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Sweden national rugby union team
Men's national rugby union team representing Sweden From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Sweden men's national rugby union team represents Sweden in rugby union. They currently compete in the Rugby Europe Trophy division, two levels of competition below the Six Nations.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2025) |
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History
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The national team is governed by the Swedish Rugby Union. Rugby has been played in Sweden since 1933. The first full international was played in 1949 against neighbours Denmark, a game Sweden won 6-0. Sweden has been a member union of World Rugby since 1988 and is one of the 48 members of Rugby Europe.
Sweden celebrated its 75th anniversary as a rugby nation in 2008.
Sweden have won several FIRA / Rugby Europe divisional competitions throughout their history, notably achieving Grand Slams in 1981-82 and 2021-2022. They also won five straight editions of the regional Nordic Cup between 1987 and 1991. Sweden have not yet successfully qualified for the Rugby World Cup.
In recent years the team has enjoyed a sustained period of relative success, having risen to their highest ever world ranking of 30th and going unbeaten in calendar year 2024. Following promotion to the Trophy in 2022, they have consolidated their position at this level having finished second in the table for three straight seasons, losing only to Switzerland and Poland.
In May 2025 the team was invited to compete in the inaugural Granite Trophy, a challenge match set up to showcase a newly formed combined Channel Islands rugby team composed of players drawn from Jersey and Guernsey.
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Age grade and sevens
The Swedish Rugby Union also administers age grade rugby for both sexes; a women's national team and a Sevens national team.
Home ground
Sweden currently play international matches primarily at the purpose built Trelleborg Rugby Arena, home of Pingvin RC. Built to replace Pingvin's former home Pilevallen,[3] on which Pilehallen now stands, it was completed in 2024 and features an all-wooden covered grandstand and clubhouse.
In previous seasons games have also been played at Stockholm Olympic Stadium, Malmö Stadium and Bollspelaren in Norrköping.
Current squad
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Sweden draws its players both from its domestic clubs as well as players competing abroad.
The following players were selected for the games vs Croatia, Lithuania and Czechia in Autumn 2025:[4]
| Forwards | Position | Club |
| Vilhelm Carlsson | Lock |  Stockholm Exiles |
| Adam Christersson | Hooker | Kalmar Södra IFR |
| Lukas Edström | Flanker |  Newcastle University |
| Vaa Pusateri Iuta "Tezza" Fryxell | Number 8 | Stockholm Exiles |
| Elias Granath | Lock | Enköping RC |
| Nils Granath | Second Row | Enköping RC |
| Theodor Karlsson | Flanker | Stockholm Exiles |
| Armir Kozhani | Hooker | Kalmar Södra IFR |
| Kyle Manson Kullin | Prop | Stockholm Exiles |
| Gustav Lindberg | Prop | Malmö RC |
| Ale Loman | Prop | Nottingham RFC |
| Leicester Tigers (loan) | ||
| Arthur Marini | Flanker |  Rugby Club de Drancy |
| Alexander Nahas | Prop | Erikslunds KF |
| Will Nielsen | Prop |  St. Joseph's RFC |
| Oliver Nilsson | Flanker |  ASRV Ascrum |
| Aron Qvarnström | Flanker | Spartacus RUFC |
| Anthony Rafael | Flanker / Number 8 | Stockholm Exiles |
| Christopher Sidgwick | Lock | NRK Troján |
| Christopher Vannerberg | Lock | GTO RC77 |
| Levan Xhizasnishvili | Prop / Hooker | Stockholm Exiles |
| Backs | Position | Club |
| Samuel Ahlbeck | Wing | Malmö RC |
| Joar Blanck | Outside half | Dunvant RFC |
| James Cole | Scrum half | Stockholm Exiles |
| Mathis De Chavaille | Wing | CM Floirac Rugby |
| Samuel Ekfeldt | Centre / Wing | Stockholm Exiles |
| Robin Fransson | Fullback | Enköpings RK |
| Jonathan Hector | Wing | Vänersborgs RK |
| David Hill | Wing | Stockholm Exiles |
