Serbia national rugby union team

Serbia 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.
The national side is ranked 80th in the world, as of 16 January 2023.
History
The first known rugby players from Serbia were Serbian students in George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, Scotland during The First World War. On March, 9th 1918 they played their first unofficial international game, in front of 10,000 spectators, against a British Dominions VII and won by eight points to three. Notable players from this period included Toma Tomić from Leskovac, Dimitrije Dulkanović from Ćuprija and Danilo Pavlović from Prokuplje.
Serbian students also played rugby at the High School of Dundee and Hillhead High School in Glasgow. The best Serbian player in Scotland was Slavoljub DJordjevic from Čajetina. He played more than 100 games for Hillhead HS, Glasgow University RFC and Hillhead RFC in Scotland rugby top competitions.
Serbia played as a part of Yugoslavia since 1919 until 1992, then as FR Yugoslavia until 2003, and, finally, as Serbia and Montenegro from 2003 to 2006. Yugoslavia made their official international debut in 1968 against a Romanian XV, losing 3 points to 11. They made their full test debut the following month, losing 6 points to 29 against Bulgaria. They won their first official international match in 1969, defeating Bulgaria 22 points to six.
During the 60s, 70s and 80s, Serbian players played for the Yugoslavia national rugby union team alongside players from the rest of Yugoslavia. After the wars and breakup of Yugoslavia, the Yugoslavia team consisted of players from Serbia only, and they played their first full international against at Vršac in 1996.
After 1996, playing as FR Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro until 2006, they have played regularly in FIRA-AER and IRB competitions.
Current squad
Starting line-up for the 2023-24 Rugby Europe Conference match against Moldova.
Coach: Michel Milovic
Results
As the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1996–2002)
As Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006)
As Serbia (2006–)
||2023-04-13||Zenica|| || 40–12 || 2022–23 Rugby Europe International Championships
Overall
Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a Serbia national XV at test level up until 2022-05-08
Player records
Most caps
Last updated: Bosnia&Herzegovina vs Serbia, 7 May 2022. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
Top point scorers
Youngest players
Last updated: Serbia vs Andorra, 16 April 2022. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
Oldest players
Last updated: Serbia vs Andorra, 16 April 2022. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
World Cup record
1987 – No qualifying tournament held
1991 – Did not qualify. Yugoslavia was eliminated by Czechoslovakia in European qualifying.
1995 – Did not qualify. Yugoslavia was banned from European qualifying due to political situation in the country at that time.
1999 – Did not qualify
2003 – Did not qualify
2007 – Did not qualify
2011 – Did not qualify
2015 – Did not qualify
2019 – Did not qualify
2023 – Did not qualify
See also
2007 Rugby World Cup - European qualification
References
External links
Serbia and Montenegro on IRB.com
Serbia and Montenegro on rugbydata.com
Official site
Rugby union
Teams in European Nations Cup (rugby union)
European national rugby union teams
Rugby union in Serbia