International Test Match Comparison : Kangaroos vs Wallabies

How many international test matches were played by the two oval ball codes in Australia? Rugby Union puts much greater emphasis on internationals so obviously the Wallabies will have played more. Looking at the data going back to the 1960's in decade blocks is how I did it below. The 2020's are for six years so that number is lower.

The increase in international RU matches must surely have reached a peak. Covid did knock it back in 2020. Back in the 1960's, the nearest neighbour NZ didn't want to play the Wallabies because they were of mediocre standard. 

As for the Kangaroo RL side, it's had a constancy. They actually played more tests in the 60's than RU but how that has changed. RL is a sport based around pro clubs with a little time begrudgingly allowed for test matches. 

Winning has been something the Kangaroos always did better than their RU counterparts. It's a more popular sport and has always been professional and that enticed RU players across to the light side. Going pro in the mid 90's encouraged one Wallabies player to proclaim RL would be dead in a short time.

The reality is RL in Australia has strengthened while RU has faltered. The win rate of the Wallabies reflects that from its peak in the 1990's to less than 40% so far this decade. Admittedly, the 2020's is a short period to draw conclusions on but the 2025 win rate was 33%, so yet another poor season for the side in yellow. 

Others in the series are as follows. Simply click on the country name to go there: England, France, New Zealand.

International Test Match Comparison : England RU vs England/GB RL

How many international test matches were played by the two oval ball codes in England? Rugby Union puts much greater emphasis on internationals so obviously the RU team will have played more. Looking at the data going back to the 1960's in decade blocks is how I did it. The 2020's are for six years so that number is lower. 

One issue is that there have also been GB sides as well. England still played matches each year despite there being GB Lions tours. In addition, the other nations contributing players have done so in large numbers. So the GB RU team is not very English and therefore not counted below.  

In RL, it is different. GB played instead of England and the GB side was overwhelmingly made up of players from England. More recently, GB has been phased out and England is playing as a nation. For those reasons, GB results are counted with England ones below. 

All games against another nation are counted, even if a few may not have been given test match status. Maybe they all were. The noticeable trend with all RU / RL international match comparisons is how RU has pushed them as time has passed but RL hasn't. Greater emphasis on club competitions in RL is the reason. GB/England played more international games in the 1960's and 70's but by the 2020's it is massively favouring RU and the gap is still widening.

Union is red, league blue.

When looking at win rates, overall there isn't much in it. RU had a very poor two decades to start with but then little difference between them until the latest period. The RL percentage is based on how often they play Australia and to a lesser extent the Kiwis. That has lifted England's success rate in recent times but with the Kangaroos touring in 2025, that figure dropped but still the best yet.  

Others in the series are as follows. Simply click on the country name to go there: Australia, France, New Zealand.

International Test Match Comparison : All Blacks vs Kiwis

How many international test matches were played by the two oval ball codes in NZ? Rugby Union puts much greater emphasis on internationals so obviously the AB's will have played more. Looking at the data going back to the 1960's in decade blocks is how I did it below. The 2020's are for six years so that number is lower as it is half of the other periods.

In the 1960's there was virtually no difference. From there, the RU side grew quickly while the RL side of things was very even. By the 2010's, it was favouring the AB's by over 5 to 1. The data surprised me in the early stages as I didn't think it would be that close. The later years were more of what I expected throughout. I didn't realise how much RU had escalated its test programme. 

As an aside, I decided to also consider success rates. The AB's have a huge reputation here. They play many tests against the Australian Wallabies and the Kiwis also play the Australian Kangaroos often. NZ's strength is RU and Australia's RL so the black columns below were always going to be ahead of the red ones. 

Summary: The All Blacks have increased their international calendar with the Kiwis have maintained an even flow until recently. Not surprising with so much emphasis on club RL, which doesn't easily allow for an expanded international programme in RL. That and indifference toward tests on the part of Australian RL officials. 

Others in the series are as follows. Simply click on the country name to go there: Australia, England, France.

International Test Match Comparison : France RU vs France RL

Rugby league only arrived in France in 1934 but within a few years, it was considered a top nation internationally. It was shamefully banned by the pro-Nazi Vichy government with all assets confiscated. No recompense was paid but RL in France was again prospering in the 1950's anyway. 

Rugby Union arrived in France around the 1870's. It was supposed to be amateur but in due course, the French RU flouted that which led to there being standoffs between them and other nations, international competition suffering. In the 1950's tensions gradually eased and more matches for the Tricolores eventuated.

In the 1960's both codes were playing a similar number of internationals but the French RL was now suffering through internal strife. That meant that the XIII code was losing ground to RU. As RU pursued more internationals, mainly through a consistent Five Nations Championship, RL largely neglected the international scene apart from World Cups.

Six years into the 2020's the contrast in the number of internationals played has become stark. Northern Hemisphere RL needs to get its international act together. France struggles to compete against England and other NH nations are some way below France. Public interest is low for one sided test matches. That means there is no business case for international matches for a sport already cash strapped.  

Union is blue, League is red. Remember, the 2020's cover six years only.

Win percentages are somewhat closer than the number of matches played. The RU side of things is fairly consistent apart from a good start to the 2020's. 

As for Rugby XIII, the decline of the game as a whole in France (from the 1960's) is mirrored in the decline in success. The arrival of the Catalan Dragons as a club in 2000 and its entry into the Super League in 2006 seem to have helped the success rate. Also, top RL nations not playing France is also helping their win rate. More now needs to be done to lift the game in France further.

Others in the series are as follows. Simply click on the country name to go there: Australia, England, New Zealand.