How to Play

The basics

Webb Ellis XV is a rugby draft game built around the Rugby World Cup. Your goal is simple: spin for a legendary RWC squad, pick one player, and slot them into your XV. Do it 15 times, fill every position, and find out if your dream team could go unbeaten through a World Cup tournament.

Round by round

Choose your mode Classic shows full player ratings. Expert hides everything — you draft on name and position alone.

Spin A random Rugby World Cup nation and year is drawn from 48 squads spanning 1987 to 2023. No squad appears twice until the full pool has been exhausted.

Browse the squad The full starting XV appears. In Classic mode you can see every player's rating. Use the search bar to find a player by name or position.

Pick a player Tap any available player. They slot automatically into their natural position on the pitch — props play prop, locks play lock, no exceptions.

Repeat for 15 rounds Keep spinning and drafting until all 15 positions are filled. Some positions may already be taken if you've already drafted a player from that group.

Get your result Your XV's combined rating determines a projected tournament record — from a Pool Stage Exit all the way up to the perfect 7–0 Webb Ellis XV.

Game modes

Classic

Player ratings are fully visible throughout. You can see every player's OVR score before picking. Use this to optimise your XV and chase the highest possible combined rating.

Expert

Squad identity and ratings are hidden. You see jersey numbers and positions only. At the end you can reveal all names, squads and ratings. Designed for true rugby fans who can spot a legend by position alone.

Result tiers

😬	Pool Stage Exit	Combined rating below 65
⚔️	Quarter-Final Exit	65–74
🥈	Semi-Final Exit	75–79
🥉	Bronze Medallists	80–84
🏆	World Champions	85–89
🏆⭐	Dominant Champions	90–94
🏆🐐	The 7–0 Immortals	95 and above

How is the rating calculated?

Your combined rating is 85% based on the average OVR of your 15 drafted players, and 15% based on the average coaching rating of the squads you drew from. A run of elite coaches boosts your combined score — a run of poor ones drags it down.

Each player's OVR reflects their form specifically at that World Cup, not their overall career. Dan Carter in 2015 rates higher than Dan Carter in 2003. Jonah Lomu in 1995 rates higher than in 1999.

Tips

Fill scarce positions early. Props, hookers and the number 8 can be hard to find late in the draft. If a world-class one appears, consider taking them even if you have other gaps.

Coaching matters. A 15% bonus sounds small but the difference between a coach rated 60 and one rated 96 can shift your final tier by one or two places.

In Expert mode, know your numbers. Classic props wear 1 and 3, locks 4 and 5, the openside flanker is 7. Learning the jersey number system is the key to drafting well blind.