This game has quite a few new features. Some of the features are for graphical purposes, and others are purely for gameplay purposes. Some of the features are listed below, with a brief explanation:
25+ new tactical plays can be chosen. If the player chooses wisely, he can gain the upper hand.
Off-load passing
When the player draws a defender to him, he is able to quickly off-load the ball to a teammate, before the defender actually tackles him. This can cause a gap in the defensive line, which can be exploited by the player to the players advantage.
Impact/Star players, are players in the game that could potentially turn a match in the player's favour. These player are the best in-game in their specialised area. Impact players are highlighted in game with a star above their heads.
Enhanced players and stadium conditions
The game features new stadium animations, such as banner rotations, 3D-grass, and team relevant flags. Also the weather conditions are improved, and new conditions are added. The player can now play in snow and fog, and even see the players breath.
Quick penalties
The game also includes the option of taking a quick penalty, this can help to score a sneaky try or just to gain some metres. Although you could just take the yards to clear the lines
Reception
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "generally favorable reviews", while the PC version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of one seven, one five, one seven, and one six, for a total of 25 out of 40. The Sydney Morning Herald gave the PS2 version a score of four stars out of five and stated, "Scoring a drop goal can be the trickiest move in the game, simply because the camera angle makes it difficult to line up. Whilst the game tends to be annoyingly accurate on higher settings, just persuade a friend to play to even up the challenge." The Times also gave the game a score of four stars out of five and said that "Rugby, with its elaborate set-pieces and impenetrable laws, is a hard game to render on computer, but this is an extremely good try." The A.V. Club gave the PS2 and Xbox versions a B, saying that the game "isn't as pretty as the bigger EA Sports games, but it isn't as larded down with excess crap, either; just lots of teams, lots of tournaments, and what we'll assume are famous players in a good tough sport."
