Lithuania national rugby union team

Rugby was introduced into Lithuania in 1961. However, as the country was a part of USSR a national team could not be formed. The only games played before 1993 were friendlies with Latvia and a representative team from Kaliningrad.

After the reestablishment of independence in 1990 Lithuania's rugby authorities worked to gain international recognition and by 1993 the national team was participating in the qualifying for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It also joined the 1992-1994 FIRA Trophy competition at the bottom of the pyramid but failed to win any of the games. The first official victory was in 1996 over Luxembourg during the qualifying competition for the 1999 World Cup. Overall, the 1990s were a poor decade for the national team.

Until 2006 Lithuania was lingering in the middle of the European Nations Cup Third Division. However, a 100 percent record in their 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Third Division campaign earned them promotion from Division 3B to Division 3A. This effort was followed by a perfect record in the 2008-2010 European Nations Cup Third Division and a further promotion to Division 2A. Moreover, victories over Israel and the Netherlands to advance to the semifinal round of European qualification for a spot in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final Place Play-off. The rise in form of the national has resulted in an increase in the popularity of the sport in Lithuania.

During their 2008–10 European Nations Cup campaign, Lithuania was credited with setting a new record for consecutive Test wins in men's rugby. Their 77–5 away win over Serbia on April 24, 2010 was listed as their 18th straight, surpassing the previous record set by New Zealand in 1965–69 and by South Africa in 1997–98.[2] This undefeated campaign, which could have led to a Lithuanian presence at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, ended in the 27–16 loss on to Ukraine in the European qualifying semifinal. However, on later review, it was found that the first game in the 18-game sequence was in fact a loss, and as such are now credited with having held an equal record with South Africa and New Zealand (the record was broken by Cyprus in 2013). [3]

• 1987 : did not exist
• 1991 : did not exist
• 1995 : Did not qualify
• 1999 : Did not qualify
• 2003 : Did not qualify
• 2007 : Did not qualify
• 2011 : Did not qualify
• 2015 : Did not qualify

• Head Coach: Irmantas Kukulskis

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

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province Tomas Zibolis Hooker (1981-10-06) 6 October 1981 29 RK Šiauliai Rokas Daknys Prop (1987-04-01) 1 April 1987 13 Šiauliai Vairas Richardas Stankus Prop (1988-01-01) 1 January 1988 10 Šiauliai Vairas Ignas Darkintis Prop (1989-02-08) 8 February 1989 15 Ordizia RE Laurynas Tipelis Prop (1981-07-07) 7 July 1981 45 Šiauliai BaltRex Žygimantas Radžius Lock (1990-06-30) 30 June 1990 8 RGC Evaldas Gaubys Lock (1991-01-01) 1 January 1991 7 Šiauliai Vairas Nerijus Mačiulis Lock (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 2 Šiauliai Vairas Marius Andrijauskas Flanker (1980-01-01) 1 January 1980 26 Peterborough Lions RFC Andrius Martinskas Flanker (1982-01-10) 10 January 1982 37 Enköpings RK Domantas Tautkus Flanker (1993-06-02) 2 June 1993 1 Panevėžys Ryšių statyba Justas Urbonas Flanker (1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 4 Šiauliai Vairas Vaidotas Gaubas Flanker (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 1 Šiauliai BaltRex Mindaugas Grigas Number 8 (1980-08-06) 6 August 1980 28 Šiauliai Vairas Mindaugas Misevičius Scrum-half (1982-01-01) 1 January 1982 45 Šiauliai Vairas Tomas Astrauskas Scrum-half (1979-01-01) 1 January 1979 27 RK Šiauliai Kęstutis Marcišauskas Fly-half (1985-07-24) 24 July 1985 36 Šiauliai Vairas Mantas Maršantas Fly-half (1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 2 Šiauliai BaltRex Gediminas Marcišauskas Centre (1982-01-01) 1 January 1982 24 Peterborough Lions RFC Gediminas Liutkus Centre (1982-01-01) 1 January 1982 36 Enköpings RK Edmundas Ščiavinskas Centre (1981-04-26) 26 April 1981 36 Šiauliai BaltRex Justas Vasiliauskas Wing (1985-01-01) 1 January 1985 33 Šiauliai Vairas Mantautas Vilimavičius Wing (1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 2 Šiauliai Vairas Donatas Vilimavičius Wing (1993-09-11) 11 September 1993 2 Šiauliai Vairas Vytaras Bloškys Fullback (1991-08-30) 30 August 1991 6 Šiauliai BaltRex See also European Nations Cup 2006-2008 European Nations Cup Third Division Lithuanian Rugby Federation Rugby union in Lithuania Notes and references https://www.world.rugby/rankings/mru?lang=en "Lithuania set new Rugby World Record". International Rugby Board. 2010-04-26. Archived from the original on 2012-05-06. Retrieved 2010-04-27. "Cyprus on verge of historic win". Scrum.com. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2013-03-18. External links Official Site Lithuania dreaming of 2011 Rugby World Cup, AFP story published by rugbyweek.com