Switzerland national rugby union team

The Switzerland national rugby union team (French: Equipe Nationale Suisse de Rugby à XV German: Schweizer Rugby-Union-Nationalmannschaft Italian: Nazionale di Rugby XV della Svizzera) 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 (apart from the teams in the 6 nations) compete. They are yet to participate in any Rugby World Cup and often play in all red while their away kit is all white.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Switzerland women's national rugby union team.
Switzerland
Nickname(s)Edelweiss (The White Flowers)
EmblemEdelweiss
UnionFédération Suisse de Rugby
Head coachOlivier Nier
CaptainCyril Lin
Home stadiumTBC
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current28 (as of 04 February 2021)
Highest28 (2020, 2021)
Lowest67 (2010)
First international
Switzerland 4-23 Portugal
(Neuchâtel, Switzerland 11 April 1973)
Biggest win
Bulgaria 9–90 Switzerland
(Pernik, Bulgaria 14 October 2000)
Biggest defeat
Morocco 43–0 Switzerland
(Casablanca, Morocco 25 March 1979)
Websitewww.suisserugby.com

History

Switzerland played their first ever international rugby match on April 11, 1973 in Neuchâtel against Portugal, losing 23–4. The following year they lost 10–18 to Belgium, and were then defeated by them 33–3 in 1975. After the second lost to Belgium, Switzerland won their first international rugby match; defeating Serbia-Montenegro 12–3 in Geneva. The only other win for Switzerland during the 1970s was a 7–4 victory over Luxembourg in 1977. In 1979 they were defeated 43–0 by Morocco and 31–0 by Portugal.

They however bounced back in 1980, defeating Luxembourg 10–7 in Berne, though they then lost close matches against Sweden and Belgium, and were again held to nil by Portugal in 1981, but got a victory over Denmark later that year. After losing to Belgium and Sweden in 1982, they then scored 60 unanswered points against Finland. They then lost nine games in a row from 1982 to 1986, then defeating Serbia-Montenegro 5–0 in May 1986.

In 1989, Switzerland attempted to qualify for the 1991 Rugby World Cup in England, playing in the European tournament – Round 2A. They finished third in the final standings of the round, winning one of their three fixtures. Switzerland also participated in the qualifying tournaments for the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, making it past the preliminary round from the west group, but not advancing past Round 1.

Switzerland finished third (out of six nations) in Pool 1 of Round 1 of the European qualification tournaments for the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales, winning and drawing one game out of four fixtures. Switzerland had more success in the qualifying tournaments for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia, finishing at the top of Pool B in Round 1 and advancing to Round 2, but were unable to advance to Round 3. In attempting to qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, Switzerland finished fourth in Pool D of Round 2 of the European qualification process.

Switzerland also failed to qualify for the 2011 or 2015 Rugby World Cups.

In 2016 Switzerland reached the second division (Rugby Europe Trophy, formerly Division 1B) of the ENC for the first time since the divisional structure was implemented in 2000, after winning Division 2A over the 2014-16 two-year cycle.


Record

World Cup
World Cup record World Cup Qualification record
Year Round P W D L F A P W D L F A
1987Not InvitedNot Invited
1991Did not qualify31024974
1995510420122
199941124050
20039504297171
200741127751
2011620479102
201543019275
20195302140122
2023Automatically eliminated
Total 0/9 0 0 0 0 0 0 40 17 2 21 794 767

European Competitions Since 2000
Season Division G W D L PF PA +/− Pts Pos
2000European Nations Cup Third Division41034760-1363rd
2002-04European Nations Cup Second Division Pool B853014595+50211st
2004-06European Nations Cup Third Division Pool A41033487-5383rd
2006-08European Nations Cup Third Division 3A8404150129+24163rd
2008-10European Nations Cup Third Division 3A720579112-33115th
2010-12European Nations Cup Second Division 2B870125377+176341st
2012-14European Nations Cup Second Division 2A8413170159+11212nd
2014-16European Nations Cup Second Division 2A8701223120+103331st
2016-17Rugby Europe Trophy5302140122+18133rd
2017-18Rugby Europe Trophy5203109122-13114th
2018-19Rugby Europe Trophy5302108138-20123rd
2019-20Rugby Europe Trophy52219352+41142nd
2021-22*Rugby Europe Trophy20024565-2006th
Men's World Rugby Rankings
Top 30 as of 21 March 2022[1]
RankChange*TeamPoints
1  South Africa090.61
2 1 France088.88
3 1 New Zealand088.75
4  Ireland088.22
5  England084.50
6  Australia083.92
7  Scotland081.80
8 1 Argentina080.58
9 1 Wales079.28
10  Japan078.26
11  Fiji076.62
12 1 Georgia073.78
13 1 Samoa073.59
14  Italy072.33
15  Spain068.26
16  Tonga067.72
17 1 Romania066.95
18 1 United States066.54
19  Uruguay066.40
20  Portugal065.72
21  Canada061.80
22  Hong Kong061.23
23  Chile059.88
24  Namibia059.72
25  Russia058.06
26  Netherlands056.31
27  Belgium055.74
28 1 Brazil053.31
29 1 South Korea053.11
30 2 Poland052.91
* Change from the previous week

