Switzerland national rugby union team

The Switzerland national rugby union team (French: Equipe Nationale Suisse de Rugby à XV German: Schweizer Rugby-Union-Nationalmannschaft Italian: Nazionale di Rugby XV della Svizzera) represents Switzerland in men's international rugby union competitions. Nicknamed The White Flowers (Edelweiss), is considered one of the stronger tier 3 teams in European rugby and currently compete in the second division of the Rugby Europe International Championships in the Rugby Europe Trophy, a competition which is just below the Rugby Europe Championship where the top 6 countries in Europe (apart from the teams in the 6 nations) compete. They are yet to participate in any Rugby World Cup and often play in all red while their away kit is all white.

Switzerland
Nickname(s)Edelweiss (The White Flowers)
EmblemEdelweiss
UnionFédération Suisse de Rugby
Head coachOlivier Nier
CaptainTBC
Home stadiumTBC
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current28 (as of 04 February 2021)
Highest28 (2020, 2021)
Lowest67 (2010)
First international
Switzerland 4-23 Portugal
(Neuchâtel, Switzerland 11 April 1973)
Biggest win
Bulgaria 9–90 Switzerland
(Pernik, Bulgaria 14 October 2000)
Biggest defeat
Morocco 43–0 Switzerland
(Casablanca, Morocco 25 March 1979)
Websitewww.suisserugby.com

History

Switzerland played their first ever international rugby match on April 11, 1973 in Neuchâtel against Portugal, losing 23–4. The following year they lost 10–18 to Belgium, and were then defeated by them 33–3 in 1975. After the second lost to Belgium, Switzerland won their first international rugby match; defeating Serbia-Montenegro 12–3 in Geneva. The only other win for Switzerland during the 1970s was a 7–4 victory over Luxembourg in 1977. In 1979 they were defeated 43–0 by Morocco and 31–0 by Portugal.

They however bounced back in 1980, defeating Luxembourg 10–7 in Berne, though they then lost close matches against Sweden and Belgium, and were again held to nil by Portugal in 1981, but got a victory over Denmark later that year. After losing to Belgium and Sweden in 1982, they then scored 60 unanswered points against Finland. They then lost nine games in a row from 1982 to 1986, then defeating Serbia-Montenegro 5–0 in May 1986.

In 1989, Switzerland attempted to qualify for the 1991 Rugby World Cup in England, playing in the European tournament – Round 2A. They finished third in the final standings of the round, winning one of their three fixtures. Switzerland also participated in the qualifying tournaments for the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, making it past the preliminary round from the west group, but not advancing past Round 1.

Switzerland finished third (out of six nations) in Pool 1 of Round 1 of the European qualification tournaments for the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales, winning and drawing one game out of four fixtures. Switzerland had more success in the qualifying tournaments for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia, finishing at the top of Pool B in Round 1 and advancing to Round 2, but were unable to advance to Round 3. In attempting to qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, Switzerland finished fourth in Pool D of Round 2 of the European qualification process.

Switzerland also failed to qualify for the 2011 or 2015 Rugby World Cups.

In 2016 Switzerland reached the second division (Rugby Europe Trophy, formerly Division 1B) of the ENC for the first time since the divisional structure was implemented in 2000, after winning Division 2A over the 2014-16 two-year cycle.

Current players

NamePositionDate of BirthClub/Province
Schelte BettenGC Zürich
Olivier GerberGC Zürich
Bang GomayRC Genève PLO
Frédéric RossierStade Lausanne RC
Alfredo BurgenerRC Nyon
Gaby FoxRC Fribourg
Josh BjornsonGC Zürich
Nicolas GuyouFlanker18 May 1982RC Châteaurenard
Didier RichardStade Lausanne RC
Sergio HöselGC Zürich
Ludovic KellerCA Pontarlier
Ali NouriHermance RRC
Loïc VerremanRC Nyon
Pedro DuboisRC Nyon
Ismael MeyerStade Lausanne RC
Geoff JohnsonHermance RRC
Jonathan HudsonHermance RRC - Oxford University
Iain WiseHermance RRC
Mathieu Guyou-KreisRCA Cergy-Pontoise
Jacky DerveyStade Lausanne RC
Thomas DouvegheantHermance RRC
Christophe GuilletRC Genève PLO
Thomas BrossardRC Annemasse
Florian DilletHermance RRC

Record

Men's World Rugby Rankings
Top 30 rankings as of 13 January 2021[1]
RankChange*TeamPoints
1  South Africa094.20
2  England089.49
3  New Zealand088.95
4  France085.30
5  Ireland084.65
6  Australia083.08
7  Scotland080.82
8  Argentina080.31
9  Wales079.36
10  Japan079.29
11  Fiji076.87
12  Georgia072.18
13  Tonga071.44
14  Italy070.88
15  Samoa070.72
16  United States068.10
17  Spain067.51
18  Uruguay067.02
19  Romania065.33
20  Portugal062.12
21  Russia061.96
22  Hong Kong061.23
23  Canada061.11
24  Namibia061.04
25  Netherlands060.09
26  Brazil058.19
27  Belgium057.17
28   Switzerland054.12
29  Chile053.81
30  Germany053.13
*Change from the previous week

Switzerland national rugby union team results as of 14 December 2020.

Opponent Matches Wins Draws Losses % Won Points For Points Against Pts Difference
 Andorra860275.014294+48
 Armenia430175.09278+14
 Austria3300100.07932+47
 Belgium1230925.0123189–66
 Bosnia and Herzegovina1100100436+37
 Bulgaria330010018120+161
 Croatia750271.4163104+61
 Czech Republic4103255891–33
 Czechoslovakia300302451–27
 Denmark1042440182165+17
 Finland1100100600+60
 Georgia200204244–2
 Germany10010037–37
 Hungary11001006123+38
 Israel750271.417064+106
 Latvia410325.03482–48
 Lithuania410325.076101–25
 Luxembourg770010013943+96
 Malta5302609379+14
 Moldova11001002926+3
 Monaco11001002016+4
 Morocco10010043–43
 Netherlands6015086169–83
 Poland200202335–12
 Portugal5005014153–139
 Serbia15411026.7165224–59
 Slovenia53116017668+108
 Spain10010040–40
 Sweden6006041119–78
 Tunisia30030646–40
 Ukraine210233.37278–6
 West Germany400402284–62
Total1405877541.43%24002404–4

See also

References

  1. "Men's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
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