Major achievements in rugby by nation

This article contains lists of achievements in major senior-level international rugby union, rugby sevens, rugby league and wheelchair rugby tournaments according to first-place, second-place and third-place results obtained by teams representing different nations. The objective is not to create combined medal tables; the focus is on listing the best positions achieved by teams in major international tournaments, ranking the nations according to the most number of podiums accomplished by teams of these nations.

Results

For the making of these lists, results from following major international tournaments were consulted:

Form	Governing body	Tournament	Edition
			First	Latest	Next
Rugby union	WR & IOC	Rugby union at the Summer Olympics (quadrennially)	1900	1924	Defunct
	WR	Rugby World Cup (quadrennially)	1987	2023	2027
		Women's Rugby World Cup (quadrennially)	1991	2017	2021
Rugby sevens	WR & IOC	Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics (quadrennially)	2016	2024	2028
	WR	Rugby World Cup Sevens (quadrennially)	1993	2018	2022
		World Rugby Sevens Series (annually)	1999–2000	2018–2019	2019–2020
		World Rugby Women's Sevens Series (annually)	2012–2013	2018–2019	2019–2020
Rugby league	RLIF	Rugby League World Cup (quadrennially)	1954	2017	2021
		Women's Rugby League World Cup (quadrennially)	2000	2017	2021
Wheelchair rugby	IWRF & IPC	Wheelchair rugby at the Summer Paralympics (quadrennially)	1996	2016	2020
	IWRF	World Wheelchair Rugby Championships (quadrennially)	1995	2018	2022

• IOC: International Olympic Committee
• IPC: International Paralympic Committee
• RLIF: Rugby League International Federation
• WR: World Rugby

Medals for the demonstration events are NOT counted. Medals earned by athletes from defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) or historical teams are NOT merged with the results achieved by their immediate successor states. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) do NOT combine medals of these nations or teams.^[1][2]

The tables are pre-sorted by total number of first-place results, second-place results and third-place results, then most first-place results, second-place results, respectively. When equal ranks are given, nations are listed in alphabetical order.

Rugby union, rugby sevens, rugby league and wheelchair rugby

Last updated after the 2024 Olympic Games (As of 30 July 2024[update])
		Rugby union			Rugby sevens						Rugby league		Wheelchair rugby		Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup		Olympic Games		World Cup		World Series		World Cup		Paralympic Games	World Championship
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Mixed	Mixed				Total
1	New Zealand														10	2	0	12
2	Australia														9	1	1	11
3	United States														4	2	2	8
4	France														2	5	1	8
5	England†														3	3	1	7
6	Great Britain														2	4	0	6
7	Canada														1	5	0	6
8	Fiji														3	0	2	5
9	South Africa														2	1	2	5
10	Argentina														0	2	2	4
11	Samoa														1	1	1	3
12	Wales†														1	0	2	3
13	Japan														1	0	1	2
14	Kenya														0	0	2	2
15	Australasia*														1	0	0	1
16	Germany														0	1	0	1
16	New Zealand Māori														0	1	0	1
18	Ireland														0	0	1	1
18	Romania														0	0	1	1
18	Spain														0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby union, rugby sevens and rugby league

Men and women

Last updated after the 2019 Rugby World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union			Rugby sevens						Rugby league		Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup		Olympic Games		World Cup		World Series		World Cup
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women				Total
1	New Zealand												8	1	0	9
2	Australia												6	2	1	9
3	England†												3	3	0	6
4	France												1	3	2	6
5	United States												2	2	1	5
6	South Africa												2	1	2	5
7	Great Britain												1	3	0	4
8	Canada												0	3	1	4
9	Fiji												3	0	0	3
10	Wales†												1	0	2	3
11	Argentina												0	1	2	3
12	Samoa												1	0	1	2
13	Australasia*												1	0	0	1
14	Germany												0	1	0	1
15	Ireland												0	0	1	1
15	Kenya												0	0	1	1
15	Romania												0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Men

Last updated after the 2019 Rugby World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union		Rugby sevens			Rugby league	Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup	Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series	World Cup
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Men	Men	Men	Men				Total
1	New Zealand							4	0	0	4
2	Australia							2	2	0	4
2	England†							2	2	0	4
4	South Africa							2	1	1	4
5	Fiji							3	0	0	3
6	France							1	2	0	3
6	Great Britain							1	2	0	3
8	Wales†							1	0	2	3
9	Argentina							0	1	2	3
10	United States							1	1	0	2
11	Samoa							1	0	1	2
12	Australasia*							1	0	0	1
13	Germany							0	1	0	1
14	Ireland							0	0	1	1
14	Kenya							0	0	1	1
14	Romania							0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Women

Last updated after the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union	Rugby sevens			Rugby league	Number of
		World Cup	Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series	World Cup
Rk.	Nation	Women	Women	Women	Women	Women				Total
1	New Zealand						4	1	0	5
2	Australia						4	0	1	5
3	Canada						0	3	1	4
4	United States						1	1	1	3
5	France						0	1	2	3
6	England†						1	1	0	2
7	Great Britain						0	1	0	1
8	South Africa						0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby union and rugby sevens

