Serbia national rugby union team

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 is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Serbia women's national rugby union team.

Serbia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Head coachMichel Milovic
CaptainVelibor Sreckovic
First colours
World Rugby ranking
Current80 (as of 16 January 2023)
Lowest88 (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
Appearancesnone

The national side is ranked 80th in the world, as of 16 January 2023.[1]

History
Main article: Rugby union in Serbia
A Serbian Rugby Team, 1918

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
PlayerPositionCapsClub
Igor MarinkovićPropGermany DSV 78 Hannover
Uroš JončićHookerSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Dragan MatijevićPropEngland Roundhegians RFC
Relja PećanacLockSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Stefan IvkovićLockSerbia Rugby Club Krusevac
Kiprijan ĐorićFlankerAustria RC Donau
Alen ĆosovićFlankerSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Danijel StojanovicNumber 8Serbia Rugby Club Rad
Janko Zemun MilinkovićScrum-halfItaly AS Rugby Bergamo 1950
Aleksandar ĐorđevićFly-halfSerbia Belgrade Rugby Club Red Star
Dragan KokanovićWingSerbia Belgrade Rugby Club Red Star
Julijen MatijaševićCentreFrance Sporting Club Tulle Corrèze
Nikola StankovićCentreSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Nemanja StošićWingSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Igor DejanovićFullbackSerbia Rugby Club Partizan
Vladimir JanićijevićPropSerbia Rugby Club Vojvodina
Milan TrujkićFullbackSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Uroš JevđenijevićLockSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Stefan SimovićLockSerbia Rugby Club Partizan
Stanislav LjubičićFlankerSerbia Rugby Club Rad
Ivan NikolićCentreSerbia Rugby Club Dorćol 1998
Nemanja LazićCentreSerbia Rugby Club Krusevac
Petar PavlovićPropSerbia Rugby Club Dorćol 1998

Results

As the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1996–2002)
Date Location Opposition Result Tournament
1996-05-04Vršac Andorra30–121995–1997 FIRA Trophy
1996-05-18Gabrovo Bulgaria39–91995–1997 FIRA Trophy
1996-10-06Kyiv Ukraine0–601999 Rugby World Cup - European qualification
1996-11-02Vienna AustriaDefault1999 Rugby World Cup - European qualification
1997-03-01Pančevo  Switzerland8–01999 Rugby World Cup - European qualification
1997-05-10Pančevo Israel10–71999 Rugby World Cup - European qualification
1997-11-08Nyon  Switzerland13–291997–1998 FIRA Tournament
1998-04-25Belgrade Israel30–61997–1998 FIRA Tournament
1998-05-20Belgrade Lithuania44–01997–1998 FIRA Tournament
1998-06-02Riga LatviaDefault1997–1998 FIRA Tournament
1998-10-10Brussels Belgium6–121998–1999 FIRA Tournament
1999-05-08Tunis Tunisia6–451998–1999 FIRA Tournament
2000-04-02Belgrade Moldova17–3European Nations Cup Fourth Division 2000
2000-04-30Pernik Bulgaria33–6European Nations Cup Fourth Division 2000
2000-05-13Herzlia Israel17–3European Nations Cup Fourth Division 2000
2000-10-14Andorra la Vella Andorra9–122003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification
2000-11-05Dimitrovgrad Bulgaria46–62003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification
2001-03-31Dimitrovgrad Hungary25–102003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification
2001-05-12Zenica Bosnia and Herzegovina13–232003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification
2001-05-26Gornji Milanovac  Switzerland13–102003 Rugby World Cup – European qualification
2001-10-20Chişinău Moldova16–362001–2002 European Nations Cup Third Division
2002-04-06Belgrade Austria26–82001–2002 European Nations Cup Third Division
2002-05-04Andorra La Vella Andorra19–52001–2002 European Nations Cup Third Division
2002-05-11Belgrade Slovenia27–212001–2002 European Nations Cup Third Division

As Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006)
Date Location Opposition Result Tournament
2003-04-26Esztergom Hungary23–472002–2003 European Nations Cup Third Division
2003-05-03Belgrade Latvia18–292002–2003 European Nations Cup Third Division
2003-05-24Chişinău Moldova17–172002–2003 European Nations Cup Third Division
2004-04-10Subotica Hungary31–32003–2004 European Nations Cup Third Division
2004-04-17Marsa Malta18–202003–2004 European Nations Cup Third Division
2004-05-08Pančevo Moldova20–432003–2004 European Nations Cup Third Division
2004-11-13Belgrade Bulgaria33–102007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-03-19Belgrade  Switzerland11–112007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-04-09Valletta Malta24–132007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-05-07Łódź Poland11–182007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-10-08Split Croatia9–262007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-11-05Pančevo Malta3–162007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2005-11-12Heidelberg Germany0–1082007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
2006-04-08Lazarevac Belgium15–362007 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification

As Serbia (2006–)
Date Location Opposition Result Tournament
2006-10-07Nyon  Switzerland9–302006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2006-11-04Belgrade Denmark34–232006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2007-04-14Pančevo Sweden12–302006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2007-10-27Odense Denmark17–172006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2007-11-24Pančevo  Switzerland5–132006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2008-04-26Lund Sweden3–222006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2008-05-10Yerevan Armenia0–252006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2008-05-25Belgrade Armenia19–82006–2008 European Nations Cup Third Division
2008-09-13Smederevo Armenia0–412008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2008-12-06Smederevo Andorra32–72008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2009-04-04Nyon  Switzerland12–62008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2009-05-02Vilnius Lithuania9–502008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2009-10-24Belgrade  Switzerland13–82008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2009-11-28Andorra La Vella Andorra7–212008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2010-04-10Abovian Armenia19–202008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2010-04-24Pančevo Lithuania5–772008–2010 European Nations Cup Third Division
2010-10-23Ljubljana Slovenia3–332010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2010-11-20Belgrade  Switzerland18–152010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2011-02-19Andorra La Vella Andorra25–422010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2011-05-07Belgrade Armenia20–182010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2011-10-29Belgrade Slovenia52–02010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2011-11-12Monthey  Switzerland19–272010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2012-04-14Belgrade Andorra7–92010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2012-04-21 Armenia25–02010–2012 European Nations Cup Second Division
2012-10-13Netanya Israel22–482012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2012-10-27Belgrade Latvia39–222012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2012-11-03Belgrade Andorra26–292012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2013-04-13Odense Denmark0–382012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2013-10-12Valmiera Latvia14–252012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2013-10-19Belgrade Israel6–182012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2014-03-30Andorra La Vella Andorra12–232012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2014-04-12Belgrade Denmark19–332012–2014 European Nations Cup Second Division
2014-10-18Ljubljana Slovenia3–482014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2014-10-25Belgrade Luxembourg0–362014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2015-04-18Belgrade Austria22–32014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2015-04-25Odense Denmark25–222014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2015-11-07Belgrade Slovenia17–332014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2015-11-14Luxembourg Luxembourg24–302014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2016-04-09Vienna Austria26–122014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2016-04-16Belgrade Denmark23–202014–16 European Nations Cup Second Division
2016-10-29Ljubljana Slovenia13–742016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships
2016-11-05Zrenjanin Turkey25–02016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships
2017-04-09Zenica Bosnia and Herzegovina10–212016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships
2017-04-29Belgrade Austria29–122016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships
2017-10-21Vienna Austria25–272017–18 Rugby Europe International Championships
2017-10-28Pancevo Slovenia21–302017–18 Rugby Europe International Championships
2018-04-21Piestany Slovakia50–242017–18 Rugby Europe International Championships
2018-04-28Belgrade Cyprus35–172017–18 Rugby Europe International Championships
2018-10-13Belgrade Bulgaria29–352018–19 Rugby Europe International Championships
2018-11-10Piestany Slovakia37–102018–19 Rugby Europe International Championships
2019-05-11Pancevo Slovenia35–272018–19 Rugby Europe International Championships
2019-05-18Andorra La Vella Andorra0–332018–19 Rugby Europe International Championships
2019-10-12Sofia Bulgaria7–712019–20 Rugby Europe International Championships
2019-10-19Belgrade Turkey30–152019–20 Rugby Europe International Championships
2021-10-16Sofia Bulgaria11–142021–22 Rugby Europe International Championships
2021-10-23Pancevo Turkey37–142021–22 Rugby Europe International Championships
2022-04-16Pancevo Andorra24–182021–22 Rugby Europe International Championships
2022-05-07Zenica Bosnia and Herzegovina38–192021–22 Rugby Europe International Championships
2022-10-08Belgrade Montenegro62–02022–23 Rugby Europe International Championships
2022-10-15Trabzon Turkey23–62022–23 Rugby Europe International Championships

||2023-04-13||Zenica||  Bosnia and Herzegovina || 40–12 || 2022–23 Rugby Europe International Championships

