Soviet Union women's national rugby union team

The Soviet Union women's national rugby union team were the women's national rugby union team of the Soviet Union. They played six matches between 1990 and 1991, losing them all. The team was severely underfunded, surviving the 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup by bartering and selling items of kit and other artefacts such as vodka. They ceased playing after 1991, because of the collapse of the Soviet Union.[1]

For the men's team, see Soviet Union national rugby union team.
Soviet Union women's national rugby union team
First colours
Second colours
First international
New Zealand  8–0  Soviet Union
(Lincoln University, Lincoln; 28 August 1990)
Biggest defeat
United States  46–0  Soviet Union
(Memorial Ground, Cardiff; 10 April 1991)
World Cup
Appearances1

History

The Soviet Union played their first match at RugbyFest 1990 against the New Zealand women's national rugby union team and lost 8–0.[1] They also lost their other two matches in the tournament against the Netherlands and the United States.[1] They were invited to participate in the 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup in Wales. This was the first time most of the players had got Soviet Union passports and traveled outside the Soviet Union. The majority of the team was made up from the Moscow-based Victoria rugby club.[1] The team were delayed for two days and half of their luggage went missing at Moscow Airport. When the team arrived, they smuggled five crates of Russian vodka and caviar through customs at Heathrow Airport.[2]

When they arrived in Wales, they resorted to selling or bartering their vodka, caviar and sportswear in order to pay for their living expenses as they were not allowed to take any money out of the Soviet Union.[2] Officers from HM Customs and Excise visited the team when they heard about the illicit vodka sales but left without issuing any enforcement due to the language barrier.[3] The story was reported in national newspapers in the United Kingdom, which led to several donations being given to cover their expenses,[4] including meals from a local pie merchant, £1,200 from an anonymous donor and £100 from the mother of the Welsh team's hooker.[1] The Soviet Union lost all their matches during the tournament against the Netherlands, the United States and Canada; playing without scrum caps or gumshields.[1][2]

The tournament organisers were left with a £30,000 debt owed to the Rugby Football Union after it, which was mainly attributed to the Soviet team as they were unable to pay their expenses.[5] This was the last time the Soviet team played as following the dissolution of the Soviet Union; their place in the 1994 Women's Rugby World Cup was taken by the successor teams of Russia and Kazakhstan.[1]

Results summary

(Full internationals only, updated to 24 April 2023)

Soviet Union Internationals From 1990
OpponentFirst MatchPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstWin %
 Canada199110010380.00%
 Netherlands199020024400.00%
 New Zealand19901001080.00%
 United States199020020780.00%
Summary1990600641640.00%

Results
For information about the status of international games, see Women's international rugby union § International women's matches.

Full internationals
Won Lost Tie/Draw
Test#DateSoviet UnionScoreOpponentVenueEventRef
11990-08-28Soviet Union 0–8 New ZealandLincoln University, LincolnRugbyFest 1990[6]
21990-08-30Soviet Union 4–12 NetherlandsChristchurchRugbyFest 1990[6]
31990-08-31Soviet Union 0–32 United StatesLancaster Park, ChristchurchRugbyFest 1990[6][7]
41991-04-08Soviet Union 0–28 NetherlandsThe Dairy Field, Llanharan1991 World Cup[8][9][10][11][12]
51991-04-10Soviet Union 0–46 United StatesMemorial Ground, Cardiff1991 World Cup[8][9][10][13][14][12]
61991-04-11Soviet Union 0–38 CanadaCardiff Arms Park, Cardiff1991 World Cup[9][10][12]

See also

References
  1. "Remembering WRWC '91: The Soviet Union". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. "How the Russians endeared themselves to their Welsh hosts at inaugural Women's World Cup". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  3. Birch, John (9 April 1991). "World Cup: Soviet Union team penniless". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2020 – via Womensrugbyhistory.blogspot.com.
  4. Meagher, Gerard (14 December 2017). "Standards rise at Women's Rugby World Cup but England still the team to beat". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  5. "The incredible journey women's rugby has taken to earn its place in the spotlight". Wales Online. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  6. "1990 RugbyFest 1990 (W) full draw". RugbyDatabase.co.nz. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  7. "USA vs Soviet Union". World Rugby. 31 August 1990. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. "USSR 1991 (Silvia Lolli)". IlMuseoDelRugby.it (in Italian). 29 July 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  9. "1991 Womens Rugby World Cup (W) full draw". RugbyDatabase.co.nz. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. "USA Women's Rugby World Cup 1991 Champions Reunite at Atlanta 7s". DJCoilRugby.com. 7 April 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  11. "Netherlands vs Soviet Union". World Rugby. 8 April 1991. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  12. "Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021 - Italy Media Guide". Italian Rugby Federation. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  13. "US Women Eagles Win the Inaugural Women's World Cup". WomenEagles.com. 8 August 2006. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  14. "USA vs Soviet Union". World Rugby. 10 April 1991. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
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