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.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2012) |
 | ||
| Head coach | Michel Milovic | |
|---|---|---|
| Captain | Aleksandar DJordjevic | |
| ||
| World Rugby ranking | ||
| Current | 85 (as of 4 November 2024) | |
| Highest | 80 (16 January 2023) | |
| Lowest | 88 (23 November 2020) | |
| First international | ||
 Serbia 8–3 British Colonies(9 March 1918) | ||
| Biggest win | ||
 Serbia 62–0 Montenegro  (8 October 2022) | ||
| Biggest defeat | ||
 Germany 108–0 Serbia  (12 November 2005) | ||
| World Cup | ||
| Appearances | none | |
The national side is ranked 80th in the world, as of 16 January 2023.[1]
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.[2] 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 Andorra 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
| Player | Position | Caps | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Igor Marinković | Prop | DSV 78 Hannover | |
| Uroš Jončić | Hooker | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Dragan Matijević | Prop |  Roundhegians RFC | |
| Relja Pećanac | Lock | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Stefan Ivković | Lock | Rugby Club Krusevac | |
| Kiprijan Đorić | Flanker |  RC Donau | |
| Alen Ćosović | Flanker | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Danijel Stojanovic | Number 8 | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Janko Zemun Milinković | Scrum-half |  AS Rugby Bergamo 1950 | |
| Aleksandar Đorđević | Fly-half | Belgrade Rugby Club Red Star | |
| Dragan Kokanović | Wing | Belgrade Rugby Club Red Star | |
| Julijen Matijašević | Centre |  Sporting Club Tulle Corrèze | |
| Nikola Stanković | Centre | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Nemanja Stošić | Wing | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Igor Dejanović | Fullback | Rugby Club Partizan | |
| Vladimir Janićijević | Prop | Rugby Club Vojvodina | |
| Milan Trujkić | Fullback | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Uroš Jevđenijević | Lock | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Stefan Simović | Lock | Rugby Club Partizan | |
| Stanislav Ljubičić | Flanker | Rugby Club Rad | |
| Ivan Nikolić | Centre | Rugby Club Dorćol 1998 | |
| Nemanja Lazić | Centre | Rugby Club Krusevac | |
| Petar Pavlović | Prop | Rugby Club Dorćol 1998 | |
Results
As the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1996–2002)
As Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006)
As Serbia (2006–)
Overall
Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by the Serbia national XV at test level up until 5 October 2024:
| Nation | Games | Won | Lost | Drawn | Percentage of wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Andorra | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.36% |
 Armenia | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50% |
| Austria | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% |
 Belgium | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50% |
 Bulgaria | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100% |
 Croatia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
 Cyprus | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Denmark | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
 Hungary | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% |
 Israel | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60% |
 Latvia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% |
 Lithuania | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% |
 Luxembourg | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
 Malta | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% |
 Moldova | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 16.67% |
| Montenegro | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Poland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
 Slovakia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
 Slovenia | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.5% |
 Sweden | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
 Switzerland | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 50% |
 Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
 Turkey | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80% |
 Ukraine | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Total | 102 | 45 | 54 | 3 | 43.69% |
Player records
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2019) |
Most caps
| # | Name | Years | Caps | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marko Kapor | 1999–2019 | 50 | Fly-half |
| 2 | Vladimir DJukic | 2008– | 43 | Prop |
| 3 | Nikola Stancevic | 1973–1990 | 45 | Flanker |
| 4 | Milan Rastovac | 1997–2013 | 45 | Centre |
| 5 | Nenad Matejic | 2002–2019 | 42 | Fullback |
| 6 | Igor Dejanovic | 2007–2024 | 41 | Fullback |
| 6 | Aleksandar DJordjevic | 2008–2024 | 41 | Centre |
| 8 | Dragan Grujic | 1988–2006 | 39 | Fullback |
| 8 | Boris Martic | 2005–2023 | 39 | Flanker |
| 10 | Miladin Zivanov | 2006–2023 | 37 | Centre |
Last updated: Bulgaria vs Serbia, 20 April 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
Top point scorers
| # | Name | Career | Points | Caps | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marko Kapor | 1999– | 209 | 50 | Fly-half |
| 2 | Vladimir Jelic | 1996–2014 | 103 | 14 | Fly-half |
| 3 | Boris Martic | 2005– | 103 | 39 | Flanker |
| 4 | Dragan Grujic | 1988–2006 | 98 | 39 | Full-back |
| 5 | Marko Gvozdenovic | 2015– | 90 | 8 | Flanker |
| 6 | Milan Orlovic | 2007–2014 | 75 | 24 | Centre |
| 7 | Nenad Matejic | 2002–2014 | 71 | 42 | Full-back |
| 8 | Nikola Stankovic | 2018– | 64 | 13 | Fly Half |
| 9 | Milan Rastovac | 1997–2013 | 55 | 45 | Centre |
| 10 | Igor Dejanovic | 2007–2024 | 42 | 41 | Fullback |
Youngest players
| # | Player | Pos | Age | Opposition | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Stefan Jerkovic | Centre | 17 years 10 months 28 days | Slovenia | 2016-10-29 |
| 2. | Srdjan Bozic | Scrum-half | 17 years 11 months 21 days | Slovakia | 2018-11-10 |
| 3. | Ivan Pirkovic | Centre | 18 years 1 month 12 days | Sweden | 2007-04-14 |
| 4. | Aleksandar Jakisic | Flanker | 18 years 2 months 3 days |  Czech Republic | 1991-04-21 |
| 5. | Milan Rastovac | Centre | 18 years 2 months 4 days | Israel | 1997-05-10 |
| 6. | Ivan Biocanin | Prop | 18 years 2 months 25 days | Switzerland | 1997-11-08 |
| 7. | Marko Isailovic | Wing | 18 years 3 months 3 days | Luxembourg | 2014-10-25 |
| 7. | Branimir Petrovic | Centre | 18 years 3 months 3 days | Andorra | 2009-11-28 |
| 9. | Janko Zemun Milinkovic | Scrum-half | 18 years 3 months 28 days | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2017-04-22 |
| 10. | Dalibor Vukanovic | Centre | 18 years 4 months 6 days | Bulgaria | 2004-11-13 |
Last updated: Bulgaria vs Serbia, 20 April 2024. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
Oldest players
| # | Player | Pos | Age | Opposition | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Srdjan Nikolic | Tighthead Prop | 43 years 1 month 2 days | Bulgaria | 2019-10-12 |
| 2. | Vladimir Jelic | Fly-half | 41 years 9 months 12 days | Luxembourg | 2014-10-25 |
| 3. | Ivan Rodic | Tighthead Prop | 41 years 0 months 30 days | Bulgaria | 2024-04-20 |
| 4. | Milan Medic | Hooker | 40 years 9 months 4 days | Switzerland | 1997-11-08 |
| 5. | Sasa DJukic | Wing | 40 years 4 month 23 days | Andorra | 2011-02-19 |
| 6. | Branislav Acimovic | Prop | 39 years 10 months 22 days | Andorra | 2008-12-06 |
| 7. | Dragan Grujic | Fullback | 39 years 9 months 7 days | Belgium | 2006-04-08 |
| 8. | Dejan Karatrajkovski | Scrum-half | 39 years 5 months 6 days | Denmark | 2015-04-25 |
| 9. | Nikola Stancevic | Flanker | 39 years 4 months 25 days | Andorra | 1990-05-26 |
| 10. | Bojan Lukic | Hooker | 39 years 3 months 10 days | Bulgaria | 2019-10-12 |
Last updated: Bulgaria vs Serbia, 20 April 2024. 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
References
External links
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