁W R ▁Council ▁has ▁ 4 0 ▁seats . ▁ ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁un ions — the ▁eight ▁foundation ▁un ions ▁of ▁Scotland , ▁Ireland , ▁Wales , ▁England , ▁Australia , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁France , ▁plus ▁Argentina , ▁ ▁and ▁— have ▁two ▁seats ▁each . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁six ▁regional ▁associations ▁have ▁two ▁seats ▁each . ▁Four ▁more ▁un ions — , ▁, ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁USA — have ▁one ▁seat ▁each . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁Chair man ▁and ▁Vice ▁Chair man , ▁who ▁usually ▁come ▁from ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁eight ▁foundation ▁un ions ▁( although ▁the ▁current ▁Vice ▁Chair man , ▁Ag ust ín ▁P ich ot , ▁is ▁with ▁the ▁non - found ation ▁Argent ine ▁union ) ▁have ▁one ▁vote ▁each . ▁ ▁Global ▁reach ▁ ▁The ▁earliest ▁countries ▁to ▁adopt ▁rugby ▁union ▁were ▁England , ▁the ▁country ▁of ▁in ception , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁three ▁Home ▁Nations , ▁Scotland , ▁Ireland ▁and ▁Wales . ▁The ▁spread ▁of ▁rugby ▁union ▁as ▁a ▁global ▁sport ▁has ▁its ▁roots ▁in ▁the ▁export ing ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁by ▁British ▁exp atri ates , ▁military ▁personnel , ▁and ▁over se as ▁university ▁students . ▁The ▁first ▁rugby ▁club ▁in ▁France ▁was ▁formed ▁by ▁British ▁residents ▁in ▁Le ▁Hav re ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁while ▁the