Blackout Rugby is a free web-based rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 management game created by New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

ers Jeremy Bell and Matthew Scoble of Blackout Entertainment Ltd. Having launched in December 2006 the game currently has almost nine thousand users worldwide.

Development

On a hung-over Sunday in the middle of 2005, Matt, a member of Hattrick and Battrick began to wonder about creating a rugby version of those games. As Matt lacked the development skills needed to create such a game, he brought the idea to a friend, Jeremy Bell, who had the skills necessary to turn Matt’s idea into fruition. His first step was to get Jeremy to play Hattrick, which he did. At the time though, Jeremy was busy with other endeavours in his own business and university. It wasn’t until January 2006, when Jeremy was looking for new business opportunities, that he decided to take on the (unknowingly at the time) massive task that became Blackout Rugby. Over a few drinks at Matt's modest Hamilton, New Zealand house, the game was transformed from idea to reality and the initial plans were put on paper. Since that day Matt has had a leading role in shaping the game and the final decisions always came down to him. Almost two years later, Jeremy saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and together with Matt, released the game to the world.

Following the site launch in 2006, the game went beta on 7 October 2007 with a second beta stage then commencing on 27 November 2007.

Finally, after many delays and over two years of development, Blackout Rugby went gold on 14 December 2007, attracting considerable attention from the New Zealand national press.

Features

A new user joining Blackout Rugby is given a new rugby club in their chosen country complete with:

• A first team squad of 30 players
• A youth team squad of 22 players
• A ground with a capacity of 5,000.

They also have an initial bank balance to spend on improving training facilities, hire higher level staff, invest in their Youth Academy or spend on the transfer market.

Blackout Rugby currently includes thirty-four nations:

• Argentina with around 2,700 clubs
• Australia with around 2,700 clubs
• Belgium with around 700 clubs
• Brazil with around 700 clubs
• Canada with around 2,700 clubs
• Chile with around 700 clubs
• Croatia with around 700 clubs
• Czech Republic with around 700 clubs
• England with around 2,700 clubs
• France with around 2,700 clubs
• Georgia with around 700 clubs
• Germany with around 700 clubs
• Hong Kong with around 700 clubs
• Ireland with around 2,700 clubs
• Italy with around 2,700 clubs
• Ivory Coast with around 700 clubs
• Japan with around 2,700 clubs
• Kenya with around 700 clubs
• Namibia with around 700 clubs
• Netherlands with around 700 clubs
• New Zealand with around 2,700 clubs
• Pacific Islands with around 2,700 clubs (which include the countries Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga)
• Poland with around 700 clubs
• Portugal with around 700 clubs
• Romania with around 2,700 clubs
• Russia with around 700 clubs
• Scotland with around 2,700 clubs
• South Africa with around 2,700 clubs
• South Korea with around 700 clubs
• Spain with around 700 clubs
• United States with around 2,700 clubs
• Uruguay with around 700 clubs
• Wales with around 2,700 clubs
• Zimbabwe with around 800 clubs

Within each nation teams compete in a league pyramid

League system

A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...

 over seasons of sixteen weeks, the first 14 of them being round robin

Round-robin tournament

A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...

 games with each team versing the other teams twice once at home and another away, each with a knock-out cup

Single-elimination tournament

A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...

 taking place on the intervening Wednesdays. Users also have the options of arranging friendlies

Exhibition game

An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...

 with any team in the BR world. Matches are played in real time with flowing match commentary and real-time statistics.

Blackout Rugby uses a unique combination training systems with team training, individual training and match training all being utilised by the user to advance their squad. Users also have to manage the financial side of their club, hiring and firing new training staff, expanding their ground and buying and selling players.

BR World Cups

Within the Blackout Rugby game world, international matches take place, at Under-20 level (U20) and full National Teams (NT).
The first U20 BRWC took place at the end of Season 4 (Feb/Mar 2009). The first NT BRWC will take place at the end of Season 5.

Season	Host	WC Type	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
4	South Africa	U20	United States	New Zealand	England	Pacific Islands
5	New Zealand	NT	New Zealand	Italy	England	Australia
6	United States	U20	New Zealand	England	Italy	Australia
7	Pacific Islands	NT	New Zealand	South Africa	Italy	United States
8	Wales	U20	New Zealand	Ireland	Australia	France
9	Romania	NT	South Africa	New Zealand	Ireland	France
10	Argentina	U20	New Zealand	Ireland	England	South Africa
11	Scotland	NT	New Zealand	Ireland	Argentina	Scotland
12	Australia	U20	South Africa	Australia	Romania	Argentina
13	South Africa	NT
14	Canada	U20
15	United States	NT
16	England	U20
17	Wales	NT
18	France	U20
19	Argentina	NT
20	Ireland	U20
21	Australia	NT
22	Italy	U20
23	Canada	NT
24	Japan	U20
25	England	NT
26	New Zealand	U20
27	France	NT
28	Pacific Islands	U20
29	Ireland	NT
30	Romania	U20
31	Italy	NT
32	Scotland	U20
33	Japan	NT

After season 33, the cycle will repeat, assuming no new countries are created within the game by this point.

National Cup winners

Below is a table of clubs that have won each country's National Cup competition in each season.

Season	Argentina	Australia	Canada	England	France	Ireland	Italy	Japan	New Zealand	Pacific Islands	Romania	Scotland	South Africa	United States	Wales	Belgium	Brazil	Chile	Croatia	Czech Republic	Georgia	Germany	Hong Kong	Ivory Coast	Kenya	Korea	Namibia	Netherlands	Poland	Portugal	Russia	Spain	Uruguay	Zimbabwe
Season 1	11 Men in Flight	Ncc XV	Burnaby Blues	Olvar's Strays	Since1962	St Mary's College RFC	Union 96 Rugby Milano	Buckland Gentlemen RFC	The Western Woah	Maramasike Nuggets	Polecats	Softies	Durban Wanderers	Enigma	Mighy Marauders
Season 2	Embalse	Saints XV	Jg Falcons	Purple Dinosaurs	Skeubs	Aramasu's Pirates	Reproscanrugbybergamo	The Hills	Riccarton Allstars	Pacific Sharks	Cehul Silvaniei Stags	Dalgety Bay Aztecs	Juskei Jackals	Mature Chedder	People's Front Of Judea
Season 3	Jaguars	Wafgash	Burnaby Chiefs	Purple Dinosaurs	OM Spirit	Catalonia	Targaryen	Madrid Rockets	Vandernators	Rotuma Tsunami	Black Wallaboks	Union Bears 07	Claremont Warriors	Academicals RFC	Jeff's XV
Season 4	Badpeppermints	Gloucester XV	Brampton RFC	Bromborough	Skeubs	Darkside Cowboys	Reproscanrugbybergamo	Sleepy Goats	Vandernators	Pacific Sharks	RC Berceni	United	Eijkels	Cambridge Rugby Club	Dodgy Badgers
Season 5	Woodward Chile	Emu Slopes	Burnaby Knights	Bromborough	OM Spirit	Sandtrail	Reproscanrugbybergamo	Sleepy Goats	The Dissident Aggressors	Moratai Marauders	Polecats	Fenwick Thistle	South African Youngsters	DC Barbarians	Va Va Voom
Season 6	Woodward Chile	Red Bull Rage	Huskies RFC	Bosh	Skeubs	Aramasu's Pirates	Vii Rugby Torino	Sleepy Goats	Hercufleas United	Pacific Sharks	Black Wallaboks	United	Black Sheep	Booyakasha	Jeff's XV
Season 7	Badpeppermints	Silver Foxes	Alaskan Assassins	Bromborough	Hoi An	Aramasu's Pirates	Clan Messina	My Bloody Valentine	Taita Hooligans	Pacific Sharks	Polecats	United	Mithril	DC Barbarians	Jeff's XV
Season 8	Woodward Chile	Doonas	Kitchener Warriors	Bromborough	Los Gringos	Aramasu's Pirates	Clan Messina	Sleepy Goats	Millerton Miners	Tau'uta Barbarians	Polecats	United	Avatars	PA Patriots	Va Va Voom
Season 9	Badpeppermints	Funky Squad	Kamikazè Injection	Bromborough	Skeubs	Los Verdeblancos	Clan Messina	My Bloody Valentine	Taita Hooligans	Pacific Sharks	Black Wallaboks	Chewbacaas Chomping Chewaawaas	Rooiwit Vredehoek 1971	DC Barbarians	People's Front Of Judea	Zwarte Barbarians	Harpia Club	Woodward Chile	Split 1700	Johny SCG Ball	Pride Of Georgia	Wills Wanderers	Kowloon RFC	Cobs De Bouffons	Snowstorm Gladiators	Seoul Raiders	Steroid Abusers	Darkside Cowboys	Dark Lightning	Taddiport	RFC Yaroslavl	Diogenes Club	Tala Rugby Club	Muffin Chuckers
Season 10	Badpeppermints	Balmain Tigers	The United Bank of Ouzo	Bromborough	Skeubs	Apoel Cormosia Rfc	Jolly Roger Crew	Kunming Tigers	The Freelancers	Pacific Sharks	Black Wallaboks	United	Champs	Academicals RFC	Super Heroes In Training	Zwarte Barbarians	Harpia Club	Woodward Chile	Split 1700	Rosslyn Park	Nouvelle	The Stainless Steel Rats	Kowloon RFC	Cobs De Bouffons	Gilgil RFC	Seoul Raiders	Nemean Lions	Pandora's Pingu	Dark Lightning	New Zealand Warriors	RFC Yaroslavl	Diogenes Club	Tala Rugby Club	Thinus 15
Season 11	American Panthers	Funky Squad	Kanata Alliance	Pandora's Pingu	Los Gringos	Cream of the Crop	Union 96 Rugby Milano	My Bloody Valentine	Magratheans	Tau'uta Barbarians	Black Wallaboks	West Of Scotland	Rooiwit Vredehoek 1971	DC Barbarians	Jeff's Xv	Zwarte Barbarians	Hot Milk Rugby Club	Woodward Chile	Split 1700	Zbrojovka Brno 2007	Sonoma County Alliance	St. Pauli Exiles	Kowloon RFC	Cobs De Bouffons	Tucker's Titans	Seoul Raiders	Nemean Lions	Aramasu's Pirates	Dark Lightning	Os Tripeiros	RFC Yaroslavl	Diogenes Club	Pachinko Never Die	Super Heroes In Training
Season 12						V.D. Ruffians RFC			Magratheans						Jeff's Xv	Zwarte Barbarians												Aramasu's Pirates

