Leave it to EA Sports to cover a number of sporting events from PGA golf to NCAA football and, of course, the sport of rugby. Being a fan of the sport - I am, after all, a Briton - I’ve seen EA Sports’ Rugby series go from good to better and, finally, the great. Whether you’re a fan of the All Blacks or root for the Wallabies, Rugby 08 for the PlayStation 2 is the best edition to come out this year and a great introduction to the game for those who are new to rugby.

When EA Sports released Rugby 06, the overall presentation wasn’t bad at all but the gameplay elements were a bit complex for those who aren’t familiar with the rules of the game. It’s not that it didn’t try to give newcomers a crash course in the rules as well as the controls, but the 06 edition felt right at home for those who are very familiar with the sport. Rugby 08 also has a tutorial and, while it’s brief and lightly touches on the basics such as passing or how to make a proper lineout throw-in, it’s the controls and difficulty setting options that make this edition comfortable enough for returning as well as new gamers. This is certainly a small part of what makes Rugby 08 one of the best games in the franchise so far. The second, of course, are the controls.

The basic controls allow you to make passes quickly and dive on a loose ball with ease while the more complex attacking and defending moves are responsive and easy to learn. You’ll also be binding a ruck or how to collapse a scrum in no time thanks to the new control features. For example, you can now drive the scrum up field by pressing the left analog stick in a specific direction and you can even wheel the scrum by pressing the same analog stick in a 90-degree angle. Taking total control over these specific set pieces makes a major difference in your gameplay style. Even the new kicking meter just feels more precise and easier to score than last year’s edition.

A new addition to the game is the Authentic Defense Formations feature that allows you to adjust your defensive strategy on the fly. This works beautifully when you find yourself going up against teams that makes appropriate changes to their defense or powerful teams such as France or South Africa. Being able to make changes to your defense and offense quickly makes the difference between getting trampled by the likes of the Brumbies or getting the upper hand when things are about to turn ugly for your team. This year’s game has you going up against some challenging opponents since the AI sees a slight improvement. The good news is that no matter what difficulty setting you pick your opponent is still able to make realistic mistakes and play the way you would expect your favorite team to play.

Once again, the game allows you to quickly jump into the action in the game’s exhibition mode or head directly to the Rugby World Cup, which does a great job of recreating the World Cup matches in their entirety. There’s also a Tournament mode, which can be set up anyway you like it but the best addition comes in the form of Challenge Mode, a game mode that allows you to recreate World Cup matches or change the course of history by completing a set of objectives. The challenges cover past World Cups such as the 1995 Pool A match that pit South Africa against Australia. You can change the outcome of the 2003 Pool A match against Argentina and Ireland (a classic match with surprising results). This is not only a good distraction from Tournament and Rugby World Cup mode but it’s also a challenging good time. Really, the only thing missing is online multiplayer.

Another noticeable improvement comes in the form of the graphics. Visually speaking, Rugby 08 is a vast improvement over past games in the series and you will certainly know it when you look at the player models and how they move. Even the clipping problems of the past games are less noticeable in this game. The overall presentation is also a lot slicker this year and the stadiums look realistic enough and the fans look decent enough.

There is a collection of interesting music in the game that might not come from recognizable artists but the music isn’t bad at all. What doesn’t quite work is the two-man commentary team that repeats themselves constantly throughout their coverage and aren’t always quick to point out the weaknesses in your defense or offense. Perhaps this is me being nitpicky but many of the televised matches I have watched have commentators that are far more enthusiastic than this so why do we get this droll commentary? At least the stadium sounds are excellent and World Cup matches feature national anthems.

EA Sports delivers a rugby game that fans - and those just interested in trying a different sport that doesn’t involve the NBA or the NFL brand - could really sink their teeth into and enjoy. Rugby 08 is a great addition to the franchise and an improvement that makes this one a truly enjoyable rugby game fit for your PS2. The series is still missing an online multiplayer mode but aside from this fault, the game is the rugby game you will want to buy right away.

Gameplay: 8.5
The pick-up-and-play controls work wonderfully to the point that those new to the sport will know enough to perform a good drop kick or master a scrum. The AI sees some major improvements and that’s a very good thing and World Cup Challenge Mode will be a true fan favorite.

Graphics: 8.9
The game’s graphics are a major improvement and even on the PS2, the level of detail will not fail to impress. The player models move realistically and the faces look more natural now than last year’s edition. Of course, the stadiums look great as well but it’s the new truck and zoom visual feature that is the star of the show.

Sound: 8.5
There are some pretty decent tunes in this game and the stadium sounds give the impression that you’re watching a televised match. The two-man commentary team still lacks enthusiasm and the ability to call the plays right.

Difficulty: Medium
The AI has improved greatly so expect your opponents to put up a surprisingly decent defense as well as make some intelligent plays that will make the game challenging no matter what difficulty setting you play.

Concept: 8.5
All the major rugby teams and players are available and reliving classic World Cup matches (or altering World Cup history) make this one of the best editions yet. The gameplay changes are a great addition to the game but where’s the online multiplayer mode?

Multiplayer: 7.0
The lack of online play will be a major turn-off to rugby fans looking to challenge likeminded fans of the game. Here’s hoping the PS3 will bring online play next year.

Overall: 8.5
Rugby 08 for the PS2 is, by far, the best edition of this franchise yet. Fans of the sport will find everything from the controls to the graphics has improved greatly and while it’s not a major leap forward, it is a big leap in the right direction. Rugby fans will certainly get a kick out of this one.