The 2008 mid-year rugby union tests (also known as the Summer Internationals in the Northern Hemisphere) refers to the international rugby union played from May to July 2008; they were mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. For Australia, New Zealand and South Africa they were preparation for the 2008 Tri-Nations. The Barbarians, an invitational club side, also conducted a three-match tour.
| Tour | Result | Victor |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand v England test series | 2–0 |  New Zealand |
| South Africa v Wales test series | 2–0 |  South Africa |
| Argentina v Scotland test series | 1–1 | Drawn |
| Australia v France test series | 2–0 |  Australia |
| Team/Tour | Opponents |
|---|---|
| Barbarians end of season tour |  Belgium (won) –  Ireland (lost) –  England (lost) |
| Italy tour | South Africa (lost) –  Argentina (won) |
| Ireland tour | New Zealand (lost) – Australia (won) |
| 24 May 2008 (not a test) 16:00 CEST (UTC+02) |
| Belgium | 10 – 84 | Barbarians |
| Tries: G. Thomas (4) |
| Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels |
| 27 May 2008 19:45 BST (UTC+01) |
| Ireland | 39 – 14 | Barbarians |
| Tries: Bowe , Heaslip (2), Horgan (2) Con: Wallace (4) Pen: Wallace (2) | Tries: Newby, Wannenburg Con: Hewat (2) |
| Kingsholm, Gloucester |
| 7 June 2008 15:30 AST (UTC-03) |
| Argentina | 21 – 15 |  Scotland |
| Tries: Tejeda 22' c Tiesi 80' m Con: Todeschini Pen: Todeschini (3) 19', 56', 74' | Pen: Paterson (5) 3', 24', 34', 42', 47' |
| Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland) |
| 7 June 2008 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 21 – 11 | Ireland |
| Try: Sivivatu 14' m Nonu 61' c Con: Carter Pen: Carter (3) | Try: P. Wallace 21' m Pen: O'Gara (2) |
| Westpac Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 33,743 Referee: Chris White (England) |
| 7 June 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 43 – 17 |  Wales |
| Try: Jantjes 31' c de Villiers 47' c Spies 56' c Montgomery 71' c Con: James (4) Pen: James (5) | Try: Roberts 37' c S. Williams 67' c Con: S. Jones Hook Pen: S. Jones |
| Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein Attendance: 32,685 Referee: Dave Pearson (England) |
| 14 June 2008 16:10 AST (UTC-03) |
| Argentina | 14 – 26 | Scotland |
| José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland) |
| 14 June 2008 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 18 – 12 | Ireland |
| Try: Barnes 6' m Horwill 21' c Con: Giteau Pen: Giteau (2) | Try: Leamy 15' c O'Driscoll 62' m Con: O'Gara |
| Telstra Dome, Melbourne Attendance: 47,500 [2] Referee: Christophe Berdos (France) |
| 14 June 2008 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 37 – 20 | England |
| Try: Smith 22' c Carter 28' c Muliaina 43' c Sivivatu 46' c Con: Carter (4) Pen: Carter (3) | Try: Ojo 38', 72' c Con: Barkley (2) Pen: Barkley (2) |
| Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
| 14 June 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 37 – 21 | Wales |
| Try: De Villiers (2) 11' c, 67' c Januarie 18' c Du Plessis 80' c Con: James (4) Pen: James (3) | Try: Cooper 22' c S. Williams 28' m Con: S. Jones (1) Pen: S. Jones (3) |
| Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand) |
| 21 June 2008 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 44 – 12 | England |
| Try: Kahui, Carter, Nonu,c Lauaki,c Cowan,c Con: Carter (4), Donald, Pen: Carter (3) | Try: Care,c Varndell m Con: Barkley |
| AMI Stadium, Christchurch Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) |
| 21 June 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 26 – 0 |  Italy |
| Try: Steyn, B. du Plessis (2), Mtawarira, Con: Steyn (3) |
| Newlands, Cape Town Referee: George Clancy (Ireland) |
| 28 June 2008 15:00 AST (UTC-03) |
| Argentina | 12 – 13 | Italy |
| Pen: Hernández (2), Bosch (2) | Try: Ghiraldini c Con: Marcato Pen: Marcato (2) |
| Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia) |
| 28 June 2008 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 34 – 13 |  France |
| Try: Giteau 36' c Sharpe 42' c Elsom 46' c Mortlock 60' c Con: Giteau (4) Pen: Giteau (2) 19' 50' | Try: Palisson 64' c Con: Trinh-Duc (1) Pen: Yachvili (2) 21' 40+2' |
| ANZ Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 48,899 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa) |
| 5 July 2008 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia | 40 – 10 | France |
| Tries: Hynes 6' c, Horwill 36' c, Cross (2) 58' c, 67' c Con: Giteau (4) Pen: Giteau 4', 16', 24', 30' | Tries: Trinh-Duc 79' c Con: Yachvili Pen: Trinh-Duc 40' |
| Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand) |
| 9 August 2008 15:00 SAST (UTC+02) |
| South Africa | 63 – 9 | Argentina |
| Tries: Jacobs 31' c Nokwe 34' c Spies 42' c Pietersen (2) 48' c, 76' c du Preez 53' c van Niekerk (2) 60' c, 62' c du Plessis 70' c Con: James (9) | Pen: Contepomi (3) |
| Ellis Park, Johannesburg Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
| 3 September 2008 19:35 NZST (UTC+12) |
| New Zealand | 101 – 14 |  Samoa |
| Try: Muliaina (3) Smith (2) Kahui (2) Thomson Cowan Donald Williams Kahui Teoava Weepu Penalty try Con: Carter (6) Donald (7) | Try: Mai Faosiliva Con: Mai Warren |
| Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) |
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union or more often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is simply based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
The South Africa national rugby union team commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts. Their emblem is a native antelope, the Springbok, which is the national animal of South Africa. The team has been representing South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. They are currently the number one ranked rugby team in the world and the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup on a record four occasions. They are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively, and stand second to their rivals the All Blacks in terms of success in international rugby.
