Test match (rugby union)

A Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as a full international by at least one of the participating team's governing bodies. A full international means both teams are representative of their country. Like in cricket the term "Test" is thought to arise from the idea that the matches are a "test of strength and competency" between the sides involved. Traditionally to be considered a Test match, both teams must be fielding their strongest, or near strongest possible teams.

A Test cap may be awarded by a team's governing body to the players participating in the match. Although both team's governing bodies do not need to recognise the match as a Test match for caps to be awarded, it is very rare for only one team to award caps. There have been examples of this in the past, for example during the 1920s the New South Wales Waratahs played matches against New Zealand's All Blacks because there was very little rugby union played in Australia outside of New South Wales. The Australian Rugby Union retrospectively 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. A team does not need to represent a country in order for it to be a Test match. For example the British and Irish Lions, World XV and the Pacific Islanders rugby union team.

The first international game of rugby union - between Scotland and England - was played at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, the home ground of Edinburgh Academicals, on March 27, 1871. (This being six years before the first cricket test match, one year before the first association football international and twenty-four years before the first field hockey international.)

See also

*List of rugby union terms

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