Denmark national rugby union team

The Denmark national rugby union team is governed by Dansk Rugby Union and has been playing international rugby since 1949.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Denmark women's national rugby union team.
Denmark
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Danish Lions
UnionDansk Rugby Union
Head coachJunaire Brown
CaptainMikkel Andresen
First colours
World Rugby ranking
Current75 (as of 16 January 2023)
Highest71 (1 October 2022)
First international
Denmark Denmark 0 – 6 Sweden Sweden
(1949-10-23)
Biggest win
Denmark Denmark 127 – 5 Estonia Estonia
(2018-04-28)
Biggest defeat
Denmark Denmark 7 – 104 Russia Russia
(2000-05-13)

DRU now has nearly 2,500 members in more than 30 clubs.[1]

The DRU Superliga is the highest tier of the national rugby union competition in Denmark. Most of the national team's players play in the local league, however a handful of them play in amateur clubs in England, Sweden and France. There are no professional players that play for Denmark.

The national side is ranked 75th in the world, as of 16 January 2023.[2]

History

Rugby Union had been played in Denmark since 1931, but the Danish Rugby Union wasn't formed till 1950. DRU joined the Sports Confederation of Denmark in 1971 and later that year the FIRA-AER (European rugby union). In 1974 DRU co-founded the Nordic Rugby Union (now Scandinavian Rugby Union) and in 1988 DRU joined the IRB (International Rugby Board).[3]

The Danish 1st XV (known as Drusse) participates every year in the European nation tournament (EM). In Europe below the premier rugby nations, the remaining countries are divided into six divisions, where Denmark is located in the second division.

Championship tournaments determines seeding for World Cup qualifying pools. Denmark debuted in World Cup competition in Andorra, October 1992 (1995 classification). The Danish national team reached the second round of the most recent World Cup qualifiers having never qualified fully.

Overall Record
Against Played Won Lost Drawn Win percentage
 Andorra211050%
 Armenia20200%
 Austria651083.33%
 Belgium513120%
 Bulgaria10100%
 Croatia50410%
 Czech Republic20200%
 Finland2200100%
 Georgia10100%
 Germany615016.67%
 Hungary431075%
 Israel321075%
 Latvia321075%
 Lithuania1100100%
 Luxembourg2200100%
 Malta211050%
 Moldova10100%
 Morocco10100%
 Netherlands100910%
 Norway13111184.62%
 Poland30300%
 Portugal20200%
 Russia30300%
 Serbia and Montenegro20200%
 Slovenia00000%
 Spain10100%
 Sweden491036320.41%
 Switzerland943244.44%
 Ukraine312033.33%
 West Germany30300%
Total1504893932%

Current squad
  • Caps & age not updated.
  • Head coach: Junaire Brown
  • Managers: Palle Andersen & Ruben Garcia Pedersen
  • Assistant coaches: Chris Adby & Rich Groom
  • Physios: Lea Barfoed, Sune Hougaard Nielsen, Manuela Milanesi & Nacho Vidondo

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

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Bulela Butsheke Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Phillip Behrend Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark CSR-Nanok
Christian Hansen Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Hundested
Ali Kamil Hooker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Malte Madsen Hooker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Marcus Borup Hooker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} England Chelmsford RFC
Michael Friis Larsen Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Aalborg RK
Sebastian Vernon Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark CSR-Nanok
Mikkel Segner Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Sander Kristoffersen Prop {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Hamish Coventry Lock {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Jeppe Maagaard Holm Lock {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Carl-Christian Vangsgaard Lock {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} France Stade Montois Rugby
Will Sorensen Lock {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Kenny Uddal Calmar Lock {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Aarhus RK
Emil Svinth Aagaard Flanker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Erwan Caquineau Flanker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Thomas Hobbs Flanker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Nicklas Vidtfeldt Tell Flanker {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Mikkel Andresen Number 8 {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} England Kenilworth RFC
Dan Wiggins Scrum-half {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} England Hitchin RFC
Thorbjorn Vestergaard Scrum-half {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} France Orsay RC
Victor Hounou Scrum-half {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Sweden Pingvin
Ben Wiggins Fly-half {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} England Hitchin RFC
Thomas Thimothee Fly-half {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Peder Wilhelm Bjerrum Centre {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Aarhus RK
Joshua Jensen Centre {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} England Newent RFC
Christian Melgaard Centre {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Sweden Stockholm Exiles
Mads Frederik Hansen Centre {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Hundested
Geoffroy Gauthier Wing {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark Frederiksberg
Kamoto Kamanga-Dyrbak Wing {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Joakim Calmar Nielsen Fullback {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed
Oliver Hvass Fullback {{{age}}} {{{caps}}} Denmark RK Speed

References
  1. "IRB Denmark". IRB.com. Archived from the original on 2010-01-31. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
  2. "Men's Rankings | World Rugby".
  3. "DRU History". DRU. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
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