Elementary and junior high school students in Kobe were offered a real taste of the Rugby World Cup on Thursday when signature foods from teams at the sport's showpiece event were served for lunch.

At Tarumi elementary school, a 20-minute ride from the World Cup venue where England will be playing later in the day, the students were served British fish and chips to learn more about that country.

"I usually don't like fish, but I like this," said sixth-grade student Mitsuki Mori. "I've been playing rugby so I was really looking forward to the World Cup coming to Kobe."

England, one of the tournament favorites, will take on the United States at Kobe Misaki Stadium (Noevir Stadium). The Pool C clash is the first of four matches in the city, home to Top League side Kobe Kobelco Steelers.

One student quizzed the sixth-grade class which country fish and chips originated from, and her classmates yelled out "England!" They raised their hands for seconds, while the World Cup menu became a conversation topic in the classroom.

"I think the kids were really looking forward to today. I was even asked by a student yesterday what chips are -- whether they are potato chips or fries," said Haruka Yoneda, who teaches the class.

"It's a really good opportunity for them to learn about other countries and their cultures through the World Cup," she said.

Kobe will also provide school lunches with foods that represent other teams that will play in the city throughout the tournament, which concludes Nov. 2.

Scotch broth, a soup that originated in Scotland, has been served at some schools already, while junior high school students on Thursday had pork chops and baked potatoes, which according to the city, are considered examples of American food.

Nutrition educators came up with the international menu items, with some of the dishes arranged by modifying recipes and substituting ingredients to suit students' preferences.

"The food was great," said Rei Shiota, who has been playing rugby for three years. "What is most attractive about rugby is how all of the players contribute to score one try -- it's not just the try-getter who gets the praise, but it's a team effort."

"I'm just so happy that teams are here. The atmosphere is great, and there will be really great performances here."