The following article lists the oldest known rugby union competitions.
Rank Competition Location Date First winner First Runner-up Ref 1 United Hospitals Challenge Cup The Oval 1874 Guy's Hospital St George's Hospital () Shute Shield 1874 Waratah 3 Ulster Schools' Cup Ulster 1876 The Royal School, Armagh Royal Belfast Academical Institution 4 Yorkshire Cup Recreation Ground, Holbeck 1877 Halifax York Yorkshire Cup final programmes, including the 1978 Centenary Programme. 5 Calcutta Cup Raeburn Place 1879 6 Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup Ireland 1881 " 7 Home Nations Championship 1883 8 Leinster Towns Cup Ireland 1888 9 Currie Cup South Africa 1889 Western Province 10 French Championship Bagatelle, Paris 1892 11Mallett CupCardiff 1893Cardiff RFC ReservesCanton RFC 12 Mulock Cup (University of Toronto Intramural Championship) Toronto 1895 Faculty of Medicine 13 River Plate Rugby Championship Argentina 1899 Lomas Athletic Club Buenos Aires Football Club 14 Bottle Match United Kingdom 1902 Camborne School of Mines Royal School of Mines 15 Ranfurly Shield New Zealand 1904 Wellington Auckland 16 Clifford Cup Sri Lanka 1911 United Services All Ceylon 17 Siam Cup 1920 Jersey Guernsey 18 Deans Trophy Fiji 1939 Queen Victoria School
References