Sweden national rugby union team
 | ||
| Union | Svenska Rugbyförbundet | |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach |  Alex Laybourne | |
| Captain | Axel Kalling-Smith | |
| Top scorer | Andreas Bruhn (18) | |
| ||
| World Rugby ranking | ||
| Current | 31 (as of 16 November 2024) | |
| Highest | 31 (2024) | |
| Lowest | 62 (2016) | |
| First international | ||
 Sweden 6–0 Denmark  (23 October 1949) | ||
| Biggest win | ||
 Luxembourg 3–116 Sweden (5 May 2001) | ||
| Biggest defeat | ||
 Soviet Union 72–0 Sweden (1 July 1976) | ||
| World Cup | ||
| Appearances | 0 | |
The Sweden national rugby union team represents Sweden in rugby union.
Rugby has been played in Sweden since 1933, the first full international being played in 1949 against Denmark. The country celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008.
Sweden has been a member union of World Rugby since 1988 and is one of the 48 members of Rugby Europe.
Sweden won Rugby Europe Division 2 in 2012 and Conference 1 North in 2022, beating the Czech Republic in the final league game of the season at Stockholm's Stadion, in front of more than 1,500 spectators, promoting them to the Rugby Europe Trophy, a league level consolidated in 22/23 with a third-placed finish.
The national side is ranked 31st in the world (as of November 11, 2024).[2]
Current squad
[edit]This is the Sweden team that beat Lithuania in Panevėžys on November 2, 2024:
| Player | Club |
| Ale Loman | Nottingham RFC |
| Armir Kozhani | Kalmar Södra IFR |
| Petter Stråle Heelge | RFC Livonia |
| Adrian Wadden | Oakville Crusaders |
| Oscar Larsson | Pingvin RC |
| Arthur Marini | Drancy Saint Denis Rugby |
| Terry Vaa Iuta Fryxell | Stockholm Exiles RFC |
| Theodor Karlsson | Stockholm Exiles RFC |
| Jack Tatu | Livonia RFC |
| Tim Johansson | RFC Livonia |
| Samuel Ekfeldt | Stockholm Exiles RFC |
| Axel Kalling-Smith | RAMS RFC |
| Alfred Nordgren | RFC Livonia |
| Samuel Ahlbeck | Malmö RC |
| Robin Fransson | Enköpings RK |
| Adam Christersson | Kalmar Södra IFR |
| Alexander Nahas | Erikslund KF |
| Viktor Cordes | Lugi Lions RFC |
| Elias Granath | Dings Crusaders RFC |
| Oliver Nilsson | Amsterdam Student Rugby Association |
| Philip Axelsson | Lugi Lions RFC |
| Jonatan Hector | Spartacus RUFC |
| David Hill | Stockholm Exiles RFC |
Leading Try Scorers
[edit]| Name | tries |
|---|---|
| Andreas Bruhn | 18 |
| Kari Tapper | 16 |
| Kanogo Njuru | 14 |
| Ian Gowland | 13 |
| Bobby Nave | 13 |
| Alan Letele | 12 |
| Johan Andersson | 11 |
| Axel Kalling-Smith | 12 |
| Thomas Arvidsson | 10 |
Rugby Europe Conference 1 North Champions 2021/22
[edit]2019 promoted side ↑ 2019 relegated side ↓ WR = World Ranking May 2022
| Conference 1 North | WR | Pl | W | D | L | B | F | A | DIFF | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden
|
38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 154 | 81 | 71 | 19 |
 Czech Republic ↓
|
37 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 142 | 70 | 72 | 15 |
 Latvia ↑
|
63 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 74 | 109 | -35 | 5 |
| Luxembourg
|
61 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56 | 145 | -89 | 4 |
 Hungary
|
64 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 61 | 90 | -29 | 2 |
Rugby Europe Trophy Fixtures and Results 2022/23
[edit]| DATE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Croatia
|
22 - 27 |  Ukraine
|
22/10/2022 |
| Sweden
|
37 - 17 | Croatia
|
29/10/2022 |
 Lithuania
|
39 v 20 | Ukraine
|
05/11/2022 |
| Sweden
|
12 v 69 |  Switzerland
|
05/11/2022 |
| Switzerland
|
45 v 6 | Lithuania
|
12/11/2022 |
| Ukraine
|
32 v 59 | Switzerland
|
12/03/2023 |
| Ukraine
|
38 v 15 | Sweden
|
18/03/2023 |
| Lithuania
|
37 v 39 | Croatia
|
25/03/2023 |
| Lithuania
|
15 v 18 | Sweden
|
01/04/2023 |
| Croatia
|
22 v 32 | Switzerland
|
01/04/2023 |
Final League Table 2022/23
[edit]2022 promoted sides ↑ WR = current World Ranking (Apr 6 2023)
| Trophy | WR | Pl | W | D | L | B | F | A | DIFF | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland
|
27 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 205 | 72 | 133 | 19 |
| Ukraine
|
36 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 117 | 135 | -18 | 9 |
| Sweden ↑
|
39 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 82 | 139 | -57 | 9 |
| Lithuania
|
52 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 97 | 122 | -25 | 7 |
| Croatia ↑
|
42 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 133 | -33 | 5 |
Results and Fixtures
[edit]The following is a list of test matches since 2018, as well as any future test matches that have been officially scheduled. [3]
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Competition | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 October 2017 | Hungary
|
Norrkōping, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 12 - 10 |
| 28 October 2017 | Ukraine
|
Odesa, Ukraine | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | L | 29 - 8 |
| 28 April 2018 | Lithuania
|
Kaunas, Lithuania | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | L | 43 - 22 |
| 12 May 2018 | Latvia
|
Enköping, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 50 - 27 |
