 The two Pro12 sides took up Italy's existing places in the elite Europe-wide club competition, then known as the Heineken Cup and now as the European Rugby Champions Cup, and four "Eccellenza" sides compete in the second-tier European Rugby Challenge Cup.Italy's national team competes since 2000 in the Six Nations Championship, and is a regular at the Rugby World Cup, despite having yet to pass the group stage.Italy are classed as a tier-one nation by World Rugby.