Heaviest defeats in history
Last Saturday, we witnessed the biggest defeat in South Africa’s proud history. A somewhat inexperienced and questionably coached squad, suffering a 57-0 humiliation against the World Champions.
The event did raise the interesting and sometimes painful topic of heaviest defeats in history. Below is a list of rugby nations, specifically those ranked as Tier 1 and 2 Nations, their greatest defeats and who can be held responsible:
- Namibia – 142 points (142-0 to Australia, 2003 Australia World Cup)
- Romania – 134 points (134-0 to England, Romanian 2001 End of Year Tour)
- Uruguay – 131 points (134-3 to South Africa, Uruguayan 2005 Summer Tour)
- Japan – 128 points (17-145 to New Zealand, 1995 South Africa World Cup)
- Tonga – 102 points (102-0 to New Zealand in Tongan 2000 Summer Tour)
- Italy – 101 points (101-0 to South Africa, Italian 1999 Summer Tour)
- USA – 98 points (106-8 to England, American 1999 End of Year Tour)
- Portugal – 95 points (108-13 to New Zealand, 2007 French World Cup)
- Fiji – 91 points (91-0 to New Zealand, Fijian 2005 Summer Tour)
- Samoa – 87 points (101-14 to New Zealand, Samoan 2008 Summer Tour)
- Argentina – 85 points (93-8 to New Zealand, Argentinian 1997 Summer Tour)
- Wales – 83 points (96-13 to South Africa, Welsh 1998 Summer Tour)
- Spain – 82 points (10-92 to Australia, Australian 2001 End of Year Tour)
- Georgia – 78 points (6-84 to England, 2003 Australia World Cup)
- England – 76 points (76-0 to Australia, English 1998 End of Year Tour)
- Russia – 72 points (75-3 to Japan, Russian 2010 End of Year Tour)
- Canada – 70 points (70-0 to England, Canadian 2004 End of Year Tour)
- Ireland – 60 points (60-0 to New Zealand in Irish 2012 Summer Tour)
- Scotland – 58 points (10-68 to South Africa in South African 1997 End of Year Tour)
- South Africa – 57 points (57-0 to New Zealand, 2017 Rugby Championship)
- France – 51 points (61-10 to New Zealand, French 2007 Summer Tour)
- Australia – 45 points (53-8 to South Africa in 2008 Tri Nations)
- New Zealand – 21 points (28-7 to Australia in 1999 Tri Nations)
Trivia
New Zealand has inflicted the most record defeats, responsible for 9 nation’s blackest day. South Africa comes in 2nd with 5 national scalps. Australia and England are tied third with 4 routs apiece. Japan has one milestone victory to their name and is the only Tier 2 Nation to have achieved the feet.
South Africa’s most recent history making thrashing is the first time in 5 years a tier 1 country has suffered such a noteworthy defeat, Ireland being the previous unlucky holder from 2012, also to New Zealand.
To South Africa’s credit, they are responsible for the most routs of Tier 1 nations, 4 of the 5 rugby humiliations they’ve dished out come to such countries: Italy, Scotland, Wales and Australia. New Zealand has 3: South Africa, France and Ireland. The remaining 2 Tier 1 nations, England and New Zealand belong to Australia.
Spain and Scotland are the only two on the list to have suffered their defeat at home. Spain has the excuse of being a Tier below their opponents. Scotland does not. Sometimes it’s s***e being Scottish.
Namibia’s defeat to Australia is also the biggest defeat in international rugby history.
Japan have scored the most during their defeat, getting 17 points via 2 converted tries and a penalty, making their defeat only the second biggest in international rugby history.
The vast majority of defeats came to countries touring. 2 defeats occurred on neutral ground during a World Cup. 2 came during away Tri-Nations fixtures and one away fixture during the most recent Rugby Championship. The 6 Nations have never seen such an event.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments