Netherlands national rugby union team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Netherlands women's national rugby union team.

Netherlands
NicknameOranje (The Oranges)
UnionDutch Rugby Union
Head coachLyn Jones
CaptainKoen Bloemen
Most capsMarc Visser (67)
Home stadiumNRCA Stadium
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current27 (as of 16 November 2024)
Highest23 (2018)
Lowest48 (2008)
First international
  0–6 Belgium 
(Amsterdam, Netherlands; 1 July 1930)
Biggest win
  76–0 Switzerland 
(Amsterdam, Netherlands; 16 February 2025)
Biggest defeat
 England 110–0  
(Huddersfield, England; 14 November 1998)
Websitewww.rugby.nl

The Netherlands national rugby union team,[1] nicknamed The Oranges (Oranje), currently competes in the second division of the Rugby Europe International Championships in the Rugby Europe Trophy, a competition which is just below the Rugby Europe Championship where the top six countries in Europe (apart from the teams in the Six Nations) compete. They are yet to participate in any Rugby World Cup.

History

Main article: Rugby union in the Netherlands

The Netherlands played their first ever game in 1930, against Belgium on 1 July. The Netherlands played Belgium and Germany as well as Romania. During the 1940s they played regularly against Belgium and Germany. The 1960s saw the side play West Germany regularly as well as other fixtures including matches against Poland, Sweden, Spain and Czechoslovakia. The 1970s saw fixtures played against many teams, notably Scotland XV in October 1978 & Italy. However, they never fully recovered from the floating turn incident.

Record

Men's World Rugby Rankings
Top 30 as of 6 July 2025[2]
Rank Change[i] Team Points
1  South Africa 92.78
2  New Zealand 90.98
3  Ireland 89.83
4  France 88.90
5  England 86.72
6  Argentina 82.98
7  Scotland 82.36
8  Australia 82.08
9  Fiji 79.52
10  Italy 77.77
11  Georgia 74.69
12  Japan 73.70
13  Samoa 72.68
14 2  Wales 72.65
15  United States 70.02
16  Spain 67.34
17  Uruguay 67.06
18  Portugal 66.44
19  Tonga 65.46
20  Chile 63.20
21  Romania 63.13
22  Hong Kong 59.98
23  Belgium 59.98
24  Canada 59.18
25  Namibia 57.87
26  Zimbabwe 57.16
27   57.01
28  Brazil 56.53
29   Switzerland 55.26
30  Poland 54.06
  1. ^ Change from the previous week
Netherlands's historical rankings
See or edit source data.
Source: World Rugby[2]
Graph updated to 23 June 2025

Below is a table of the representative rugby matches played by a Netherlands national XV at test level up until 16 November 2024, updated after match with  Chile.

