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 involving touring teams from the southern hemisphere. These consist of Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa and one or more teams from the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. This year's end of year tests also featured Tier 2 European sides, Romania, Russia and Georgia, and also features South Pacific nations 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]

Fixtures

Week 1

1 November 2002 19:30 GMT

Wales	40–3	Romania
	Report

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Attendance: 9,448 Referee: Joël Jutge (France)

2 November 2002 20:10 ART (UTC-3)

Argentina	6–17	Australia
Pen: Contepomi (2)	Report	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	New Zealand
Try: Cohen Moody Wilkinson Con: Wilkinson (2/3) Pen: Wilkinson (3) Drop: Wilkinson	Report	Try: Howlett Lee Lomu (2) Con: Blair (2) Mehrtens (2)

Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 75,000 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

9 November 2002 14:30 GMT

Ireland	18–9	Australia
Pen: O'Gara (6)	Report	Pen: Burke (3)

Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 49,000 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

9 November 2002 16:30 GMT

Scotland	37–10	Romania
	Report

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 34,413 Referee: Andy Turner (South Africa)

9 November 2002 16:30 GMT

Wales	58–14	Fiji
	Report

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 34,103 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

9 November 2002 20:45 CET (UTC+1)

France	30–10	South Africa
Try: Clerc Heymans Con: Gelez (1/2) Pen: Gelez (5) Drop: Castaignède	Report	Try: Van Niekerk Con: Pretorius Pen: Pretorius

Stade Velodrome, Marseille Attendance: 57,203 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Week 3

16 November 2002 15:15 CET (UTC+1)

Italy	6–36	Argentina
Pen: Domínguez (2)	Report	Try: Albanese Corleto Durand Martín Orengo Con: Contepomi (2) Fernández Miranda (2) Pen: Contepomi

Stadio Flaminio, Rome Attendance: 23,263 Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

16 November 2002 14:30 GMT

England	32–31	Australia
Try: Cohen (2) Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (6)	Report	Try: Flatley (2) Sailor Con: Burke (2/3) Pen: Burke (4)

Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 75,000 Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

16 November 2002 14:30 GMT

Scotland	21–6	South Africa
Try: Pountney Walker Con: Laney (1/2) Pen: Laney (3)	Report	Pen: James (2)

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 58,225 Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales)

16 November 2002 20:45 CET (UTC+1)

France	20–20	New Zealand
Try: Brusque Magne Con: Gelez (2/2) Pen: Gelez (2)	Report	Try: Umaga Meeuws Con: Mehrtens (2/2) Pen: Mehrtens (2)

Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 78,625 Referee: Scott Young (Australia)

16 November 2002 16:30 GMT

Wales	32–21	Canada
	Report

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 30,586 Referee: Giulio de Santis (Italy)

17 November 2002 15:00 GMT

Ireland	64–17	Fiji
	Report

Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 31,482 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

Week 4

23 November 2002 14:00 CET (UTC+1)

France	35–3	Canada
	Report

Stade de France, Saint-Denis Attendance: 48,000 Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

23 November 2002 15:15 CET (UTC+1)

Italy	3–34	Australia
Pen: Pez	Report	Try: Harrison Kefu Mortlock Staniforth (2) Con: Burke (3/5) Pen: Burke

Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Pablo Deluca (Argentina)

23 November 2002 14:30 GMT

Wales	17–43	New Zealand
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	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'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 68,785 Referee: Tappe Henning (South Africa)

23 November 2002 14:30 GMT

England	53–3	South Africa
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	Pen: Pretorius (1/1) 37'

Twickenham Stadium, London Attendance: 72,000 Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

Jannes Labuschagne (South Africa) was shown a red card after 22 minutes.
To date, this result is South Africa's biggest defeat in their rugby union history.