| 20 October 2018 |  Moldova
|
Norrkōping, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 80 - 6 |
| 3 November 2018 | Luxembourg
|
Luxembourg | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 9 - 10 |
| 11 May 2019 | Hungary
|
Norrkōping, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 36 - 27 |
| 19 May 2019 | Ukraine
|
Odesa, Ukraine | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | L | 23 - 14 |
| 26 October 2019 | Latvia
|
Jurmala, Latvia | International | W | 22 - 26 |
| 2 November 2019 | Luxembourg
|
Malmö, Sweden | International | L | 0 - 13 |
| 23 October 2021 | Luxembourg
|
Norrköping, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 51 - 5 |
| 23 April 2022 | Latvia
|
Baldone, Latvia | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 25 - 46 |
| 7 May 2022 | Hungary
|
Budapest, Hungary | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 25 - 29 |
| 14 May 2022 | Czech Republic
|
Stockholm, Sweden | Rugby Europe Conference 1 North | W | 28 - 18 |
| October 29, 2022 | Croatia
|
Stockholm, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 37 - 17 |
| November 5, 2022 | Switzerland
|
Malmö, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy | L | 12 - 69 |
| March 18, 2023 | Ukraine
|
Split, Croatia | Rugby Europe Trophy | L | 38 - 15 |
| April 1, 2023 | Lithuania
|
Siauliai, Lithuania | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 15 - 18 |
| 28 October 2023 | Czech Republic
|
Stockholm, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 48 - 37 |
| 4 November 2023 | Switzerland
|
Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland | Rugby Europe Trophy | L | 23 - 12 |
| 18 November 2023 | Croatia
|
Makarska, Croatia | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 20 - 22 |
| 23 March 2024 | Lithuania
|
Siauliai, Lithuania | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 8 - 27 |
| 6 April 2024 | Ukraine
|
Trelleborg, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 36 - 24 |
| 27 October 2024 | Czech Republic
|
Trelleborg, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 22 - 16 |
| 2 November 2024 | Lithuania
|
Aukštaitija Stadium, Lithuania | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 19 - 46 |
| 16 November 2024 | Croatia
|
NSC Stjepan Spajic | Rugby Europe Trophy | W | 31 - 42 |
| 29 March 2025 | Luxembourg
|
Stade de Luxembourg | Rugby Europe Trophy | ||
| 12 April 2025 |  Poland
|
Trelleborg, Sweden | Rugby Europe Trophy |
Record
[edit]Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by a Sweden national XV at test level up until 16 November 2024, updated after match with Croatia.
| Against | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Andorra |
5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40% |
 Armenia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Austria |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Belgium |
12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 33.33% |
| Croatia |
7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% |
| Czech Republic |
9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55.56% |
| Czechoslovakia |
8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0% |
| Denmark |
49 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 73.47% |
 East Germany |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0% |
 Finland |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Gibraltar |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
 Germany |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25% |
| Hungary |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Israel |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Latvia |
13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 69.23% |
| Lithuania |
11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 72.73% |
| Luxembourg |
7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% |
 Malta |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25% |
| Moldova |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% |
 Netherlands |
19 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 5.26% |
 Norway |
7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Poland |
14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 7.14% |
 Portugal |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
 Serbia and Montenegro |
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60% |
| Soviet Union |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
 Spain |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Switzerland |
8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75% |
 Tunisia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Ukraine |
8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 12.5% |
| West Germany |
5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40% |
| Total | 217 | 110 | 101 | 6 | 50.69% |
Honours
[edit]- 2012 Champions European Nations Cup Division 2
- 2022 Champions Rugby Europe Conference 1 North
References
[edit]- ^ "Sweden - World Rugby - Hall of Fame". www.world.rugby.
- ^ "Men's Rankings | World Rugby".
- ^ "Europe: Sweden - Latest Results". Archived from the original on 13 April 2020.
External links
[edit]
| |