- Malta national rugby union team
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Malta 
Union Malta Rugby Football Union Nickname(s) The Rams Coach(es) Damian Neill Captain(s) Domenic Busuttil First international 
Malta 8 - 58 Moldova 
(2000-11-18)Largest win Malta 34 - 6 Luxembourg 
(2003-03-29)Largest defeat Malta 8 - 58 Moldova
(2000-11-18)The Malta national rugby union team are governed by the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU). Although Malta has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, the island state has made remarkable progression since its first international in 2000. It is currently competing in the European Division 2A and is aiming to maintain its status.
Contents
History
Main article: Rugby union in MaltaMalta's national team played their first match on November 18 in 2000, against Moldova in Chişinău, which Moldova won 58-8. They played a subsequent match against Belgium that same year in Marsa, which Belgium won 26-0. Malta played four matches in 2001, and they recorded their first win in the fourth of them, against Monaco in Marsa. This was followed by a draw 10-10 with Norway, defeating Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Latvia and Hungary. They then played Moldova in 2004.
Malta then proceeded to enter the 2007 Rugby World Cup European qualification tournament where they were grouped in Pool D of the second round. After finishing third in their pool with two wins from four pool games, Malta entered a play-off along with Denmark, Andorra and Sweden to enter round three. Malta were successful and entered Pool B of round three.
The team is currently (November 2011) ranked 42nd in the International Rugby Board world rankings, their highest ever position. They are coached by Welshman Damian Neill, a former Number 8 in the Welsh Premiership with Aberavon RFC and Maesteg RFC.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by the International Rugby Board.Player Position Date of Birth (Age) Caps Club/province Daryl Psaila {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFCDavid Borg {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFCDomenic Busuttil {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} 
Beddau RFCGuy Agius {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} 
Queanbeyan Whites RFCHarry Collins {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} 
Hartpury CollegeIan Borda {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kavallieri RUFCJames Bartolo {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} 
Murrayfield Wanderers RFCJames Finlason {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Hove RFCRohan Spiteri {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Goulburn Stockmen RFCLeo Mifsud {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFCTyler Tonna {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} London Irish RFCSheldon Muchmore {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} London Irish RFCLee Culnane {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Tuggeranong Vikings RFCNicholas Warren {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Wooton Bassett RFCOliver Sacco {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Clifton RFCSteven Kempster {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Tring RUFCTom Pace Moore {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFCRyan Borg {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Cronulla Sharks RFCMatthew Mirabelli {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFCSaviour Zarb {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Easts Rugby Canberra RFCTom Holloway {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Waterloo RFCJames O'Brian {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Waterloo RFCRob Holloway {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Altrincham KersalMichael McArdle {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Ealing RFCMalcolm Attard {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFCThomas Watts {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Old Coventrians RFCLuke Watts {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Kenilworth RFCKyle Mason {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Cornish All Blacks RFCMatthew Camilleri {{Rugby squad player/role/{{{pos}}}}} {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Stompers RFCRecords of International Matches
Malta's test match record against all nations:[1]
Against Played Won Lost Drawn % Won 
Andorra2 1 1 0 50 
Austria1 1 0 0 100 
Belgium2 0 2 0 0 
Bosnia and Herzegovina1 1 0 0 100 
Bulgaria2 2 0 0 100 
Croatia4 1 3 0 25 
Denmark2 1 1 0 50 
Germany1 0 1 0 0 
Hungary1 1 0 0 100 
Latvia3 2 1 0 66.7 
Lithuania2 1 1 0 50 Luxembourg1 1 0 0 100 Moldova2 0 2 0 0 
Monaco2 1 1 0 50 
Netherlands1 0 1 0 0 
Norway1 0 0 1 50 
Poland3 0 3 0 0 
Serbia3 2 1 0 66.7 
Slovenia1 0 1 0 0 
Sweden2 2 0 0 100 
Switzerland1 1 0 0 100 Total 39 18 20 1 46.2 References
- ^ "Malta > Head to Head Table". rugbydata.com. http://www.rugbydata.com/malta/h2htable. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
External links
- Malta Rugby Union official website
- Rugby in the George Cross Island
- Malta on rugbydata.com
- IRB rankings
International Rugby Union Competitions Worldwide MenWorld Cup · World Cup Sevens · Junior World Championship · Junior World Trophy · Nations Cup · Sevens World Series · The Rugby ChampionshipWomenMulti-sport events Continental AfricaAfrica Cup · CAR Development TrophyAsiaAsian Five Nations · Asian Sevens SeriesEuropeOceaniaSouth AmericaDefunct Categories:- European national rugby union teams
- Rugby union in Malta
- Teams in European Nations Cup (rugby union)
- National sports teams of Malta
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