Finland national rugby union team

Last updated

Finland
Flag of Finland.svg
Union Suomen Rugbyliitto
Head coachAlastair Davies
CaptainJussi Viljanen
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm blueshoulders.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
First colours
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current78 (as of 29 January 2024)
Highest71 (2023)
Lowest82 (2022)
First international
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 0 – 60 Switzerland  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
(1982-05-22)
Biggest win
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 55 – 5 Estonia  Flag of Estonia.svg
(2010-10-02)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 100 – 0 Finland  Flag of Finland.svg
(1987-10-10)

The Finland national rugby union team represents Finland in men's international rugby union. The national side are ranked 71st in the world, as of 24 April 2023. [1]

Contents

History

Finland played their first ever rugby international in 1982 against Switzerland, which they lost. Finland went on to win their first international in 1991, defeating Norway 18 points to 3

They played Monaco in 2002. Finland's attempt to qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France began in Round 1 of the European tournaments. They faced Bulgaria in a two match series as part of the Round 1 group to determine which nation would advance. Bulgaria won the first game 42 points to 3 in Helsinki and won the second leg 50 to 3 in Sofia to knock Finland out of the tournament.

Record

AgainstPlayedWonLostDrawnWin percentage
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 210150%
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 817012.5%
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 20200%
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 20200%
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 3300100%
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 633050%
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 514020%
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 615016.67%
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 10100%
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 817012.5%
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia 10100%
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 20200%
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 10100%
Total45935120%

Current squad

Current line-up for the 2023-24 Rugby Europe Conference.

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of birth (age)CapsClub/province
Tapio Lahtinen Prop 6 Flag of Finland.svg Jyväskylä R.F.C.
Ossi Aro Hooker 19 Flag of Finland.svg Tampere R.F.C.
Chris Denholm Prop 17 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki RC
Akseli Peltoniemi Lock 14 Flag of Finland.svg Old Town Shamrocks
Aaro Katainen Lock 30 Flag of Finland.svg Jyväskylä R.F.C.
Kosti Eskola Flanker 16 Flag of Finland.svg Warriors RC
Matti Keränen Flanker 30 Flag of Finland.svg Old Town Shamrocks
John Poole Number 8 4 Flag of Finland.svg Saimaa Sharks/Helsinki RC
Saxby Young Scrum-half 5 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki RC
Thomas Finell Fly-half 64 Flag of Finland.svg Warriors RC
Samu-Petteri Pääkkö Wing 20 Flag of Finland.svg Old Town Shamrocks
Jussi Viljanen (c) Centre 32 Flag of Finland.svg Tampere R.F.C.
Kim Ali-keskikylä Centre Flag of Finland.svg Turku Eagles
Antti Haapanen Wing 0 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki RC
Philip Sleath Fullback 9 Flag of Finland.svg Turku Eagles
Paulo Pannuzzo Hooker 0 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki RC
Olli Räsänen Prop Flag of Finland.svg Jyväskylä R.F.C./Tampere R.F.C.
Olli Palosuo Prop 0 Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki RC
Juho Kiljain Lock 3 Flag of Finland.svg Jyväskylä R.F.C.
Jedidiah Patton Back row 1 Flag of Finland.svg Turku Eagles
James Edwards Fly-half 0 Flag of Finland.svg Tampere R.F.C.
Timo McIntyre Wing 0 Flag of Finland.svg Tampere R.F.C.
Jack Crabtree Fullback 1 Flag of Finland.svg Warriors RC

Related Research Articles

The Hong Kong Sevens is a rugby sevens tournament held annually in Hong Kong on a weekend in late March or early April. Considered the premier tournament on the World Rugby Sevens Series competition, the Hong Kong Sevens is currently the seventh tournament on the World Series calendar. The tournament spans three days, beginning on a Friday and concluding on Sunday. The tournament is organised each year by the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The latest Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is being held on Friday 5 April, Saturday 6 April, Sunday 7 April 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PFC CSKA Sofia</span> Bulgarian association football club from Sofia

CSKA Sofia is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia and currently competing in the country's premier football competition, the First League. CSKA is an abbreviation for Central Sports Club of the Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States men's national rugby union team</span> Mens rugby union team

