2002 end-of-year rugby union internationals
The 2002 end-of-year tests, also known as the 2002 Autumn Internationals, are international rugby union matches that took place during November and December 2002. The matches were contested between touring teams from the southern hemisphere, namely Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa and teams from the Six Nations Championship - England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Some matches also featured second-tier European sides Romania, Russia and Georgia, and South Pacific nation Fiji.
The 2002 end-of-year tests featured one of the biggest results in rugby union history, as South Africa suffered their heaviest ever defeat, losing 53-3 to England on 23 November.[1] This result saw England record back-to-back wins against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in consecutive weeks - the only occasion in rugby history that any nation has achieved this feat.
Until the 2021 end-of-year tests, this was the last occasion that Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa all lost their respective matches on the same day.
Fixtures[]
Week 1[]
2 November 2002
20:10 ART (UTC-3) |
Argentina ![]() |
6–17 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Pen: Contepomi (2) |
Report[3] | Try: Mortlock Pen: Burke (3) Flatley |
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires
Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand) |
Week 2[]
9 November 2002
14:30 GMT |
England ![]() |
31–28 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Cohen Moody Wilkinson Con: Wilkinson (2/3) Pen: Wilkinson (3) Drop: Wilkinson |
Report[4] | Try: Howlett Lee Lomu (2) Con: Blair (2) Mehrtens (2) |
France ![]() |
30–10 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Clerc Heymans Con: Gelez (1/2) Pen: Gelez (5) Drop: Castaignède |
Report[8] | Try: Van Niekerk Con: Pretorius Pen: Pretorius |
Week 3[]
Italy ![]() |
6–36 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Pen: Domínguez (2) |
Report[9] | Try: Albanese Corleto Durand Martín Orengo Con: Contepomi (2) Fernández Miranda (2) Pen: Contepomi |
16 November 2002
14:30 GMT |
England ![]() |
32–31 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Cohen (2) Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (6) |
Report[10] | Try: Flatley (2) Sailor Con: Burke (2/3) Pen: Burke (4) |
16 November 2002
14:30 GMT |
Scotland ![]() |
21–6 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Pountney Walker Con: Laney (1/2) Pen: Laney (3) |
Report[11] | Pen: James (2) |
France ![]() |
20–20 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Brusque Magne Con: Gelez (2/2) Pen: Gelez (2) |
Report[12] | Try: Umaga Meeuws Con: Mehrtens (2/2) Pen: Mehrtens (2) |
Week 4[]
Italy ![]() |
3–34 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Pen: Pez |
Report[16] | Try: Harrison Kefu Mortlock Staniforth (2) Con: Burke (3/5) Pen: Burke |
23 November 2002
14:30 GMT |
Wales ![]() |
17–43 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Robinson 14' c Penalty try 79' c Con: S. Jones (1/1) 15' Harris (1/1) 79' Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 8' |
Report[17] | Try: Howlett 19' c, 80+1' c Meeuws 80+5' c King 80+8' c Con: Mehrtens (4/4) 20', 80+2', 80+6', 80+9' Pen: Mehrtens (5/6) 11', 17', 40+1', 43', 63' |
23 November 2002
14:30 GMT |
England ![]() |
53–3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Cohen 20' m Greenwood 30' c, 42' c Penalty try 60' c Back 69' c Hill 74' c Dallaglio 80+2' c Con: Wilkinson (1/2) 30' Dawson (1/1) 43' Gomarsall (2/2) 61', 70' Stimpson (2/2) 75', 80+3' Pen: Wilkinson (1/1) 12' |
Report[18] | Pen: Pretorius (1/1) 37' |
- Jannes Labuschagne (South Africa) was shown a red card after 22 minutes.
- Until 16 September 2017 against New Zealand 57-0, this result is South Africa's biggest defeat in their rugby union history.
23 November 2002
16:30 GMT |
Ireland ![]() |
16–7 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Try: Dempsey 20' Con: O'Gara (1/1) 21' Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 33', 43', 65' |
Report[19] | Try: Martín 23' Con: Contepomi (1/1) 25' |
See also[]
- End of year rugby union tests
- Mid-year rugby union tests
References[]
- ^ "England rout sorry Springboks". 23 November 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Wales v Romania". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Argentina v Australia". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "England v New Zealand". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Ireland v Australia". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Scotland v Romania". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Wales v Fiji". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "France v South Africa". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Italy v Argentina". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "England v Australia". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Scotland v South Africa". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "France v New Zealand". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Wales v Canada". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Ireland v Fiji". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "France v Canada". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Italy v Australia". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Wales v New Zealand". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "England v South Africa". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Ireland v Argentina". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Scotland v Fiji". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- End-of-year rugby union internationals
- 2002–03 in European rugby union
- 2002 in Oceanian rugby union
- 2002 in North American rugby union
- 2002 in South American rugby union
- 2002 in South African rugby union