Malta
Nickname(s)L-imtaten (The Rams)
EmblemThe Ram
UnionMalta Rugby Football Union
Head coachKeith Hopkins
CaptainDominic Busuttil
First colours
World Rugby ranking
Current44 (as of 20 March 2023)
Highest38 (7 April 2022)
Lowest45 (2023)
First international
Moldova Moldova 58–8 Malta Malta
(18 November 2000)
Biggest win
Andorra Andorra 3–89 Malta Malta
(24 March 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Lithuania 81–10 Malta 
(19 May 2018)
World Cup
Appearances0

The Malta national rugby union team are governed by the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU). Although Malta has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, the island state has made remarkable progression since its first international in 2000.

It is currently competing in the Rugby Europe Conference, after topping the Conference 1 South for the past two seasons—2017 and 2018—yet failing to win the play-off to rise to the higher level. The national side is ranked 46th in the world (as of 13 November 2022).

History

Malta's national team played their first match on 18 November 2000, against Moldova in Chişinău, which Moldova won 58–8. They played a subsequent match against Belgium that same year in Marsa, which Belgium won 26–0. Malta played four matches in 2001, and they recorded their first win in the fourth of them, against Monaco in Marsa. This was followed by a draw 10–10 with Norway, defeating Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Latvia and Hungary. They then played Moldova in 2004.

Malta then proceeded to enter the 2007 Rugby World Cup European qualification tournament where they were grouped in Pool D of the second round. After finishing third in their pool with two wins from four pool games, Malta entered a play-off along with Denmark, Andorra and Sweden to enter round three. Malta were successful and entered Pool B of round three.

The team is currently ranked 39th in the World Rugby world rankings, their highest ever position. They are coached by Welshman Damian Neill, a former Number 8 in the Welsh Premiership with Aberavon RFC and Maesteg RFC.

Record

World Cup

World Cup record World Cup Qualification record
Year Round P W D L F A P W D L F A
AustraliaNew Zealand 1987Not InvitedNot Invited
United KingdomIrelandFrance 1991did not enterdid not enter
South Africa 1995did not enterdid not enter
Wales 1999did not enterdid not enter
Australia 2003did not qualify500527177
France 200710505139200
New Zealand 201142026670
England 2015410373104
Japan 2019531116197
France 2023Automatically eliminated
Total 0/9 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 11 1 16 466 648

European Competitions

Season Division G W D L PF PA +/− Pts Pos
2001-02European Nations Cup Third Division Pool 332104524+2181st
2002-03European Nations Cup Third Division Pool B440010154+47121st
2003-04European Nations Cup Third Division Pool A43017375-2102nd
2006-08European Nations Cup Second Division 2B8206125210-85124th
2008-10European Nations Cup Second Division 2B8404132156-24163rd
2010-12European Nations Cup Second Division 2A8404146135+11203rd
2012-14European Nations Cup Second Division 2A8404162179-17183rd
2014-16European Nations Cup Second Division 2A8305153181-28164th
2016-17Rugby Europe Conference 1 South431014749+98171st
2017-18Rugby Europe Conference 1 South440022148+173201st
2018-19Rugby Europe Conference 1 South431011749+68161st
2019-20Rugby Europe Conference 1 South21015832+2662nd
2021-22Rugby Europe Conference 1 South43016940+29142nd

Overall

Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by a Malta national XV at test level up until 4 November 2023:

Opponent Played Won Lost Drawn  % Won
 Andorra431075%
 Austria1100100%
 Belgium20200%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina3300100%
 Bulgaria321066.67%
 Croatia1558233.33%
 Cyprus651083.33%
 Czech Republic30300%
 Denmark211050%
 Germany10100%
 Hungary1100100%
 Israel761085.71%
 Latvia752071.43%
 Lithuania743057.14%
 Luxembourg1100100%
 Moldova20200%
 Monaco211050%
 Netherlands40400%
 Norway10010%
 Poland30300%
 Serbia and Montenegro321066.67%
 Slovenia431075%
 Sweden431075%
  Switzerland523040%
Total894739352.81%

Recent Matches

Current squad

The following players were included in the squad for the 2021–22 Rugby Europe Conference South 1 match against Israel on 13 November 2021.[1]

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Rhodri Apsee Prop Wales Bridgend Ravens
Patrick Martin Hooker Malta Stompers RFC
Dragan Cerketa Prop Malta Stompers RFC
Martin Barbara Lock Malta Falcons RFC
Liam Scicluna Lock Malta Falcons RFC
Cameron Sultana Lock Wales Penarth RFC
Benjamin Borg Flanker Malta Falcons RFC
Daniel Apsee Flanker Wales Cowbridge RFC
Mark Davey Number 8 England Tonbridge Juddian RFC
Thomas Holloway Scrum-half England Chester RUFC
Robert Holloway Fly-half England Sedgley Park RUFC
Brendan Dalton Wing Malta Falcons RFC
Dominic Busuttil (c) Centre
Christopher Dudman Centre England Rochford Hundred
Jeremy Debattista Wing Malta Stompers RFC
Richard Gum Fullback Malta Stompers RFC
Matthew Spiteri Hooker Malta Stompers RFC
Thomas Davey Number 8
Jethro Zammit Randich Fullback Malta Kavallieri RFC
Jon Jerome Micallef Lock Malta Stompers RFC
Matthew Camilleri Centre Malta Stompers RFC
Luke Matthew Fullback
Philippe Ioffe Wing Malta UM Wolves RFC
Terence Galdes Prop Malta Kavallieri RFC

Coaches

Name Years Tests Won Lost Drew
Keith Hopkins 2023–present 1 1 0 0
Damian Neill 2005–2023 5 3 1 1
Len Ethel 2000–2001 3 0 3 0
Nigal Ben Bennett 2001–2002 4 2 2 0
Graham Richards 2002–2004 9 7 2 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Malta vs Israel Match Sheet" (PDF). Rugby Europe. 14 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/conference-1-south/slovenia-v-malta/ https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/conference-1-south/croatia-v-malta/

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