- Malta national rugby union team
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Malta Union Malta Rugby Football Union Nickname(s) The Rams Coach(es) Damian Neill Captain(s) Domenic Busuttil First international Malta 8 - 58 Moldova
(2000-11-18)Largest win Malta 34 - 6 Luxembourg
(2003-03-29)Largest defeat Malta 8 - 58 Moldova
(2000-11-18)The Malta national rugby union team are governed by the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU). Although Malta has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, the island state has made remarkable progression since its first international in 2000. It is currently competing in the European Division 2A and is aiming to maintain its status.
Contents
History
Main article: Rugby union in MaltaMalta's national team played their first match on November 18 in 2000, against Moldova in Chişinău, which Moldova won 58-8. They played a subsequent match against Belgium that same year in Marsa, which Belgium won 26-0. Malta played four matches in 2001, and they recorded their first win in the fourth of them, against Monaco in Marsa. This was followed by a draw 10-10 with Norway, defeating Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Latvia and Hungary. They then played Moldova in 2004.
Malta then proceeded to enter the 2007 Rugby World Cup European qualification tournament where they were grouped in Pool D of the second round. After finishing third in their pool with two wins from four pool games, Malta entered a play-off along with Denmark, Andorra and Sweden to enter round three. Malta were successful and entered Pool B of round three.
The team is currently (November 2011) ranked 42nd in the International Rugby Board world rankings, their highest ever position. They are coached by Welshman Damian Neill, a former Number 8 in the Welsh Premiership with Aberavon RFC and Maesteg RFC.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by the International Rugby Board.Player Position Date of Birth (Age) Caps Club/province Daryl Psaila {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFC David Borg {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFC Domenic Busuttil {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Beddau RFC Guy Agius {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Queanbeyan Whites RFC Harry Collins {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Hartpury College Ian Borda {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFC James Bartolo {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Murrayfield Wanderers RFC James Finlason {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Hove RFC Rohan Spiteri {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Goulburn Stockmen RFC Leo Mifsud {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFC Tyler Tonna {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} London Irish RFC Sheldon Muchmore {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} London Irish RFC Lee Culnane {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Tuggeranong Vikings RFC Nicholas Warren {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Wooton Bassett RFC Oliver Sacco {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Clifton RFC Steven Kempster {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Tring RUFC Tom Pace Moore {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFC Ryan Borg {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Cronulla Sharks RFC Matthew Mirabelli {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFC Saviour Zarb {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Easts Rugby Canberra RFC Tom Holloway {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Waterloo RFC James O'Brian {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Waterloo RFC Rob Holloway {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Altrincham Kersal Michael McArdle {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Ealing RFC Malcolm Attard {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFC Thomas Watts {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Old Coventrians RFC Luke Watts {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kenilworth RFC Kyle Mason {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Cornish All Blacks RFC Matthew Camilleri {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFC Records of International Matches
Malta's test match record against all nations:[1]
Against Played Won Lost Drawn % Won Andorra 2 1 1 0 50 Austria 1 1 0 0 100 Belgium 2 0 2 0 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 1 0 0 100 Bulgaria 2 2 0 0 100 Croatia 4 1 3 0 25 Denmark 2 1 1 0 50 Germany 1 0 1 0 0 Hungary 1 1 0 0 100 Latvia 3 2 1 0 66.7 Lithuania 2 1 1 0 50 Luxembourg 1 1 0 0 100 Moldova 2 0 2 0 0 Monaco 2 1 1 0 50 Netherlands 1 0 1 0 0 Norway 1 0 0 1 50 Poland 3 0 3 0 0 Serbia 3 2 1 0 66.7 Slovenia 1 0 1 0 0 Sweden 2 2 0 0 100 Switzerland 1 1 0 0 100 Total 39 18 20 1 46.2 References
- ^ "Malta > Head to Head Table". rugbydata.com. http://www.rugbydata.com/malta/h2htable. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
External links
- Malta Rugby Union official website
- Rugby in the George Cross Island
- Malta on rugbydata.com
- IRB rankings
International Rugby Union Competitions Worldwide MenWorld Cup · World Cup Sevens · Junior World Championship · Junior World Trophy · Nations Cup · Sevens World Series · The Rugby ChampionshipWomenMulti-sport events Continental AfricaAfrica Cup · CAR Development TrophyAsiaAsian Five Nations · Asian Sevens SeriesEuropeOceaniaSouth AmericaDefunct Categories:- European national rugby union teams
- Rugby union in Malta
- Teams in European Nations Cup (rugby union)
- National sports teams of Malta
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