The Australia national rugby union team, nicknamed the Wallabies, is the representative national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia. The team first played at Sydney in 1899, winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team.
Sir Graham William Henry is a New Zealand rugby union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. Nicknamed 'Ted', he led New Zealand to win the 2011 World Cup.
The 2006 June rugby union tests were rugby union Test matches played during between June in 2006. It saw several tests between touring Northern Hemisphere sides and home Southern Hemisphere sides, including a test series between Australia and England, Argentina and Wales, New Zealand and Ireland and South Africa and Scotland. France played Romania and the Springboks, while Italy played Fiji and Japan.
Rugby union has been played in New Zealand since 1870 and is the most popular sport in the country as well as being its national sport.
Rugby union in Argentina is a hugely popular team sport. The first rugby match played in the country dates back to 1873, as the game was introduced by the British. The Argentina national team, sometimes referred to as the Pumas, have competed at the Rugby World Cup, and are considered a tier one nation by the sport's governing body, World Rugby.
The 2007 mid-year rugby union tests refers to the Rugby union Test matches played during June and May 2007. These are played in the Southern Hemisphere and include all Tests hosted by Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa outside the 2007 Tri-Nations. The Tests are being used by many countries as their last opportunity to prepare for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. For Australia, New Zealand and South Africa it is used as preparation for the 2007 Tri-Nations. The only match listed here with a Northern Hemisphere winner was Italy's victory over Uruguay.
The 2008 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, the Pacific Islanders and Canada tour the northern hemisphere. The tour ended with the traditional 'final challenge' Barbarians match, against Australia, which was the first rugby union Test at the new Wembley Stadium. New Zealand and Australia also contested a Bledisloe Cup match outside of either country for the first time; the match was played in Hong Kong with the hope of raising rugby's profile in China.
The 2009 mid-year rugby union tests refers to the rugby union Internationals played from 23 May to 4 July 2009, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2009 end of year rugby internationals, also known as the Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina, tour the northern hemisphere.
The 2010 mid-year rugby union tests refers to the rugby union Internationals that were played from late May to late June, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2011 mid-year rugby union tests featured only seven matches due to the upcoming 2011 Rugby World Cup. No test series took place, although the Barbarians did play two matches in the United Kingdom; England and Wales. New Zealand and Australia hosted a respective Tier 2 side, Australia hosted Samoa, New Zealand hosted Fiji. Argentina hosted the French Barbarians, while Japan played a Top League XV side in Tokyo.
The 2012 mid-year rugby union tests refer to the rugby union Internationals that were played through June, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2012 autumn internationals, also known as the autumn tests, November tests and, in the Southern Hemisphere, the end of year tests, were international rugby union matches. They were predominantly played between visiting Southern Hemisphere countries and European nations.
In June 2012, France toured Argentina to play two Tests against the Pumas. The French tour was one in a series of tours by northern teams to be hosted by southern hemisphere nations.
For the most recent Mid-year window go to 2022 July rugby union tests
The 2013 mid-year rugby union tests were international rugby union matches that were played in June 2013, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
In June 2013, France played a three-test series against New Zealand as part of the 2013 mid-year rugby test series. This was the sides' first encounter since they met in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, which New Zealand won 8–7. It was France's first test series against the All Blacks since their 2009 two-test tour of New Zealand, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
The 2014 mid-year rugby union internationals were international rugby union matches mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere during the June international window.