| Tim Johansson | Outside half | RK Livonia |
| Axel Kalling-Smith (VC) | Centre | Rams RFC |
| Philip Murphy (C) | Centre |  Trinity College Dublin |
| Hannes Nylén | Fullback | Enköpings RK |
| Eskil Flawn Orpana | Wing / Fullback | Pingvin RC |
| Jack Tatu Robertsson | Outside Half |  RK Livonia |
The following players have had at least one call-up to the senior squad since September 2024: [5][6] [7] [8]
| Player | Position | Club |
| Linus Ahlgren | Flanker | Pingvin RC |
| Viktor Cordes | Prop | Lugi Rugbyklubb |
| Petter Stråhle Heelge | Prop | RK Livonia |
| Oscar Larsson | Lock | Malmö RC |
| Christopher Nilsérius | Prop / Hooker | Enköpings RK |
| Mattias Nilsson | Scrum half |  Club San Cirano |
| Alfred Nordgren | Wing | Malmö RC |
| Elias Pettifor | Prop | Spartacus RUFC |
| Adrian Wadden | Lock |  Oakville Crusaders |
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Leading Try Scorers
Current Season Matches
2025-26 Rugby Europe Trophy
Table
Key:
↑ 2025 promoted side
WR World Ranking as of September 2025
| 25 October 2025 | Sweden |
57 - 12 | Croatia  |
Trelleborg Rugby Arena | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+2) | Try: E Granath 10' c Loman 36' m De Chavaille 42' m, 76'c Aron Qvarnström 52' c Fryxell 66' c Hector 70' c Kalling-Smith 80' m Con: Tatu-Robertsson (6/9) 11', 21', 53', 67', 71', 77' |
Report | Try: Mau'u 3' m Galic 40+1' c Con: Newton (1/2) 40+2' |
Referee:  Adrian Pawlik |
- Joar Blanck and Levan Khizanishvili made their full team debuts
- Axel Kalling-Smith scored his 23rd try for Sweden, extending the national team record
| 1 November 2025 | Sweden |
38 - 3 | Lithuania  |
Trelleborg Rugby Arena | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+1) | Try: Marini 3' c Rafael 33' c Eckfeldt (2) 38' m, 50' c Kalling-Smith 59' m O Nilsson 67' c Con: Tatu-Robertsson (4/6) 4', 34', 51', 61', 68' |
Report | Pen: Taujanskas 23' |
Referee:  Papuna Chiqaberidze |
- First international try for Anthony Rafael
- First international try for Oliver Nilsson
- First international tries for Samuel Eckfeldt
- Axel Kalling-Smith scored his 24th try for Sweden, extending the national team record
- First time Sweden had kept the opposition from scoring a try since November 2018 match v Luxembourg
| 15 November 2025 | Czech Republic  |
48 - 24 | Sweden |
Marketa Stadium, Prague | ||
| 20:15 CET (UTC+1) | Try: Cimprich 9' c Havel 14' c Koblic 16' c Miracky (2) 33' m, 36' m Kulhavy 50' c Aschenbrenner 60' c Con: Cimprich (5/7) 10', 15', 17', 51', 61' Pen: Horak 11' Cards: Schutz  5',  57' |
Report | Try: Karlsson (2) 6' c, 27' c Tatu-Robertsson 78' c Con: Tatu-Robertsson (3/3) 7', 28', 79' Pen: Tatu-Robertsson 40' Cards: Tatu-Robertsson 9', De Chavaille 57' |
Referee:  Maria Latos |
- First win for Czechia against Sweden since 2016
| 4 April 2026 | Sweden |
v | Denmark  |
Trelleborg Rugby Arena | ||
| TBA | Referee: TBA |
| 11 April 2026 | Poland |
v | Sweden |
TBA | ||
| TBA | Referee: TBA |
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Recent Results
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The following is a list of test and representative matches since 2018.[10][11][12][13][14][15]
† Competition cancelled mid-season due to the COVID-19 pandemic
‡ Ukraine played their home game in Croatia due to the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
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Recent Tournament Record
2024-25 Rugby Europe Trophy
Scores
| 26 October 2024 14:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
| Sweden | 22–16 | Czech Republic (1 LBP) |
| Report |
| Trelleborg Rugby Arena, Trelleborg Attendance: 600 Referee: Andrei Gheorghe (Romania) |
| 2 November 2024 14:00 EET (UTC+2) |
| Lithuania | 19–46 | Sweden (1 TBP) |
| Report |
| Aukštaitija Stadium, Panevėžys Attendance: 300 Referee: Francisco Serra (Portugal) |
| 16 November 2024 14:00 CET (UTC +1) |
| Croatia | 31–42 | Sweden |
| Report |
| Stadion Lučko, Zagreb Attendance: 300 Referee: Maria Latos (Germany) |
| 29 March 2025 18:00 CET (UTC+1) |
