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Soccer management simulations are the bane of my life. They're. usually all the same and unless you're a complete fanatic with a train spotter's addiction to numbers and detail they are highly forgettable. And now rugby. I suppose rugby isn't as worn out a theme as soccer manager but surely the idea's exactly the same - just put oval ball terminology and player names in there instead of round ones and you've got a new game!

Well, yes and no. Rugby being a more enjoyable game (floods of nasty complaining letters will arrive, I know) this management sim did actually grab my attention for a while.

World Rugby is basically an unofficial Rugby World cup game where you (yawn) manage a national side to the top using your skills as a coach and trainer. Actually all the sides re-created in this game are surprisingly well documented and accurate. The names and positions look right and I'll wager the rest of the info isn't too far out either. Not only that but you get to choose from about forty players on each side and considering that you can choose from ten different countries this means that World Rugby has on impressive database - unlike Graeme Souness Soccer Manager. (Though I did notice that some famous soccer players had switched sports!)

Each player is measured in terms of skill, speed, kicking, tackling and stamina. Weight and height measurements are also given. This info is presented using pie charts and you select a side based on It. You can really choose anyone for any position so if you're useless at the rules and conventions of rugby then don't choose this game. Once you've actually played a game on anonymous TV presenter comes on screen to tell you of your success or failure.

As an added bonus you can opt to either see the match being played (not in full thankfully) or simply highlights. The latter being a wise option.

World Rugby doesn't offer anything new on the management front but it does give this jaded game formula a small facelift using a Rugby scenario. In general the graphics are of a good standard with amusing match highlights and easy to follow menus. It's quite difficult to put together a good team and even more difficult to get to the top so fans of Rugby and management games will be well satisfied. However if you don't foil into either of these categories then stay well away.

To be honest I'm sick to death of management sims, but this one is bearable because of the relative accuracy of the teams and the amount of choice in the options. It's also Rugby. We really don't need another soccer sim.