The United States men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States of America Rugby Football Union in men's international rugby union. USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States, and is a member of Rugby Americas North, one of six regional governing bodies under World Rugby. Until rugby returned to Olympic competition, with sevens at the 2016 Rio Games, the United States was the reigning Olympic rugby champion, having defeated the one other competitor in 1920 and the two other competitors at the 1924 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ice hockey at the Olympic Games</span> Olympic-related ice hockey

Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EuroBasket Women</span> European basketball tournament for womens national teams

EuroBasket Women is a biennial international women's basketball competition held between the nations of FIBA Europe for women's national teams. EuroBasket Women is also used as a qualifying tournament for the FIBA Women's World Cup and also the Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andorra national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Andorra national rugby union team, nicknamed Els Isards represent the Andorran Rugby Federation (FAR) in international rugby union competitions. They play most of their home games in Andorra la Vella, the country's capital, though have had some matches in Foix, which is in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portugal national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Portugal national rugby union team, nicknamed Os Lobos, represents Portugal in men's international rugby union competitions. The team, as well as all rugby union in Portugal, is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Moldova national rugby union team, nicknamed Haiducii, are a Rugby Europe national team that play in the Conference 2 North competition and are administered by the Moldovan Rugby Federation. They are yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denmark national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Denmark national rugby union team is governed by Danish Rugby Union and has been playing international rugby since 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgaria national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Bulgaria national rugby union team is governed by the Bulgarian Rugby Federation, and has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switzerland national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Switzerland national rugby union team 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 compete. They are yet to participate in any Rugby World Cup and often play in all red while their alternative kit is all white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka national rugby union team</span>

The Sri Lanka national rugby union team, known as the Tuskers, represents Sri Lanka in men's international rugby union. The team has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup. They have the longest tradition of organised club rugby in Asia, dating back to 1879, which was just 8 years after the founding of the world's first rugby union in England. They regularly compete in the Asian Five Nations tournament and are currently in Division I. In the 2010 tournament, they made it to the finals beating Chinese Taipei 37 to 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serbia national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Serbia national rugby union team is classified as a tier three nation by World Rugby, and has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. They have played over 100 internationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team has yet to make its debut at the Rugby World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina have been playing international rugby since the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus national rugby union team</span> National rugby union team

The Cyprus national rugby union team is nicknamed ‘’The Mighty Mouflons’’ after a kind of horned sheep which is also the republic's national animal. They have won 28 of their 30 games and hold the world record for the most consecutive international rugby union wins with 24, which was ended on 15 November 2014 as they lost to Latvia. They were controversially disqualified from the knock-out phase of the 2015 Rugby World Cup Qualifiers, as they did not meet the necessary membership criteria according to the International Rugby Board.

The Moldovan Rugby Federation (FRM) (Romanian: Federația de Rugby din Moldova) is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Moldova. It was found in 1967 and became affiliated to Rugby Europe and World Rugby (Then known as the International Rugby Board) in 1992 and 1994 respectively.

The Ireland national rugby sevens team competes in several international rugby sevens competitions. The team is governed by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby Europe</span> Administrative body for rugby union in Europe

Rugby Europe is the administrative body for rugby union in Europe. It was formed in 1999 to promote, develop, organise, and administer the game of rugby in Europe under the authority of World Rugby. However, it is not responsible for the organisation of the Six Nations Championship or the competitions run by European Professional Club Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in Montenegro</span>

Rugby union in Montenegro is a minor but growing sport. The game has only recently been developed in the country since its independence in 2006. The governing body is the Montenegrin Rugby Union which was accepted as a member of Rugby Europe at the 2014 convention held in Split, Croatia. It is not yet affiliated with World Rugby but is applying for membership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albania men's national volleyball team</span> Mens national volleyball team representing Albania

The Albania men's national volleyball team is the national volleyball team of Albania. As of December 2021, the team is ranked 78th in the world. They have competed in many European and world volleyball championships, but as of October 16, 2021, are yet to win a gold medal.

References

  1. "World Rugby Men's Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 19 May 2022.