The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish former rugby union player and current coach. O'Gara played as a fly-half and is Ireland's second most-capped player and highest ever points scorer. He is currently head coach of La Rochelle in the French Top 14.
The United States men's national rugby union team represents the United States in men's international rugby union. Nicknamed the Eagles, it is controlled by USA Rugby, the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. USA Rugby 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.
The Ireland and South Africa rugby union teams have a rivalry dating back to 1906. The Springboks of South Africa have dominated their early meetings, with the Irish winning just once prior to 2004, but results have turned in Ireland's favour since then. In 2016, Ireland achieved their first test victory against the Springboks in South Africa with a 26–20 victory in Cape Town. Since 2022, South Africa are the only major Southern Hemisphere team over which Ireland has not achieved a series victory.
The Lansdowne Cup is a rugby union trophy competed for by Australia and Ireland. Established in 1999, the cup was donated to the Australian Rugby Union by the Lansdowne Club of Sydney. The cup was launched in advance of the two Test matches played during the 1999 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia. The crystal trophy, made by Ireland's Waterford Crystal, for which the two nations compete was unveiled at a pub in Brisbane on 9 June 1999. Australia have won the Cup eight times while Ireland have won on six occasions.
The Ireland Wolfhounds are the second national rugby union team of Ireland, behind the Ireland national team. They previously competed in the Churchill Cup together with the England Saxons, the national teams of Canada and the United States, as well as a selection of other nations' 1st, 2nd and 3rd representative sides. They also played against other Six Nations countries' A sides during the Six Nations. They have intermittently played touring sides, namely South Africa in 2000, the All Blacks in 2001 and Australia in 2006. On the 21 June 2009, Ireland A won their first Churchill Cup, beating the England Saxons 49–22 in the final. They also won the Churchill Plate three times in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Initially named Ireland B, the side was redesignated to Ireland A from the 1992–1993 season. They were once again renamed the Ireland Wolfhounds in January 2010. This name was inspired by a nomadic invitational side, which competed between 1956 and 1987 against other club sides throughout Ireland. The Wolfhounds have not competed in a competition since the IRFU declined to compete in the 2016 Tbilisi Cup. Ireland A played their first match in over seven years against the All Blacks XV in November 2022 at the RDS losing 19–47.
The All Blacks first played against Ireland in 1905, during the historic 1905–1906 All Blacks tour of Europe and North America, beating Ireland 15–0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin. The two teams have played a total of 36 Test matches, with the All Blacks winning 30, Ireland winning 5, and 1 match drawn.
Aviva Stadium is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators. It is built on the site of the former Lansdowne Road Stadium, which was demolished in 2007, and replaced it as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team. The decision to redevelop the stadium came after plans for both Stadium Ireland and Eircom Park fell through. Aviva Group Ireland signed a 10-year deal for the naming rights in 2009.
The history of rugby union matches between Argentina and Ireland is one of a very even contest and significant mutual rivalry, a rivalry increased by a series of notable meetings at the Rugby World Cup.
Ireland and Wales have played each other at rugby union since 1882. A total of 134 matches have been played, with Wales winning 70 matches, Ireland winning 57 matches and seven matches drawn. The two sides have met three times at the Rugby World Cup, with Wales winning two and Ireland winning one of those encounters. Wales won 13–6 in their pool encounter at the inaugural World Cup in 1987. Ireland eliminated Wales at the pool stage during the 1995 World Cup, with a 24–23 victory in 1995. In their third World Cup matchup, Wales beat Ireland 22–10 in the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup. In the Six Nations Championship the two sides have faced each other 124 times with Wales winning on 66 occasions, Ireland winning 51 times and seven matches resulting in a draw.
Since 1927, Australia and Ireland have competed against each other in rugby union in thirty-seven matches, Australia having won twenty-two, Ireland fourteen, with one draw. Their first meeting was on 12 November 1927, and was won 5–3 by Australia. Their most recent meeting took place at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on 19 November 2022 and was won 13–10 by Ireland.
The History of rugby union matches between Ireland and Italy dates back to New Year's Eve 1988 when Ireland defeated Italy in a tour test match, 31–15. Ireland have dominated the meetings, with the Italians having achieved four victories. The teams' most recent meeting was in the 2023 Six Nations in Rome, where Ireland won 20–34.
Since 1909, France and Ireland have played each other in a total of 102 test matches, with France winning 59 times, Ireland winning 36 times and seven matches drawn.
Ireland and Scotland have played each other at rugby union in 140 matches, with Ireland winning 69 times, Scotland winning 66 times and five matches drawn. Since 1989, the teams have competed for the Centenary Quaich during the Six Nations Championship.
Ireland and United States first played each other at rugby union in 1994 with Ireland emerging victorious, 26–15 at their home ground, Lansdowne Road, in Dublin. They have played each other eleven times, five times in the United States, five times in Ireland and once at a neutral venue in New Zealand during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Ireland and the US also played each other in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, but the fixture was played at Ireland's home ground. Ireland's 3–83 victory against the USA in June 2000 is their highest score and largest winning margin against any international opponent. Ireland have won all eleven matches played between the teams. In March 1990 an under-25 Ireland side beat at full USA side 12–10 at Thomond Park. Four days prior to competing in their first international test match, a full USA side beat an Ireland Development side 13–20 at the Galway Sportsground on 1 November 1994.
The history of the Ireland national rugby union team began in 1875, when Ireland played its first international match, a 0–7 loss against England. Ireland has competed in the Six Nations rugby tournament since 1883. Ireland has also competed at the Rugby World Cup every four years since its inception.
Su'a Saini Lemamea was a Samoan rugby union player. He played as a lock.
Afato So'oalo is a former Samoan rugby union player. He played for the Manu Samoa team and also played for the Crusaders and for Aviron Bayonnais in France. He played as a winger.
Siaosi Vaili is a Samoan former rugby union player. He played as a flanker.
Jeremy S. Tomuli is a New Zealand-born Samoan rugby union player. He plays as a prop. He played for FC Oloron until 2016, when he started to play for Escou.