Overall

Switzerland national rugby union team results as of 22 November 2021, following match against Poland.

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost Win % For Aga Diff
 Andorra860275.014294+48
 Armenia430175.09278+14
 Austria3300100.07932+47
 Belgium1230925.0123189–66
 Bosnia and Herzegovina1100100436+37
 Bulgaria330010018120+161
 Croatia750271.4163104+61
 Czech Republic4103255891–33
 Czechoslovakia300302451–27
 Denmark1042440182165+17
 Finland1100100600+60
 Georgia200204244–2
 Germany10010037–37
 Hungary11001006123+38
 Israel750271.417064+106
 Latvia410325.03482–48
 Lithuania51042096129–33
 Luxembourg770010013943+96
 Malta5302609379+14
 Moldova11001002926+3
 Monaco11001002016+4
 Morocco10010043–43
 Netherlands6015086169–83
 Poland300304872–24
 Portugal5005014153–139
 Serbia15411026.7165224–59
 Slovenia53116017668+108
 Spain10010040–40
 Sweden6006041119–78
 Tunisia30030646–40
 Ukraine210233.37278–6
 West Germany400402284–62
Total1415877641.13%24252441–16

Recent Matches

Current squad

The following players have been selected for the 2021–22 Rugby Europe Trophy match against Poland on 22nd November 2021.[2]

  • Head Coach: Olivier Nier

Caps update: 22nd November 2021, after match against Poland.

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

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Dominic Gorman Prop 12 Yverdon RC
Nathan Pelsy Hooker 15 US Annecy
Vincent Vial Prop (1994-06-21) 21 June 1994 11 CS Vienne
Christian Rohrig Lock 6 GC Zürich
Romin Vivarie Lock 2 Lausanne University
Antoine Salino Back row 2 Servette RC
Tim Vögtli Back row 21 GC Zürich
Cyril Lin (c) Number 8 35 Nyon RC
William Meyer Scrum-half 3 Rumilly
Jules Porcher Fly-half 6 RC Aubenas Vals
Hugo Malyon Wing 6 RC Suresnes
Jess Roberson Centre 2 GC Zürich
Tommaso Volta Centre 2 Hermance RRC
Lucas Heinrich Wing 26 Servette RC
Jolan Vincent Fullback 2 US Nantua Haut Bugey
Maxime Luçon Hooker 26 CA Pontarlier
Manu Ronza ?? 9 Lausanne University
Adri Köferli Back row 1 GC Zürich
Nicolas Lugeon Lock 5 Stade Lausanne RC
Gaëtan Moser Centre 1 Servette RC
Nathan Thomas Wing 4 Nyon RC
Hugh Kisielewski ?? 9 GC Zürich
Alexandre Grillon ?? 1 Lausanne University

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the squad within the last 12 months.

Player Pos Date of birth (age) Caps Club Latest call-up
Ludovic Peruisset Back row US Annecy v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Donovan O’Grady Fly-half 16th February 1993 (age 28) v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Leni Favre Bonvin Wing v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Julien Gaillard Nyon RC v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Leo Luginbuhl v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Hadrien Bobillier v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021
Benjamin Xhemaili GC Zürich v. Lithuania, 13 November 2021

Current coaching staff

The current coaching staff of the Swiss national team:[3]

Name Nationality Role
Yann Benoit  SUIManager
Olivier Nier FRAHead coach
Mathieu Guyou  SUIAssistant coach
Dr Mathieu Saubade  SUITeam doctor
Allyocha Delaunay  SUIPhysiotherapist

See also

References
  1. "Men's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  2. "Poland vs Switzerland Match Sheet" (PDF). Rugby Europe. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  3. "Poland vs Switzerland Game Sheet" (PDF). Rugby Europe. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
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