Luxembourg  | 18–57 | Sweden (1 TBP) |
| Report |
| Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg Attendance: 1,100 Referee: Saba Makharadze (Georgia) |
| 12 April 2025 15:00 CEST (UTC+1) |
| (1 LBP) Sweden | 25–29 | Poland |
| Report |
| Trelleborg Rugby Arena, Trelleborg[21] Attendance: 850 Referee: Nicolae Fratila (Romania) |
League Table
Key:
↑ 2024 promoted side
▼ Relegated to 2025/6 Rugby Europe Conference
WR World Ranking as of April 2025
2023-24 Rugby Europe Trophy
Scores
| 28 October 2023 14:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
| Sweden | 48–37 | Czech Republic |
| Report |
| Stockholm Olympic Stadium, Stockholm Attendance: 1,400 Referee: Eugeniu Procopi (Moldova) |
| 4 November 2023 15:30 CET (UTC+1) |
Switzerland  | 23–12 | Sweden |
| Report |
| Stade Municipal, Yverdon-les-Bains Attendance: n/a Referee: Killian O'Brien (Germany) |
| 18 November 2023 14:30 CET (UTC +1) |
| (1 LBP) Croatia | 20–22 | Sweden |
| Report |
| Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić, Zagreb Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Lukasz Jasinski (Poland) |
| 23 March 2024 14:00 EET (UTC+2) |
| Lithuania | 8–27 | Sweden (1 TBP) |
| Report |
| Šiauliai Rugby Academy Stadium, Šiauliai Attendance: 300 Referee: Pedro Mendes-Silva (Portugal) |
| 6 April 2024 14:00 CEST (UTC+2) |
| (1 TBP) Sweden | 36–24 |  Ukraine |
| Report |
| Östervångsstadion, Trelleborg Attendance: 1,200 Referee: Gert Visser (Netherlands) |
League Table
Key:
↑ 2023 promoted side
▲ Promoted to 2025 Rugby Europe Championship
▼ Relegated to 2024/5 Rugby Europe Conference North
WR World Ranking as of April 2024
2022-23 Rugby Europe Trophy
Scores
| 29 October 2022 14:00 CEST (UTC +2) |
| (1TBP) Sweden | 37–17 | Croatia |
| Report |
| Olympiastadion, Stockholm Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Eugeniu Procopi (Moldova) |
| 5 November 2022 14:00 CET (UTC +1) |
| Sweden | 12–69 | Switzerland (1 TBP) |
| Report |
| Malmö Stadion, Malmö Attendance: 200 Referee: Ignacio Munoz-Martin (Spain) |
League Table
Key:
↑ 2022 promoted sides
WR World Ranking April 2023
2021-22 Rugby Europe Conference 1 North
Scores
| 23 October 2021 14:00 CEST (UTC +2) |
| (1 TBP) Sweden | 51–5 | Luxembourg |
| Report |
| Bollspelaren, Norrköping Attendance: 305 Referee: Artur Kisle (Latvia) |
| 23 April 2022 15:00 EEST (UTC+03) |
| Latvia | 25–46 | Sweden (1 TBP) |
| Report |
| Baldones stadions, Baldone[22] Attendance: 200 Referee: Mike Hawkins (Denmark) |
| 7 May 2022 14:00 CEST (UTC +2) |
(1 LBP) Hungary  | 25–29 | Sweden |
| Report |
| Rugby Center at Kincsem Park, Budapest Attendance: 800 Referee: Nicolas Vandecauter (Belgium) |
| 14 May 2022 14:00 CEST (UTC +2) |
| Sweden | 28–18 | Czech Republic |
| Report |
| Olympiastadion, Stockholm Referee: Kilian O'Brien (Germany) |
League Table
Key:
▲ Promoted to Rugby Europe Trophy
↑ 2019 promoted side
↓ 2019 relegated side
WR World Ranking May 2022
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Overall tournament record
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2017-present : Rugby Europe International Championships
2000-2016 : FIRA-AER European Nations Cup
1967-1999 : FIRA
Rugby World Cup Qualification
Minor & Regional Comptitions
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Head to Head Records
Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by a Sweden national XV at test level up until 15 November 2025, updated after match with Czech Republic.
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Honours
- 1981-82 FIRA Trophy Division 3 - Champions (Grand Slam)
- 1987 Nordic Cup - Champions
- 1988 Nordic Cup - Champions
- 1989 Nordic Cup - Champions
- 1990-92 FIRA Trophy Division 3 - Champions
- 1990 Nordic Cup - Champions
- 1991 Nordic Cup - Champions
- 2006-08 European Nations Cup Division 3 - Champions
- 2011-12 European Nations Cup Division 3 - Champions
- 2011 Viking Tri Nations - Champions
- 2022-23 Rugby Europe Conference 1 North - Champions (Grand Slam)
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References
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