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 upsets in rugby union history, as South Africa suffered their biggest defeat after losing 53-3 to England on 23 November.

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 Penalty try Con: S. Jones Harris Pen: S. Jones	Report	Try: Howlett (2) King Meeuws Con: Mehrtens (4/4) Pen: Mehrtens (5)

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

---

23 November 2002 14:30 GMT

England	53–3	South Africa
Try: Back Cohen Dallaglio Greenwood (2) Hill Penalty try Con: Dawson Gomarsall (2) Stimpson (2) Wilkinson Pen: Wilkinson (2)	Report	Pen: Pretorius

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

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 Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara (3)	Report	Try: Martín Con: Contepomi

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