The leading try-scorer in all 24 Rugby World Cup 2027 teams

With another year almost over, some records have fallen while others seem hellbent in refusing to budge, mainly when it comes to each country’s all-time try scorers.

In 2025, a few marks were broken, setting new standards for their nations, as we outline across the 24 qualified teams for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

South Africa
Current all-time holder: Bryan Habana (67)
Will we ever see the day that Bryan Habana isn’t the Springboks’ leading try scorer? At this point, it seems improbable that such a scenario will happen in the next few years, as no South African player is close to the former Bulls wing’s record, with only Makazole Mapimpi coming near with 33 tries.

However, as the two-time World Cup winner’s career is coming to a close, there’s no one in line to challenge Habana’s record, despite Malcolm Marx (27), Kurt-Lee Arendse (23) and Cheslin Kolbe (21) still being part of the Springboks setup at least until 2027.

New Zealand
Current all-time holder: Doug Howlett (49)
Is Doug Howlett’s record finally coming down? Will Jordan is only four tries away from equalling it, and if he maintains his strike-rate of almost one try per game, he should reach the total in 2026.

In 2025, Jordan banked another six tries against France (three), South Africa, Scotland and England. Close behind is Beauden Barrett, who has scored 45 tries and also has a realistic shot at reaching 49.

England
Current all-time holder: Rory Underwood (49)
Rory Underwood’s 49-try record — or 50 if you include his British and Irish Lions score against the All Blacks — seems unreachable, especially with Jonny May now retired.

May finished with 36 tries, and without him there is no one mounting a credible challenge to surpass Underwood.

Only one active England player has reached 20 tries: Elliot Daly, who registered his twentieth this past February.

Ireland
Current all-time holder: Brian O’Driscoll (46)
Some things are timeless, and Brian O’Driscoll’s record looks set to stand for the foreseeable future.
O’Driscoll scored 46 tries for Ireland, plus one for the Lions — 29 more than James Lowe’s provincial total. Keith Earls came closest but retired still 10 tries short.

France
Current all-time holder: Damian Penaud (40)
A record that finally fell in 2025, when Damian Penaud overtook Serge Blanco’s 38 tries and reached the 40-try milestone.

The UBB wing has collected scores against almost all of the world’s top 15 sides, with only Argentina escaping him.

Now inside the top 20 all-time Test try scorers, Penaud may yet climb higher — though Louis Bielle-Biarrey, already on 20 tries at 22 years old, could threaten his total in the coming decade.

Argentina
Current all-time holder: José Núñez Piossek (29)
Piossek’s record looks safe, as no Puma from the last fifteen years has come close to threatening it.
Emiliano Boffelli is the only active player with a realistic shot but must reach the in-goal fourteen times to match it.

If he is to reach the next World Cup, he must regain strong form and fight his way towards becoming Argentina’s all-time top scorer.

Australia
Current all-time holder: David Campese (64)
Like Habana and Underwood, David Campese’s record looks untouchable. Chris Latham (40), Adam Ashley-Cooper (39) and Israel Folau (37) each had moments when they looked capable of reaching it, but none came close in the end.

Andrew Kellaway is the closest active Wallaby but sits on only 15 tries — far from Campese’s 64.

Fiji
Current all-time holder: Vereniki Goneva and Nemani Nadolo (22)
Despite the country’s conveyor belt of world-class attackers, only Goneva and Nadolo have reached 22 Test tries.

Unexpectedly, a hooker may surpass them: Tevita Ikanivere already has 12 tries at age 26 and could become Fiji’s all-time leading scorer.

Can he become the first Flying Fijian to reach the 30 five-pointer mark?

Scotland
Current all-time holder: Duhan van der Merwe (35)
Duhan van der Merwe now leads Scotland’s list after scoring his 35th try against Tonga.

Darcy Graham, on 34, remains close enough that the record could trade hands again in 2026.

This era has produced a cluster of prolific finishers: Stuart Hogg (27), Huw Jones (23), Chris Paterson (22) and Tommy Seymour (17) all sit inside the top 10.

