Rugby Union National Team Names
Many rugby teams from around the world have another name by which they are more well known. These are not always official names, and some national teams have more than one nickname.
I have tried to find the most commonly used nickname, and included others if known. As you can see, these nicknames are commonly derived from the color of their playing strip or country flag, or an animal associated with the country. If you have any corrections or additions, please let me know.
List of National Team Nicknames (men)
| Team | Nickname | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Les Lionceaux | meaning "The Lion Cubs" |
| American Samoa | Talavalu | |
| Andorra | Els Isards | |
| Argentina | Los Pumas (The Pumas) | The Argentina team is called Los Pumas because of the animal depicted as the team's emblem. However, that animal is actually a jaguar (ayaguareté) and not a puma! |
| Australia | Wallabies | A wallaby comes from the same family as kangaroos, but are smaller |
| Austria | Steinböcke | a Ibex or alpine mountain goat |
| Barbados | Bajans | |
| Belgium | Zwarte Duivels | meaning Black Devils in Dutch. Also Diables Noirs (black devils in French) |
| Botswana | The Vultures | |
| Brazil | Os Tupis | Tupis are the main ethnic group of Brazilian indigenous people. |
| Brunei | Leopards | |
| Burundi | Intawamba | meaning lions |
| Burkina Faso | Etalions | |
| Cambodia | Koupreys | meaning Buffalos |
| Cameroon | Indomitable Lions | "Les Lions Indomptables" |
| Canada | Canucks or Les Rouges | Canucks is a slang term for Canadians. Their emblem is a Maple Leaf, so they are sometimes called the Maple Leafs too. |
| Catalonia | El XV de la ginesta | |
| Cayman Islands | Turtles | |
| Chad | Les Sao | |
| Chile | Los Cóndores | The Condors |
| Colombia | Tucanos | |
| Congo (Democratic Republic) | Leopards | |
| Congo (Republic) | Diables Rouges | |
| Costa Rica | Ticos | |
| Côte D'Ivoire | Les Éléphants | |
| Croatia | Kockasti | meaning The Chequereds |
| Cyprus | The Moufflons | |
| Czechia | Panthers | |
| Denmark | Danish Lions | |
| El Salvador | Los Torogoces | Turquoise-browed Motmots |
| England | Red and Whites | The Red and Whites is not a commonly used name. It comes from the red and white playing strip. Also the Roses? A Fenchman notified me that in France the English team is called "Le 15 de la Rose" - literally: "The 15 of the Rose". |
| Ecuador | Los Piqueros | named after the bird |
| Eswatini | Sizeze | |
| Fiji | Bati (The Warriors) or Flying Fijians | their emblem is a palm tree |
| France | Le XV de France or Les Bleus (The Blues) | "Le XV de France" literally translates as "The 15 of France". France's team is also called les bleus (the blues) because of the color of their uniform, though "Les Bleus" is more of a generic name for all French national teams. Before their curent strip which is mostly blue, the French team played in blue shirts, white shorts, and red socks, the colors of the national flag, and were nicknamed "Les Tricolores". Also sometimes Le Coqs (the cockerels). |
| Georgia | Borjgalosnebi / The Lelos | The name comes from lelo, an indigenous Georgian sport with strong similarities to rugby. Lelo has been adopted as the Georgian word for "try". One standard cheer of Georgian rugby union fans is Lelo, Lelo, Sakartvelo (Try, Try, Georgia). Another nickname that is sometimes used is "Men of Borjgali" |
| Germany | Schwarze Adler (Black Eagles) | |
| Greece | I Ethniki | which means "The National (team)" |
| Guatemala | Jaguares | |
| Hong Kong | Dragons | |
| Indonesia | White Rhinos | |
| Iran | Team Melli | |
| Ireland | - | Ireland do not commonly use a nickname. If anything, they would be called the shamrocks (it's the team's emblem) |
| Italy | Gli Azzurri | the same as their football (soccer) team and other Italian teams, a reference to their jersey color. Translates as "light blue or "azure". |
| Japan | The Brave Blossoms | Named after their emblem. The team was previously called the 'Cherry Blossoms'. |
| Kazakhstan | The Nomads | |
| Kenya | The Simbas | Simba is the Swahili word for Lion |
| Lebanon | Phoenix | The Phoenix is said to be the official bird of Lebanon and is often used to describe the capital city, Beirut, which has been destroyed on 7 different occasions and been rebuilt. |
| Madagascar | Les Makis | |
| Malaysia | ? | Someone told me their nickname is the Malaysian Cobra. This Cobras is a famous team from Malaysia, so I am not sure if that is also the national team nickname. The emblem is a Chinese hibiscus. |
| Mali | Les Hippos | |
| Malta | The Rams | |
| Mauritania | Les Oryxs | |
| Mexico | Serpientes | meaning Snakes |
| Moldova | Haiduci | |
| Morocca | Atlas Lions | |
| Namibia | Welwitschias | The Welwitschias is a plant which is considered a living fossil and features on the country's coat of arms. (The team is aka Biltongboere). |
| Netherlands | Oranje | may also be The Impala's |
| New Zealand | All Blacks | black is the color of the New Zealand jersey |
| Niger | Zebou | |
| Nigeria | Black Stallions | |
| Niue | Toa Niue | |
| Pakistan | The Greenshirts | |
| Panama | Diablos Rojos | meaning Red Devils in Spanish |
| Papua New Guinea | The Pukpuks | Meaning 'crocodiles' in New Guinea Pidgin |
| Paraguay | Los yacarés | means the Alligators in Spanish |
| Peru | Los Tumis | a ceremonial knife |
| Philippines | Volcanoes | |
| Poland | Biało-czerwoni | Biało-czerwoni means white-reds. Poland is also often called "Husaria" - the Hussars (were one of the main types of cavalery in Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth between the 16th and 18th centuries.) |