Overall

Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a Serbia national XV at test level up until 2022-05-08

Nation Games Won Lost Drawn Percentage of wins
 Andorra1147036%
 Armenia633050%
 Austria642067%
 Belgium20200%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina422050%
 Bulgaria743066,66%
 Croatia10100%
 Cyprus1100100%
 Denmark632150%
 Germany10100%
 Hungary321066,66%
 Israel532060%
 Latvia312033%
 Lithuania312033,33%
 Luxembourg20200%
 Malta312033,33%
 Moldova412125%
 Montenegro1100100%
 Poland10100%
 Slovakia2200100%
 Slovenia835037%
 Sweden20200%
  Switzerland1054155%
 Tunisia10100%
 Turkey4400100%
 Ukraine10100%
Total944150340%

Player records

Most caps
# Name Years Caps Position
1 Marko Kapor 1999–2019 50 Fly-half
2 Nikola Stancevic 1973–1990 45 Flanker
3 Milan Rastovac 1997–2013 45 Centre
4 Vladimir DJukic 2008– 43 Prop
5 Nenad Matejic 2002–2019 42 Fullback
6 Dragan Grujic 1988–2006 39 Fullback
7 Boris Martic 2005– 38 Flanker
8 Miladin Zivanov 2006– 37 Centre
9 Aleksandar DJordjevic 2008– 36 Centre
10 Igor Dejanovic 2007– 35 Fullback

Last updated: Bosnia&Herzegovina vs Serbia, 7 May 2022. 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 36 Flanker
4 Dragan Grujic 1988–2006 98 39 Full-back
5 Milan Orlovic 2007–2014 75 24 Centre
6 Nenad Matejic 2002–2014 71 42 Full-back
7 Marko Gvozdenovic 2015– 63 6 Flanker
8 Milan Rastovac 1997–2013 55 45 Centre
9 Goran Vucicevic 1996–2002 40 14 Centre
10 Sasa DJukic 1996–2011 36 28 Wing

Youngest players
# Player Pos Age Opposition Date
1.Stefan JerkovicCentre17 years 10 months 28 days Slovenia2016-10-29
2.Srdjan BozicScrum-half17 years 11 months 21 days Slovakia2018-11-10
3.Ivan PirkovicCentre18 years 1 month 12 days Sweden2007-04-14
4.Aleksandar JakisicFlanker18 years 2 months 3 days Czech Republic1991-04-21
5.Milan RastovacCentre18 years 2 months 4 days Israel1997-05-10
6.Ivan BiocaninProp18 years 2 months 25 days  Switzerland1997-11-08
7.Marko IsailovicWing18 years 3 months 3 days Luxembourg2014-10-25
7.Branimir PetrovicCentre18 years 3 months 3 days Andorra2009-11-28
9.Janko Zemun MilinkovicScrum-half18 years 3 months 28 days Bosnia and Herzegovina2017-04-22
10.Dalibor VukanovicCentre18 years 4 months 6 days Bulgaria2004-11-13

Last updated: Serbia vs Andorra, 16 April 2022. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

Oldest players
# Player Pos Age Opposition Date
1.Srdjan NikolicTighthead Prop43 years 1 month 2 days Bulgaria2019-10-12
2.Vladimir JelicFly-half41 years 9 months 12 days Luxembourg2014-10-25
3.Milan MedicHooker40 years 9 months 4 days  Switzerland1997-11-08
4.Sasa DJukicWing40 years 4 month 23 days Andorra2011-02-19
5.Branislav AcimovicProp39 years 10 months 22 days Andorra2008-12-06
6.Dragan GrujicFullback39 years 9 months 7 days Belgium2006-04-08
7.Dejan KaratrajkovskiScrum-half39 years 5 months 6 days Denmark2015-04-25
8.Nikola StancevicFlanker39 years 4 months 25 days Andorra1990-05-26
9.Bojan LukicHooker39 years 3 months 10 days Bulgaria2019-10-12
10.Marko KaporFly-half39 years 2 months 25 days Turkey2019-10-19

Last updated: Serbia vs Andorra, 16 April 2022. 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
  1. "Men's Rankings | World Rugby".
  2. Ragbi Savez Srbije – Istorija
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