Opponents Matches Won Draw Lost For Aga Diff Win%
 Andorra 3 3 0 0 140 116 +24 100%
 Belgium 45 20 4 21 475 539 –64 44.44%
 Bulgaria 1 1 0 0 45 10 +35 100%
 Chile 1 1 0 0 20 17 +3 100%
 Croatia 2 2 0 0 47 19 +28 100%
 Czech Republic 5 3 0 2 136 91 +45 60%
 Czechoslovakia 7 2 0 5 88 99 –11 28.57%
 Denmark 10 9 0 1 311 57 +254 90%
 East Germany 2 1 0 1 20 35 –15 50%
 Georgia 8 1 0 7 107 355 –248 12.5%
 Germany 18 10 0 8 342 290 +52 55.56%
 Hong Kong 2 1 1 0 25 10 +15 50%
 England 1 0 0 1 0 110 –110 0%
 Israel 1 1 0 0 56 0 +56 100%
 Italy 4 0 0 4 27 178 –151 0%
 Emerging Italy 1 0 0 1 5 50 -45 0%
 Japan 1 1 0 0 15 13 +2 100%
 Latvia 3 3 0 0 134 23 +11 100%
 Lithuania 3 2 0 1 90 34 +56 66.67%
 Malta 1 1 0 0 27 9 +18 100%
 Morocco 7 3 0 4 88 111 –23 42.86%
 Moldova 3 1 0 2 77 85 –8 33.33%
 Poland 21 8 2 11 334 324 +10 38.1%
 Portugal 14 1 3 10 172 349 –177 7.14%
 Romania 10 0 1 9 76 393 –317 0%
 Russia 5 0 0 5 47 243 –169 0%
 Serbia and Montenegro 6 4 0 2 93 40 +53 66.67%
 Spain 18 0 1 17 152 537 –385 0%
 South Korea 2 1 0 1 45 108 –63 50%
 Sweden 19 18 0 1 444 186 +258 94.74%
  Switzerland 2 2 0 0 47 22 +25 100%
 Tunisia 5 4 0 1 86 53 +33 80%
 Ukraine 4 1 0 3 71 88 –17 25%
 Uganda 1 1 0 0 42 0 +42 100%
 West Germany 28 9 1 18 279 481 –202 32.14%
 Zimbabwe 1 0 0 1 7 30 –23 0%
Total 263 115 13 135 4158 5025 –867 43.73%

Current squad

On 22 January 2025, the following 49 players were called up for the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship.[3] [4]

Head Coach: Dick Muir (as of 2 June 2022)

  • Caps Updated: 23 January 2021

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

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Ross Bennie-Coulson Hooker (2000-10-18) 18 October 2000 16 DIOK *
Mark Darlington Hooker (1985-05-23) 23 May 1985 23 Maidenhead
Lars Linnenbank Hooker (1997-11-28) 28 November 1997 1 Dukes *
Mike Mbaud Hooker (1999-12-14) 14 December 1999 3 Ealing Trailfinders
David Anderson Prop (1995-08-04) 4 August 1995 1 Haagsche
Lodi Buijs Prop (2000-10-19) 19 October 2000 10 Haagsche *
Andrew Darlington Prop (1989-01-06) 6 January 1989 26 Beaune
Kieran Hogg Prop (1999-12-27) 27 December 1999 6 Unattached
Hugo Langelaan Prop (1990-03-27) 27 March 1990 31 Eemland *
Robin Moenen Prop (1995-11-28) 28 November 1995 12 DIOK *
Mink Scharink Prop (2000-07-12) 12 July 2000 0 Saracens
Jake Stamenković Prop (1999-10-03) 3 October 1999 4 DIOK
Koen Bloemen Lock (1998-05-13) 13 May 1998 7 Bourg-en-Bresse
Jim Boelrijk Lock (1994-02-06) 6 February 1994 10 ‘t Gooi *
Louis Bruinsma Lock (2000-07-15) 15 July 2000 2 Stade Montois
Dennis van Dijken Lock (1999-08-25) 25 August 1999 1 Graulhet
Marijn Huis Lock (1999-11-28) 28 November 1999 3 Durham University
Christopher van Leeuwen Lock (1995-04-26) 26 April 1995 2 Suresnes
Jade Plane Lock (2001-02-18) 18 February 2001 0 Oyonnax
Dirk Danen Back row (1989-04-21) 21 April 1989 31 Hilversum *
Wolf van Dijk Back row (1999-12-02) 2 December 1999 10 DIOK
Guy van den Dries Back row (1993-09-28) 28 September 1993 1 Belsize Park
Dave Koelman Back row (2001-01-16) 16 January 2001 2 Castricum
Kevin Krieger Back row (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 12 Haagsche
Blake Nightingale Back row (1992-05-02) 2 May 1992 10 ‘t Gooi *
Christopher Raymond Back row (2000-12-16) 16 December 2000 2 Haarlem *
Liam Stone Back row (2000-10-01) 1 October 2000 0 Coventry
Niels van de Ven Back row (1992-04-20) 20 April 1992 5 Alcobendas
Maxou Zerdoun Back row (2000-10-13) 13 October 2000 1 Haagsche *
Mark Coebergh Scrum-half (1998-03-27) 27 March 1998 1 ‘t Gooi *
Caleb Korteweg Scrum-half (1997-01-01) 1 January 1997 0 Stirling County
Hugo Schöller Scrum-half (1999-03-11) 11 March 1999 6 Coq Léguevinois
Jasey van Kampen Fly-half (1998-07-11) 11 July 1998 6 Haagsche
Marc Mistou Fly-half (1998-09-28) 28 September 1998 2 ‘t Gooi *
Mees van Oord Fly-half (1999-04-27) 27 April 1999 9 DIOK *
Reinhardt Fortuin Fly-half (1996-01-30) 30 January 1996 2 Cheetahs
Willie du Plessis Fly-half (1990-06-05) 5 June 1990 0 Stade Montois
Storm Carroll Centre (1984-11-13) 13 November 1984 27 Haarlem
Jules Godfroy Centre (1997-01-14) 14 January 1997 0 Corrèze
Tyren Kroos Centre (2000-02-14) 14 February 2000 0 Agen
Daily Limmen Centre (2001-06-22) 22 June 2001 4 Castricum *
Oliva Sialau Centre (1994-03-01) 1 March 1994 3 Dukes *
David Weersma Centre (1996-04-09) 9 April 1996 15 Aparejadores
Daan van der Avoird Wing (2000-11-28) 28 November 2000 4 DIOK *
Jort Doornenbal Wing (2000-08-03) 3 August 2000 1 Castricum *
Jordy Hop Wing (1994-08-16) 16 August 1994 8 Haagsche
Reinier Pieters Wing (1996-11-28) 28 November 1996 3 Servette **
Bart Wierenga Wing (1999-08-26) 26 August 1999 4 Valence Romans
Te Hauora Campbell Fullback (2000-06-29) 29 June 2000 6 ‘t Gooi *
Peter Lydon Fullback (1992-10-19) 19 October 1992 0 Rouen
  • *: Also a member of Delta squad, playing in the Rugby Europe Super Cup.
  • **: Servette is a Swiss club but plays in the French league.

