As a big Rugby fan I anticipated this release eagerly as there aren't too many games out there. General gameplay is vastly superior to the previous letdown that had been EA Rugby 2004. There arent nearly as many stoppages which is a major advantage, and they have got rid of the commentary team that previously tormented me so much. The stoppages for scrums and lineouts have been reduced at the cost of fewer options with the back line, but the few there are allows for a faster flowing game, and the chance to do something a bit more innovative than merely crashing the ball up the pitch after one backs move. It is only after a few plays that you start to see flaws in the game. After about 10 hours of play, difficulty is no longer an issue, and only the more obsessive out there will have completed the league formats available due to the boring nature of the game. Several players have been omitted, and not just those who would have been on the fringes of the squads either. As an Ireland fan I was dismayed by the lack of Denis Leamy, Kieran Lewis and Trevor Hogan, all recent Irish internationals and established squad players several months before the games release. Those who support other countries I'm sure will find similar issues. Also, the game is hampered by the fact that in many cases the developers merely recycled the stats from Rugby 04 meaning that there is no allowance for losses and gains in players form in the terms of the stats. Examples of this include wings such as Bryan Habana not having anywhere as much pace as real life, or Girvan Dempsey being highly rated as a goal kicker. Flaws include the odd pass defying physics and flying forward from a player who has just been tackled to the ground, and scrum halves firing the ball from a ruck to 20 metres behind the waiting outhalf. The problems I found with the application of the rules include a lack of late or illegal tackles, which happen at an alarming rate which really can disrupt gameplay. There are many other flaws of a minor nature, I just threw this one up as I saw it as the biggest. All in all, this is the best rugby game yet, but nonetheless I will await my purchase of Rugby 06 with impatience
Was glad to see a great improvement over the 2004 version here. For the mostpart the gameplay is pretty darn good and graphics are just fantastic. The choice of teams is incredible, whoever your favourite team is its... Read Full Review
Rugby 2005 is nearly a great rubgy game, it misses key things in the game of rugby which rugby fans and players would notice instantly when they begin playing. It has alot of teams to choose from play as your country,... Read Full Review
