Vanuatu_national_rugby_union_team Knowpia

Vanuatu
Nickname(s)	Tuskers
Union	Vanuatu Rugby Football Union
Head coach	Ishmael Kalsakau
World Rugby ranking
Current	111 (as of 4 December 2023)
Highest	108 (2022)
First international
	New Hebrides 18–18 Wallis and Futuna; (1966-12-01)
Biggest win
	Vanuatu 6–0 Wallis and Futuna; (1966-12-01)
Biggest defeat
	Papua New Guinea 97–3 Vanuatu; (2005-08-20)
Medal record
Pacific Games

The Vanuatu national rugby union team represents Vanuatu in the sport of rugby union. The team is classified as a tier three nation by the International Rugby Board (IRB), and has yet to qualify for a Rugby World Cup. Its international debut was in 1966. It became affiliated with World Rugby in 1999. The team is nicknamed the Tuskers, after the pig tusks prized as currency in some parts of the country. The tusks also appear on the country's flag. ^[1]

History edit

Vanuatu was involved in the Oceania qualifying tournaments for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. It was a part of the Round 1a group, with the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. It won its first match at home against the Solomon Islands, lost the second match away to Papua New Guinea 97 to 3, and did not proceed to the next round.

Record edit

World Cup edit

World Cup record
Year	Qualification status
1987	Not invited
1991	did not enter
1995	did not enter
1999	did not enter
2003	did not qualify
2007	did not qualify
2011	did not qualify
2015	did not enter
2019	did not enter
2023	did not enter

Overall edit

Against	Played	Won	Lost	% Won
New Caledonia	3	0	3	0%
Niue	2	0	2	0%
Papua New Guinea	5	0	5	0%
Solomon Islands	4	1	3	25%
Total	14	1	13	7.14%

In late 2012, due to management issues, the Vanuatu rugby team was suspended by the IRB for failure to report about the country's use of money and development of the sport within the country.