• The countries of Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe were added in the country expansion in Season 9.

National League Winners

Below is a table of clubs that have won each country's National League competition. Season 3 was the first season where human managers reached division 1.

Season	Argentina	Australia	Canada	England	France	Ireland	Italy	Japan	New Zealand	Pacific Islands	Romania	Scotland	South Africa	United States	Wales	Belgium	Brazil	Chile	Croatia	Czech Republic	Georgia	Germany	Hong Kong	Ivory Coast	Kenya	Korea	Namibia	Netherlands	Poland	Portugal	Russia	Spain	Uruguay	Zimbabwe
Season 3	Ccba	The Undeads	Kitchener Warriors	Purple Dinosaurs	Les Fadas	Pandora's Pingu	Busto Arsizio	Grampus	Taita Hooligans	Moratai Maruaders	Black Wallaboks	Fenwick Thistle	Argentina Basel	Booyakasha	Bryncoch Ice Warriors
Season 4	Woodward Chile	Gloucester XV	Kitchener Warriors	Purple Dinosaurs	Les Fadas	Pandora's Pingu	Reproscanrugbybergamo	Sleepy Goats	Hercufleas United	Moratai Maruaders	Black Wallaboks	RFC Yaroslavl Russia	Champs	Booyakasha	Rhyl RFC
Season 5	Woodward Chile	Gloucester XV	Alaskan Assassins	Bromborough	Skeubs	Southern Spears Rfc	Reproscanrugbybergamo	Sleepy Goats	Carlton Corner	Tau'uta Barbarians	Polecats	Fenwick Thistle	Champs	Academicals RFC	Va Va Voom
Season 6	Diogenes Club	Gloucester XV	Alaskan Assassins	Caracas Danger	Skeubs	Pandora's Pingu	Fantaikuvium XV Campione	Sleepy Goats	Hautapu Hopefools	Tau'uta Barbarians	Polecats	Ghlomaich Gaels	Argentina Basel	Booyakasha	Va Va Voom
Season 7	Woodward Chile	Gloucester XV	Kitchener Warriors	Bromborough	Skeubs	Pandora's Pingu	Union 96 Rugby Milano	Sleepy Goats	The Freelancers	Tau'uta Barbarians	Black Wallaboks	United	Pulse	Booyakasha	Deheubarth Kings
Season 8	Deliverance Patriots	Gloucester XV	Kitchener Warriors	Bromborough	Skeubs	Southern Spears Rfc	Jolly Roger Crew	My Bloody Valentine	The Freelancers	Pacific Sharks	Polecats	United	Argentina Basel	DC Barbarians	The Cimla Cavalry
Season 9	Badpeppermints	Red Bull Rage	Guelph Assassins	Frodsham Koala Bears	Skeubs	V.D. Ruffians RFC	Jolly Roger Crew	My Bloody Valentine	Magratheans	Pacific Sharks	Polecats	United	Silver Super Sharks	DC Barbarians	The Cimla Cavalry	Zwarte Barbarians	Hot Milk Rugby Club	Woodward Chile	Split 1700	Johny SCG Ball	Georgia Peaches	The Stainless Steel Rats	Kowloon RFC	Poppys	Snowstorm Gladiators	Seoul Raiders	Nemean Lions	Pandora's Pingu	Dark Lightning	Eastwood	RFC Yaroslavl	Diogenes Club	Tala Rugby Club	Chivhu Lions
Season 10	American Panthers	Gloucester XV	Guelph Assassins	Frodsham Koala Bears	Bluth Family	V.D. Ruffians RFC	Jolly Roger Crew	Grampus	Magratheans	Bakerstown Brawlers	Black Wallaboks	United	Silver Super Sharks	DC Barbarians	Deheubarth Kings	Zwarte Barbarians	Hot Milk Rugby Club	Woodward Chile	Split 1700	Johny SCG Ball	Bagratoni Rugby Club	The Stainless Steel Rats	Kowloon RFC	Cobs De Bouffons	Gilgil RFC	Seoul Raiders	Nemean Lions	Southern Spears Rfc	Dark Lightning	Eastwood	RFC Yaroslavl	Diogenes Club	Tala Rugby Club	Muffin Chuckers
Season 11	Die Steppenwölfe	Sleepy Goats	Qikiqtarjuaq Ntlakyapamuks	Bromborough	OM Spirit	V.D. Ruffians RFC	Bùgia Nen	Grampus	Magratheans	Pacific Sharks	Undeads RFC	United	Silver Super Sharks	DC Barbarians	The Cimla Cavalry	Zwarte Barbarians				Johny SCG Ball
Season 12	Badpeppermints	Sleepy Goats	Kitchener Warriors	Bromborough	Bluth Family	V.D. Ruffians RFC			Magratheans						Deheubarth Kings	Zwarte Barbarians												Aramasu's Pirates

Membership

The game is free to play under its free basic membership with in-window Google advertising

AdSense

Google AdSense which is a program run by Google Inc. allows publishers in the Google Network of content sites to automatically serve text, image, video, and rich media adverts that are targeted to site content and audience. These adverts are administered, sorted, and maintained by Google, and they...

. The free basic membership also includes a free trial of the premium membership package. The premium membership includes a wide range of additional benefits including:

• Ad-free gameplay
• A two-dimensional match view
• Internal shortcuts to speed up browsing
• More detailed training, player, and match statistics
• Club and player nicknames
• Player notes, blurbs, and jersey numbers
• Club Logos
• Ability to replay the last fixture
• Ability to write press releases
• Auto-bid feature in the player transfer market
• World/National/Regional Rank history
• Transfer market scout
  • Notifications when players fitting the manager's descriptions are available in the transfer market.
• Pregame Analysis
  • Comparisons of team ratings such as scrum and lineout
  • Results from past match-ups between the two teams
  • Current win or loss streaks
  • Latest scores.

External links

• Blackout Rugby
• Blackout Cricket - A proposed sister game
• Blackout Rugby Administration Tool - Administration tool for Blackout Rugby
• Blackout Rugby Manager - Online administration tool for Blackout Rugby