 France, New Zealand, Britain and Australia (who joined a few months later) were the founding countries.The International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) had formed prior to the schism in 1886 and remained the international governing body for rugby union, although it originally only consisted of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.Australia, New Zealand and South Africa joined the IRFB in 1948, France in 1978 and Argentina, Canada, Italy and Japan in 1991.