23 November 2002 16:30 GMT

Ireland	16–7	Argentina
Try: Dempsey 20' Con: O'Gara (1/1) 21' Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 33', 43', 65'	Report	Try: Martín 23' Con: Contepomi (1/1) 25'

Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Chris White (England)

24 November 2002 15:00 GMT

Scotland	36–22	Fiji
	Report

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 37,351 Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)

See also

• End of year rugby union tests
• Mid-year rugby union tests

References

Rugby Union tours
Argentina national rugby union team tours Australia 1983 1986 1995 2000 New Zealand 1979 1989 1997 2001 2004 South Africa and Zimbabwe 1965 1971 1994 2002 2003 England 1976 1978 1990 1996 2000 2006 France 1975 1982 1988 1992 1998 2004 2006 2008 Ireland 1973 1978 1990 1999 2002 2004 2008 Italy 1978 1998 2002 2005 2006 2008 Scotland 1973 1990 1999 2001 2005 Wales 1976 1998 2001 Others 1982 (Spain) 1990 (British Isles) 1992 (Romania and Spain) 1998 (Japan)
Australia rugby union tours Argentina 1979 1987 1997 2002 New Zealand 1905 1913 1921 1923 1925 1928 1931 1936 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1962 1964 1967 1972 1978 1982 1986 1990 1991 South Africa 1933 1953 1961 1963 1969 1992 British Isles 1908–09 1927–28 1947–48 1957–58 1966–67 1968 1973 1975–76 1981–82 1984 1988 1992 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2008 2009 2013 France 1928 1948 1958 1967 1971 1976 1983 1989 1993 1998 2000 2001 2004 2005 2008 Italy 1973 1976 1983 1988 1996 2002 2006 2008 2009 2013 Spain 2001 North America 1909 1912 1928 1948 1958 1967 1976 1989 1993 Fiji 1972 1980 1984 Hong Kong 2008 2010
Canada rugby union tours Australia, New Zealand and Oceania 1985 1995 1996 2007 British Isles 1979 1983 1994 1999 2002 2004 2006 2008 France and Europe 1979 1994 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006
England national rugby union team tours Australia 1963 1975 1988 1991 1997 1998 1999 2003 2004 2006 2010 2016 New Zealand 1963 1973 1985 1998 2003 2004 2008 2010 2014 South Africa 1972 1984 1994 1998 2000 2007 2012 2018 Argentina 1981 1990 1997 2002 2013 2017 Romania 1989 South Pacific 1973 1979 1988 1991 North America 1982 1993 2001 Asia 1971 1979
Fiji rugby union tours Australia 1976 1984 1985 1989 no test 2003 2007 New Zealand 1974 1980 1989 no test 1996 1997 2003 South Africa 1996 British Isles 1964 1982 1985 1989 1995 2002 2005 France and Europe 1964 1989 (no test) 1990 2001 2005 Americas 1964 1980 1982 2003 Asia 1990 1996 Samoa 1989 Tonga 1989
France rugby union tours Argentina 1949 1954 1960 1974 1977 1985 1986 1988 1992 1996 1998 2002 2003 2010 2012 2016 Australia 1961 1968 1972 1981 1986 1990 1997 2002 2005 2008 2009 2014 New Zealand 1961 1968 1979 1984 1986 1989 1994 1999 2001 2003 2007 2009 2013 South Africa 1958 1964 1967 1971 1975 1980 1993 2001 2005 2006 2010 Europe Romania 2006 North America Canada 1978 USA 1991 Canada 1994 USA & Canada 2004 South Pacific Fiji 1979 Fiji 1998 Samoa & Tonga 1999 Asia Hong Kong & Japan 1978 Other nations Chile 1954 Brazil 1974 Brazil & Uruguay 1985 Paraguay 1988
Ireland national rugby union team tours Australia 1967 1979 1994 1999 2003 2006 2008 2010 New Zealand 1976 1992 1997 2002 2006 2008 2010 2012 South Africa and Namibia 1961 1981 1991 1998 2004 2016 France and Europe 1988 Americas Canada 1899 South America 1952 Argentina 1970 North America 1989 2000 Argentina 2007 North America 2013 Argentina 2014 Oceania 1976 1997 2003 Japan 1985 2005
Italy national rugby union team tours Australia 1981 (no test) 1986 1994 2005 New Zealand 1980 (no test) 2002 2003 (no test) South Africa 1973 (no test) 1999 2001 2008 Argentina and South America 1989 2001 2005 2007 Europe 1988-89 2004 South Pacific 1980 2000 2006 North America 1980 1983 Other African Countries 1970 1973 1985 1991 2001 Asia 2004 2006
Japan rugby union tours Argentina and South America 1993 2005 Australia 1975 New Zealand 1974 British Isles 1973 1976 1983 1986 1993 2000 2004 France 1973 1976 2000 Italy 1976 Romania 2004 North America 1986
