A test match in rugby union is an international match, usually played between two senior national teams, that is recognised as such by at least one of the teams' national governing bodies.[1][2]
Some teams do not represent a single country but their international games are still considered test matches (for example the British and Irish Lions). Likewise some countries award caps for games between their full national teams and some invitation teams such as the Barbarians.
The first recorded use of the word in relation to sport occurs in 1861[3] when it was used, especially by journalists, to designate the most important (but at that stage non-international) games played as part of a cricket tour by an unofficial English team to Australia and it is thought to arise[4] from the idea that the matches were a "test of strength and competency" between the sides involved. When official and fully representative Australian and English cricket and rugby teams began touring each other's countries a decade or so later the term gradually began to be applied by journalists exclusively to the international fixtures on each tour, though this was not widespread until well into the 1880s.[4]
Recognising official test status
Unlike in cricket, where the ICC tightly controls the application of "test match" status, World Rugby's regulations do not define a "test match". They define an "international match" as "a Match played between National Representative Teams selected by Unions".[5] In rugby union, test match status and caps may be awarded by either team's governing body regardless of the decision of their opponents.[citation needed]
Although both teams' governing bodies do not need to recognise the match as a test match for caps to be awarded, it is rare that they should disagree. The only existing example remaining in men's rugby involving two top-tier nations concerns games played by the New South Wales Waratahs against the New Zealand All Blacks in the 1920s. As there was very little rugby union played in Australia outside of New South Wales, the Australian Rugby Union retroactively awarded caps to the players from the 1920s Waratahs that played against the All Blacks, however the New Zealand Rugby Union has not done the same for All Blacks that played in those matches.[6]
Differences in recognition now almost always involve matches between the senior national team of a nation outside the traditional top tier and an official developmental side of a top-tier nation.[citation needed] Depending on the policy of the lower-tier union, these matches may or may not be fully capped for that national team. For example, before a change in policy by USA Rugby after the 2008 Churchill Cup,[citation needed] it awarded full national caps when its senior national team played developmental sides, such as England Saxons, Ireland Wolfhounds, Scotland A, Argentina A and the Junior All Blacks.
However, in women's rugby matters are less clear. The first women's "test" took place in 1982 between the Netherlands and France, but the sport was not widely accepted or recognised by many existing national Unions or the International Rugby Board for many years, nor had it attracted significant media interest. Some unions do not officially recognise any tests played before they became responsible for the women's game – for example the French Union (FFR) does not list any games before 1989,[7] and the IRB did not (until recently) recognise the first two women's World Cups.[8]
^Farmer, Stuart. "Statistics – What constitutes a Test match?". espnscrum.com. from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
^"Rugby Glossary". espnscrum.com. from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
^"Stump The Bearded Wonder No 17". BBC Sport. 21 December 2001. from the original on 18 March 2004. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
^ ab"Missed targets, cheap wickets, and the origin of 'Test' | Cricket Features | Global | ESPN Cricinfo". from the original on 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2011-04-19. |title=Rowland Bowen - Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development Throughout the World (1970)
^"pick and go - Rugby Union Test & Super14 results and statistics". www.lassen.co.nz. from the original on 2011-07-20.
^ (in French). Fédération Française de Rugby. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
^. Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
June 22, 2023
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A test match in rugby union is an international match usually played between two senior national teams that is recognised as such by at least one of the teams national governing bodies 1 2 Some teams do not represent a single country but their international games are still considered test matches for example the British and Irish Lions Likewise some countries award caps for games between their full national teams and some invitation teams such as the Barbarians Contents 1 History 2 Recognising official test status 3 See also 4 NotesHistory EditThe first men s international game of rugby football between Scotland and England was played at Raeburn Place Edinburgh the home ground of Edinburgh Academicals on 27 March 1871 This was six years before the first cricket test match one year before the first association football international and 24 years before the first field hockey international The first recorded use of the word in relation to sport occurs in 1861 3 when it was used especially by journalists to designate the most important but at that stage non international games played as part of a cricket tour by an unofficial English team to Australia and it is thought to arise 4 from the idea that the matches were a test of strength and competency between the sides involved When official and fully representative Australian and English cricket and rugby teams began touring each other s countries a decade or so later the term gradually began to be applied by journalists exclusively to the international fixtures on each tour though this was not widespread until well into the 1880s 4 Recognising official test status EditUnlike in cricket where the ICC tightly controls the application of test match status World Rugby s regulations do not define a test match They define an international match as a Match played between National Representative Teams selected by Unions 5 In rugby union test match status and caps may be awarded by either team s governing body regardless of the decision of their opponents citation needed Although both teams governing bodies do not need to recognise the match as a test match for caps to be awarded it is rare that they should disagree The only existing example remaining in men s rugby involving two top tier nations concerns games played by the New South Wales Waratahs against the New Zealand All Blacks in the 1920s As there was very little rugby union played in Australia outside of New South Wales the Australian Rugby Union retroactively awarded caps to the players from the 1920s Waratahs that played against the All Blacks however the New Zealand Rugby Union has not done the same for All Blacks that played in those matches 6 Differences in recognition now almost always involve matches between the senior national team of a nation outside the traditional top tier and an official developmental side of a top tier nation citation needed Depending on the policy of the lower tier union these matches may or may not be fully capped for that national team For example before a change in policy by USA Rugby after the 2008 Churchill Cup citation needed it awarded full national caps when its senior national team played developmental sides such as England Saxons Ireland Wolfhounds Scotland A Argentina A and the Junior All Blacks However in women s rugby matters are less clear The first women s test took place in 1982 between the Netherlands and France but the sport was not widely accepted or recognised by many existing national Unions or the International Rugby Board for many years nor had it attracted significant media interest Some unions do not officially recognise any tests played before they became responsible for the women s game for example the French Union FFR does not list any games before 1989 7 and the IRB did not until recently recognise the first two women s World Cups 8 See also EditHistory of rugby union First international game List of rugby union terms Women s international rugby union List of rugby union test matchesNotes Edit Farmer Stuart Statistics What constitutes a Test match espnscrum com Archived from the original on 27 June 2013 Retrieved 30 June 2013 Rugby Glossary espnscrum com Archived from the original on 4 July 2013 Retrieved 30 June 2013 Stump The Bearded Wonder No 17 BBC Sport 21 December 2001 Archived from the original on 18 March 2004 Retrieved 30 November 2010 a b Missed targets cheap wickets and the origin of Test Cricket Features Global ESPN Cricinfo Archived from the original on 2011 12 23 Retrieved 2011 04 19 title Rowland Bowen Cricket A History of its Growth and Development Throughout the World 1970 World Rugby Handbook 2018 pick and go Rugby Union Test amp Super14 results and statistics www lassen co nz Archived from the original on 2011 07 20 Retrouvez le palmares de l equipe de France depuis l integration a la FFR en juillet 1989 in French Federation Francaise de Rugby Archived from the original on 5 October 2010 Retrieved 30 November 2010 Womens RWC Past RWC Women s Tournaments Archived from the original on 2011 09 03 Retrieved 2011 08 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Test match rugby union amp oldid 1127414343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
