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International rugby is the pinnacle of rugby union. After all, almost every single one of the sport’s biggest tournaments takes place on the international stage. From the Six Nations in the northern hemisphere to The Rugby Championship in the southern hemisphere, international tournaments deliver some of rugby’s most exciting matches.
Excited for the next international tournament? From news and interviews to details about upcoming rugby matches, we’ve got all the latest coverage. Read on to discover team updates, results and more right here at RugbyPass.
International Rankings
Points
1
South Africa
94.54
2
Ireland
90.57
3
New Zealand
89.8
4
France
87.81
5
England
85.46
6
Scotland
83.43
7
Argentina
80.68
8
Wales
80.64
9
Australia
77.48
10
Fiji
76.38
11
Italy
75.93
12
Japan
74.27
13
Portugal
72.78
14
Georgia
72.68
15
Samoa
72.23
16
Tonga
71.57
17
USA
67.94
18
Uruguay
67.39
19
Romania
63.28
20
Spain
62.86
21
Canada
60.9
22
Namibia
60.56
23
Chile
60.49
25
Russia
58.06
26
Switzerland
56.29
27
Netherlands
55.84
28
Brazil
55.37
29
Belgium
54.58
32
Germany
52.32
33
Poland
51.54
34
Kenya
51.12
36
Sweden
50.46
37
Uganda
50.38
40
Croatia
47.5
42
Lithuania
47.02
44
Malta
46.75
48
Tunisia
46.1
49
Mexico
45.82
51
Malaysia
45.14
53
Ukraine
44.82
54
Cayman Islands
44.37
57
Moldova
43.13
59
Latvia
42.74
60
Bulgaria
42.41
62
Luxembourg
41.44
63
Israel
41.24
68
Zambia
38.83
70
Hungary
37.46
71
Slovenia
37.1
72
Serbia
36.57
76
Botswana
36.21
77
Denmark
36.1
78
Finland
35.98
83
Barbados
34.72
87
Austria
31.82
88
Andorra
31.68
94
Iran
30
94
Qatar
30
94
Turkey
30
104
Eswatini
26.04
105
Norway
25.95
Fixtures & Results
International Rugby History
Organised international rugby began in 1886 when Scotland, Wales and Ireland formed the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) – or as it’s now known, World Rugby. In 1890, England officially joined and the IRFB wrote the first international laws of rugby union.
Fast forward to 1949 and Australia, New Zealand and South Africa joined the IRFB. In the coming years, more and more teams from all over the world became full members, including France (1978), Argentina (1987) and Japan (1987). By the 1980s, many of the countries began to consider creating a world championship and by 1987, this dream had become a reality. Today, the Rugby World Cup remains the highlight of the international rugby calendar.
Recent International Rugby History
In 2003, an international rugby rankings system was introduced. When the system was first launched, England topped the international rankings after the team won the 2003 edition of the Rugby World Cup. However, New Zealand have dominated the international rugby rankings since. Between 2009 and 2019, the team held the number one spot uninterrupted.
Rugby union is now a truly global game. World Rugby has more than 100 member unions and a further 20+ nations hold associate member status. As a result, international rugby teams from across the world often play against each other for bragging rights, trophies and world ranking points. No matter what month of the year it may be, you’re sure to find an international rugby fixture that you can watch.