Italy
Current all-time holder: Marcello Cuttitta (26)
Monty Ioane is seven tries short of matching Cuttitta’s long-standing record and could do so within two seasons.

Ange Capuozzo is three behind Ioane, meaning both could challenge for the mark in the near future.

Wales
Current all-time holder: Shane Williams (58)
Wales has produced finishers of the highest calibre: George North (49 including Lions), Gareth Thomas (41) and the incomparable Shane Williams.

Williams scored 58 tries for Wales and two for the Lions, placing him fourth among the world’s leading try scorers.

His record appears safe. Only Josh Adams (22) has passed 20 among the current squad.

Japan
Current all-time holder: Daisuke Ohata (69)
Daisuke Ohata remains the all-time global leader with 69 tries in under 60 caps — an astonishing feat even if six were scored against A sides.

Michael Leitch has scored 22 tries for the Brave Blossoms.

Georgia
Current all-time holder: Akaki Tabutsadze (50)
Akaki Tabutsadze, the world’s leading active Test try scorer, has notched 50 tries since debuting in 2020.
Having obliterated Georgia’s previous record, he has now set his gaze on Ohata’s 69. If he averages five per year, he can reach it before 2030.

Despite not scoring in recent outings, he should return to form in 2026, fuelling his unquenchable thirst for more.

Uruguay
Current all-time holder: Diego Ormaechea (33)
Germán Kessler has crossed 23 times and is now only ten tries short of the Uruguayan record.

Given Uruguay’s strong maul game, and his central role in it, he has a realistic chance of matching Ormaechea within four years.

Spain
Current all-time holder: César Sempere (31)
César Sempere’s 31 tries helped define an era for Spanish rugby in the 1990s and 2000s.

With Spain improving, Martiniano Cian — already on 15 — increasingly looks like a future record-breaker.

USA
Current all-time holder: Vaea Anitoni (26)
Vaea Anitoni’s 26 tries have stood for 25 years, but Joe Taufete’e is close on 23.

The hooker hasn’t played for the Eagles since 2022, though he was named in the wider squad this April.
Anitoni’s record sparked a new era of wing finishing and may fall within the next two seasons.

Chile
Current all-time holder: José Larenas (11)
Larenas’ mark is certain to fall soon: Rodrigo Fernández (10), Santiago Videla (9) and Matías Garafulic are all approaching it.

The record may change hands multiple times across the next few years.

Tonga
Current all-time holder: Sonatane Takulua (18)
Takulua overtook Fetu?u Vainikolo this year by scoring his 18th try.
He has earned 63 caps, played three World Cups and is unlikely to be caught soon — no current player is near double digits.

Samoa
Current all-time holder: Brian Lima (29)
Brian Lima’s 29-Test tally has remained untouched since 2007.

Duncan Paia’aua leads the current squad with eight tries and is nowhere near threatening the mark.

Portugal
Current all-time holder: Rodrigo Marta (36)
Rodrigo Marta, one of the brightest players of his generation, has moved clear with 36 tries and counting.
He surpassed António Aguilar’s 23 — a figure also beaten by Raffaele Storti, who trails Marta by 12.

Romania
Current all-time holder: C?t?lin Fercu (33)
C?t?lin Fercu enjoyed a prolific 109-cap career and remains Romania’s top try scorer.

With Ovidiu Cojocaru now retired and no current Romanian having more than 10 tries, the record will stand for some time.

Hong Kong China
Current all-time holder: Rowan Varty (24)
Matt Worley is on course to pass Rowan Varty. Seven tries short, and scoring at 1.1 per game, he is likely to eclipse the record soon.

Zimbabwe
Current all-time holder: Hilton Mudariki (10)
Zimbabwe’s limited Test schedule makes historical figures patchy, but Hilton Mudariki is believed to be their leading scorer with 10.

Canada
Current all-time holder: DTH van der Merwe (38)
DTH van der Merwe is one of the sport’s great finishers, and his Canadian record remains intact.
Lucas Rumball is trending upwards but is unlikely to challenge 38.