Call-ups

On 10 February Spike Salman of Racing 92 was called up to the squad.[5]

Current coaching staff

The current coaching staff of the Netherlands national team:[6]

Name Nationality Role
Lyn Jones WAL Head coach
Gareth Gilbert RSA Assistant coach
Allard Jonkers NED Assistant coach
Emmanuel Peyrezabes FRA Strength and Conditioning coach
Antoine van den Berg NED Physiotherapist
Sebastiaan van Osch NED Physiotherapist
Kevan Gallagher NED Video analyst
Jan van Diest NED Manager

Past Coaches

Since 1997

Years Coach
1997–2000 Geoff Old
2001–2004 Robbie Allen
2004 Alex O'Dowd
2005–2006 Iain Krysztofiak
2007 Eric Hangeveld
2008 Robin Raphael
2009 Hugues Dispas
2009 Robin Raphael (Caretaker)
2009–2010 Hugues Dispas
2010–2011 Jean Bidal
2011 Silvester Ramaker
2011–2016 Alex Chang
2016–2019 Gareth Gilbert
2019–2022 Zane Gardiner
2022 Dick Muir (interim)
2022–present Lyn Jones

See also

References

  1. ^ (Dutch: Nederlands nationaal rugby team)
  2. ^ a b "Men's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  3. ^ Netherlands`s squad for the 2022 Rugby Europe Championship
  4. ^ "Trainingsselectie Championship 2022 bekend". 22 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Nederland speelt tegen regerend kampioen Georgië". 10 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Netherlands National Rugby Union Team Coaching Staff". www.rugby.nl. Dutch Rugby Union.
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