New Zealand rugby union tours Australia 1884 1893 1897 1903 1905 1907 1910 1914 1920 1922 1924 1925 1926 1929 1932 1934 1938 1947 1951 1957 1960 1962 1968 1974 1979 1980 1984 1988 1991 1992 South Africa 1928 1949 1960 1970 1976 1992 1996 British Isles 1905-06 1924–25 1935–36 1953–54 1963–64 1967 1972–73 1974 1978 1979 1980 1983 1989 1993 1997 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2008 France 1906 1925 1964 1967 1972–73 1977 1981 1986 1990 1995 2000 2002 2004 2006 Italy and Romania 1977 1979 1981 1995 2000 2004 North and South America 1906 1913 1925 1936 1953–54 1964 1967 1972 1976 1980 1985 1989 1991 2001 2006 Asia and Oceania 1968 1974 1980 1984 1987
Romania rugby union tours Argentina (1973) New Zealand (1975} Wales (1979) Ireland (1980) Scotland (1981) England (1984-85) New Zealand (1991) Argentina (1998) British Isles (2002)
Samoa rugby union tours Australia and New Zealand 1991 1993 1994 1996 2005 South Africa and Namibia 1995 1996 2002 2003 2007 British Isles and Europe 1988 1989 1995 1996 2000 2001 2005 2010 2012 Americas 2005 Asia 2010 South Pacific 1974 1981 1983
Scotland rugby union tours Argentina (1969) New Zealand (1975) New Zealand (1981) Australia (1982) North America (1985) Zimbabwe (1988) Japan (1989) New Zealand (1990) Australia (1992) South Pacific (1993) Argentina (1994) Zimbabwe (1995) New Zealand (1996) Oceania (1998) South Africa (1999) New Zealand (2000) North America (2002) South Africa (2003) Oceania (2004) South Africa (2006) Argentina (2008) Argentina (2010) Oceania (2012) South African Quadrangular Tournament (2013) Americas and South Africa (2014) Japan (2016) Australian Tournament (2017) Americas (2018)
South Africa rugby union tours Springboks tours Britain, Ireland and France (1906-07) Britain, Ireland and France (1912-13) Australia and New Zealand (1921) Britain and Ireland (1931-32) Australasia (1937) Europe (1951-52) Europe (1960-61) Scotland and Ireland (1965) Australasia (1965) Britain and Ireland (1969-70) Australia (1971) South America (1980) New Zealand and USA (1981) Europe (1992) Australia (1993) Argentina (1993) New Zealand (1994) Britain and Ireland (1994) Argentina and Europe (1996) Europe (1997) Britain & Ireland (1998) Argentina, Britain & Ireland (2000) France & England (2001) Europe (2002) Britain, Ireland and Argentina (2004) Argentina and Europe (2005) Ireland and England (2006) Wales (2007) Great Britain (2008) Junior Springboks Argentina (1932) * South America (1959) Gazelles Argentina (1966) Argentina (1972)
Tonga rugby union tours Japan (1995) Africa (1997) Great Britain (1997) Great Britain (2001) Italy and France (2005)
United States rugby union tours England and France (1924) England (1977) Wales (1987) Australia (1990) Wales (1997) Portugal and Spain (1998) Australia and England (1999) Great Britain (2000) Ireland and Italy (2004) Japan (2008)
Wales rugby union tours Argentina 1968 1999 2004 2006 Australia 1969 1978 1991 1996 2003 2007 2012 New Zealand 1969 1988 2003 2016 South Africa 1964 1995 1998 2002 2004 2008 2014 Japan 1965 2001 2013 South Pacific 1969 1986 1994 North America 1980 (as "Wales B") 1989 (as "Wales B") 1994 1997 2005 Namibia and Zimbabwe 1990 1998 Spain 1983
Barbarians FC tours Overseas Tour Canada (1957) Africa (1958) Rhodesia and South Africa (1969) United States and Canada (1976) Belgium and France (1982) Russia (1992) Zimbabwe (1994) Japan (1996) South America (1998) End of Season Tour Ireland and Great Britain (2000) Great Britain (2001) Great Britain (2002) Great Britain (2003) Great Britain and Portugal (2004) Great Britain (2005) Great Britain and Georgia (2006) Tunisia and Spain (2007) Belgium and Great Britain (2008) England and Australia (2009) England and Ireland (2010) Britain and Ireland (2012) Britain and Ireland (2013) Special Tour Tour of centenary (1990) (Scotland and Ireland) 1991 (Scotland and Wales) 1996