Easing back into posting on here regularly again, just in time for the Rugby World Cup, I’d like to start off with a quick update on the video game front.

A while back, on another site, I asked if EA Sports was planning on releasing a new Rugby World Cup game for XBox and Playstation, seeing as how they had a tendency to do so on World Cup years. Well it turns out they’re passing this year. But my fellow rugger/gamers, don’t be alarmed!  In case you haven’t yet heard, there’s not one, but TWO rugby games due out in upcoming weeks.

Rugby World Cup 2011

There couldn’t be a World Cup without some kind of game attached to it.  And this year the the team at 505 Studios (not related to the New Mexico despite the obvious use of the 505 area code 😉 ) has not disappointed with their Rugby World Cup 2011.  With an expected release date just before the World Cup kick off in New Zealand, this game appears to have the 20 teams involved in the World Cup taken care of, with additional matches for international test matches, warm up tours and more available to you.

Some people have expressed their concern that this game is a reboot of 505’s Rugby 08 game, which could be the case – the level of gameplay will have to be determined once I get my hands on a copy.  Regardless, with EA Sports dropping the ball here, so to speak, it’s nice to see someone step up and create a game for rugby fans who are tired of seeing 18 new FIFA games out every year.

But this may still pale in comparison to…

Jonah Lomu/New Zealand All Blacks (depending on your location) Rugby Challenge

If you want a little more flexibility with your rugby game, you might just want to check out Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge, brought to the Rugby Universe by Sidhe Studios and Tru Blue Games.

(If you don’t know who Jonah Lomu is. Please report to my house so I can personally smack you upside the head. #thatisall)

Reaching for more than just Rugby World Cup teams, Rugby Challenge will let you play any one of a number of teams from the Mangers League (RaboDirect Pro12, or whatever they want to call it these days), the Aviva Premiership, the Southern Hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition, ITM Cup , other leagues, or create your own teams and play online. There’s a multiyear franchise gameplay, much like the franchise mode in the EA Madden Series, and a customization mode for your favorite teams and players.  Rugby Challenge has not issued a release date yet, other than “soon,” which is expected to be sometime during the World Cup.