The Ireland national rugby union team is the representative national team in rugby union for the island of Ireland. The team signifies both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British and Irish Lions players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions. The Ireland national team dates to 1875, when it played its first international match against England. Ireland got number 1 in the World Rugby Rankings for the first time in 2019. Eleven former Ireland players have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.