Vanuatu national rugby union team

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Vanuatu
Shirt badge/Association crest
NicknameTuskers
UnionVanuatu Rugby Football Union
Head coachIshmael Kalsakau
World Rugby ranking
Current111 (as of 4 December 2023)
Highest108 (2022)
First international
New Hebrides 18–18 Wallis and Futuna
(1966-12-01)
Biggest win
Vanuatu 6–0 Wallis and Futuna
(1966-12-01)
Biggest defeat
Papua New Guinea 97–3 Vanuatu
(2005-08-20)
Medal record

The Vanuatu national rugby union team represents Vanuatu in the sport of rugby union. The team is classified as a tier three nation by the International Rugby Board (IRB), and has yet to qualify for a Rugby World Cup. Its international debut was in 1966. It became affiliated with World Rugby in 1999. The team is nicknamed the Tuskers, after the pig tusks prized as currency in some parts of the country. The tusks also appear on the country's flag. [1]

History

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Vanuatu was involved in the Oceania qualifying tournaments for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. It was a part of the Round 1a group, with the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. It won its first match at home against the Solomon Islands, lost the second match away to Papua New Guinea 97 to 3, and did not proceed to the next round.

Record

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World Cup

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World Cup record
Year Qualification status
AustraliaNew Zealand 1987 Not invited
United KingdomRepublic of IrelandFrance 1991 did not enter
South Africa 1995 did not enter
Wales 1999 did not enter
Australia 2003 did not qualify
France 2007 did not qualify
New Zealand 2011 did not qualify
England 2015 did not enter
Japan 2019 did not enter
France 2023 did not enter

Overall

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Against Played Won Lost Drawn % Won
 New Caledonia 3 0 3 0 0%
 Niue 2 0 2 0 0%
 Papua New Guinea 5 0 5 0 0%
 Solomon Islands 4 1 3 0 25%
Total 14 1 13 0 7.14%

In late 2012, due to management issues, the Vanuatu rugby team was suspended by the IRB for failure to report about the country's use of money and development of the sport within the country.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Vanuatu Rugby Union | Oceania Rugby". oceania.rugby. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
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