The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national team, although they can pick uncapped players who are eligible for any of the four unions. The team currently tours every four years, with these rotating between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in order. The most recent test series, the 2021 series against South Africa, was won 2–1 by South Africa.
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for their international success, the All Blacks have often been regarded as one of the most successful sports teams in history.
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 second highest points scorer. He is currently head coach of La Rochelle in the French Top 14.
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.
The Canada national rugby union team represents the Canadian Rugby Union in international rugby union competitions. They are overseen by Rugby Canada the governing body of rugby union in Canada.
Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He played most of his career for Ospreys and for the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 12 for the British & Irish Lions, and also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the second most Wales caps as captain. He retired from rugby in 2023.
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.
Robert Kearney is an Irish former rugby union player. He played for 15 years for Leinster followed by a six-month stint in Australia, playing for Perth based side Western Force. He also played over a decade for the Ireland national rugby union team with whom he earned 95 caps, and went on two British & Irish Lions tours in 2009 and 2013. As a youth he also played rugby union for Clongowes Wood College and Gaelic football for Louth in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship.
The Centenary Quaich is an international rugby union award contested annually by Ireland and Scotland as part of the Six Nations Championship.
The national rugby union teams of England and Argentina have been playing each other since 1978. The status of the first match is ambiguous, as Argentina awarded Test caps to its players but England did not.
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.
Australia first played against the British & Irish Lions in 1899, winning 13–3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. There have been 23 Test matches between the two teams, with the Wallabies winning 6 of them and the British & Irish Lions 17. The most recent test, held at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, on 6 July 2013, finished in a 41–16 win for the Lions.
The 1936 British Lions tour of Argentina was a series of rugby union matches arranged between the British Lions and various Argentine teams. The tourists played ten matches, nine of which were against club and combined teams while one match took in a full Argentina national team. Despite being sanctioned by the International Rugby Board, no caps were awarded to players from either side.
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.
England and Ireland have played rugby union internationals against each other since 1875, with England winning the first match at The Oval, London by two goals to nil. The two teams have played a total of 141 Test matches; with England winning 80 of them, Ireland 53 and 8 resulting in a draw.
Since 1909, France and Ireland have played each other in a total of 103 test matches, with France winning 59 times, Ireland winning 37 times and seven matches drawn.
Ireland and Scotland have played each other at rugby union in 141 matches, with Ireland winning 70 times, Scotland winning 66 times and five matches drawn. Since 1989, the teams have competed for the Centenary Quaich during the Six Nations Championship.
Damian de Allende is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. His usual position is either centre or wing. He was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-equalling third Rugby World Cup in 2019 and he was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-setting fourth Rugby World Cup in 2023. De Allende is a part of a few elite players to have won two world cup titles.
The 2013 mid-year rugby union tests were international rugby union matches that were played in June 2013, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
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