Men and women

Last updated after the 2019 Rugby World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union			Rugby sevens						Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup		Olympic Games		World Cup		World Series
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women				Total
1	New Zealand										6	1	0	7
2	Australia										4	2	1	7
3	England†										3	2	0	5
4	United States										2	2	1	5
5	South Africa										2	1	2	5
6	France										1	2	2	5
7	Canada										0	3	1	4
8	Fiji										3	0	0	3
9	Argentina										0	1	2	3
10	Samoa										1	0	1	2
10	Wales†										1	0	1	2
12	Great Britain										0	2	0	2
13	Australasia*										1	0	0	1
14	Germany										0	1	0	1
15	Ireland										0	0	1	1
15	Kenya										0	0	1	1
15	Romania										0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Men

Last updated after the 2019 Rugby World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union		Rugby sevens			Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup	Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Men	Men	Men				Total
1	South Africa						2	1	1	4
2	Fiji						3	0	0	3
2	New Zealand						3	0	0	3
4	England†						2	1	0	3
5	Australia						1	2	0	3
6	Argentina						0	1	2	3
7	France						1	1	0	2
7	United States						1	1	0	2
9	Samoa						1	0	1	2
9	Wales†						1	0	1	2
11	Great Britain						0	2	0	2
12	Australasia*						1	0	0	1
13	Germany						0	1	0	1
14	Ireland						0	0	1	1
14	Kenya						0	0	1	1
14	Romania						0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Women

Last updated after the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union	Rugby sevens			Number of
		World Cup	Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series
Rk.	Nation	Women	Women	Women	Women				Total
1	New Zealand					3	1	0	4
2	Australia					3	0	1	4
3	Canada					0	3	1	4
4	United States					1	1	1	3
5	France					0	1	2	3
6	England†					1	1	0	2
7	South Africa					0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby union

Last updated after the 2019 Rugby World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby union			Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Women				Total
1	France				1	1	1	3
2	England†				2	0	0	2
2	New Zealand				2	0	0	2
2	United States				2	0	0	2
5	Australia				1	0	1	2
6	Australasia*				1	0	0	1
6	South Africa				1	0	0	1
8	Canada				0	1	0	1
8	Germany				0	1	0	1
8	Great Britain				0	1	0	1
11	Argentina				0	0	1	1
11	Romania				0	0	1	1
11	Wales†				0	0	1	1

^*Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.
^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby seven

Men and women

Last updated after the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby sevens						Number of
		Olympic Games		World Cup		World Series
Rk.	Nation	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women				Total
1	New Zealand							4	1	0	5
2	Australia							3	2	0	5
3	South Africa							1	1	2	4
4	Fiji							3	0	0	3
5	England†							1	2	0	3
6	Canada							0	2	1	3
6	United States							0	2	1	3
8	Samoa							1	0	1	2
9	Argentina							0	1	1	2
9	France							0	1	1	2
11	Wales†							1	0	0	1
12	Great Britain							0	1	0	1
13	Ireland							0	0	1	1
13	Kenya							0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Men

Last updated after the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby sevens			Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series
Rk.	Nation	Men	Men	Men				Total
1	Fiji				3	0	0	3
2	South Africa				1	1	1	3
3	New Zealand				2	0	0	2
4	England†				1	1	0	2
5	Samoa				1	0	1	2
6	Australia				0	2	0	2
7	Argentina				0	1	1	2
8	Wales†				1	0	0	1
9	Great Britain				0	1	0	1
9	United States				0	1	0	1
11	Ireland				0	0	1	1
11	Kenya				0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Women

Last updated after the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby sevens			Number of
		Olympic Games	World Cup	World Series
Rk.	Nation	Women	Women	Women				Total
1	Australia				3	0	0	3
2	New Zealand				2	1	0	3
3	Canada				0	2	1	3
4	France				0	1	1	2
4	United States				0	1	1	2
6	England†				0	1	0	1
7	South Africa				0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby league

Last updated after the 2017 Rugby League World Cup (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Rugby league		Number of
		World Cup
Rk.	Nation	Men	Women				Total
1	Australia			2	0	0	2
1	New Zealand			2	0	0	2
3	Great Britain			1	1	0	2
4	England†			0	1	0	1
4	France			0	1	0	1
6	Wales†			0	0	1	1

^†Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Wheelchair rugby

Last updated after the 2018 IWRF World Championship (As of 3 November 2019[update])
		Wheelchair rugby		Number of
		Paralympic Games	World Championship
Rk.	Nation	Mixed	Mixed				Total
1	Australia			2	0	0	2
1	United States			2	0	0	2
3	Canada			1	1	0	2
3	New Zealand			1	1	0	2
5	Japan			1	0	1	2

^†Non International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members.

See also

• World Rugby Rankings
• RLIF World Rankings
• List of major achievements in sports by nation