| Portugal | Os Lobos | meaning The Wolves |
| Romania | Oaks | Named for their emblem. |
| Russia | Bears | |
| Rwanda | Silverbacks | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Amazona Guildingii | Name for the rare and graceful Vincentian Parrot. |
| Samoa (Western Samoa) | Manu Samoa | 'Manu Samoa' is the name of a famous Samoan chief/warrior some 10 generations ago. |
| Santa Lucia | Zandolis | |
| Scotland | - | Scotland do not commonly use a nickname, though sometimes they are called the thistle (it's their emblem) |
| Senegal | Lions | |
| Serbia | Orlovi | meaning eagles |
| Slovenia | Encijani | means The Gentians, because the crest of the Slovenia rugby union national team is a gentian, a blue flower |
| Solomon Islands | Warriors | |
| South Africa | Springboks | The springbok is the name of an antelope found in south Africa. The word "Springbok" comes from the Afrikaans "spring" (jump) and "bok" (antelope). In the Afrikaans language, the Springboks are called Springbokke or Bokke for short. |
| Spain | Los Leones (The Lions) | Also sometimes written as XV del León (the 15 of the lion in Spanish). Named for the lion on the team emblem. |
| Sri Lanka | The brave Elephants / Tuskers | |
| Switzerland | Edelweiss | |
| Tanzania | Twigas | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | The Calypso Warriors | |
| Togo | Eperviers | meanig hawks |
| Tonga | 'Ikale Tahi | Sea Eagles |
| Türkiye | Ay Yıldızlar | meaning The Crescent Stars |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | The Flamingos | |
| Uganda | The Rugby Cranes | |
| Ukraine | Cossacks | |
| Uruguay | Los Teros | Named for their emblem. |
| USA | The Eagles | Named for their emblem and national symbol |
| Vanuatu | Tuskers | |
| Venezuela | Orquideas | |
| Virgin Islands | Green Machine | |
| Wales | Dragons | also 'ostrich feathers'? |
| Zimbabwe | The Sables |
Notes
- Scotland and Ireland do not commonly use a nickname.
Combined Teams
| Team | notes |
|---|---|
| The British and Irish Lions | rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. |
| The African Leopards | an African rugby union representative team, organized by the Confederation of African Rugby |
List of National Team Nicknames (women)
| Team | Nickname | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Wallaroos | |
| Brazil | Amazonas | |
| England | Red Roses | |
| Finland | Furies | |
| New Zealand | Black Ferns | |
| Papua New Guinea | The Palais | |
| Samoa | Manusina Samoa | |
| Romania | Ghindele | meaning the Acorns |
| Rwanda | Blackbacks | |
| Uganda | Lady Cranes | |
| USA | The Eagles | Named for their emblem and national symbol (same as the men's team) |
| Zimbabwe | Pangolins |
Related Pages
- Rugby Union in different Languages
- Soccer National Team Names
- Rugby League Team Names
- About sporting team nicknames from around the world
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Old Comments
Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.
- Poland is very often called "Husaria" - the Hussars (were one of the
main types of cavalery in Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth between the 16th
and 18th centuries.) - Taigaa (2019)
Where is malaysia? - Mojave Son (2018)
The team nickname for the United States Women's Rugby team is the same as the Men's - the Eagles. - Lucas Silveira Santos (2016)
some rugby nicknames i know are also
Slovenia which is "Encijani", which means The Gentians, because the crest of the Slovenia rugby union national team is a gentian, a blue flower and also Greece, which is "I Ethniki" which means "The National (team)" - Lucas Silveira Santos (2016)
actually, Algeria rugby union team's nickname is Les Lionceaux (The Lion Cubs), Fennecs is the Association Football Nickname - Colin Klenner (2015)
The New Zealand national rugby union team is known as the All Blacks, they got that name during their remarkable and outstanding 1905 tour to the British Isles. Up until that time they were called The Invincibles. The colour of the shirt used was black because they could not decide on a national colour, and it stuck. - Pearse Rooney (2015)
Also people forget New Zealand's nickname is actually the Kiwis people just call them the all blacks because of their outfit the same way as Fiji's nickname is the simbi named after their pre match dance which is a lot like th hakka of New Zealand - Pearse Rooney (2015)
Ireland were always called the shamrocks except in the early days when they were called the harps and Georgia's nickname is the minnows meaning the meagre or small - Assia Aroussi (2014)
can you gess about a rugby team with a four letters. please help me - ScewMadden (2014)
Know this is old enough but have to say it;
Ireland don't generally use a nickname alright but I've never EVER heard the shamrocks being used. Shamrocks is more a touristy Paddy's day symbol. Closest to a nickname is probably the wolfhounds, given the youth teams are sometimes 'wolfpups'. Our A team uses wolfhounds as its name now so its the closest we've got. - Guillaume (2013)
I was looking at your list of world Rugby teams nicknames, because I didn't remember the name of the Welsh Team. and I may have a couple suggestions here. The French team is known as "Le 15 de France", literally "The 15 of France". "Les Bleus" is more of a generic name we use for any type of French team out there (Soccer, Handbal, etc...) You'll hear people in the stadiums say "Allez les Bleus!" which means "Go Blues!".Regarding the English team, in France, we call them "Le 15 de la Rose". Literally: "The 15 of the Rose".
Cheers!
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