A very different approach to a rugby game than Rugby 2004. The All Black team is completely unlicensed, so players like Ugo Touhy (Tana Umanga) make appearances, and you can pretty much figure out who everyone is. The English team, however, is licensed, and Johnny Wilkinson even does his little Teapot impression before conversions.
This game is an arcade style as opposed to simulation. Forward passes go mainly unpenalised, as well as similar offences. Agressive tackles can be used, as well as ankletaps and just holding on to them. Sprinting, impressive stepping (including the Rokocoko spin) and handoffs are also in the fray.
Another feature worth mentioning is the Classic Matches. There are a dozen or so classic matches to be played, such as playing the All Blacks vs. England and having to get 4 tries with ‘Wendall Hawkes’ aka Jonah Lomu, as well as the 2003 World Cup Final, where you have to play as England then Aussie. In the final classic match, you play as a Swordfish team, and have to verse a team of 15 Jonahs, which makes for a hard game.
There is also a survival mode, and a mode where you play the world champions with increasingly weak teams, the weakest being Namibia.
All in all, an excellent game, which is a better play than Rugby 2004, despite the lack of statistics and licensing.
