Who Is the Most-Capped Rugby Player in History?

Alun Wyn Jones is the most-capped rugby player of all time. He played 171 Test matches for Wales and the British & Irish Lions. He is 18 Tests ahead of Sam Whitelock of New Zealand, who played 153 international rugby games. They are the only two players to reach 150 Tests. Several active players may reach the 150-cap milestone, but it will be tough because time is not on their side.

The most-capped rugby union players in history come from across the globe. Few players reach a century of Test caps for their country. Rugby is a brutally physical contact sport. The increase in club, provincial, and franchise rugby games has increased injuries, which is why many international players do not get to 100 Test caps.

Only ninety-seven international rugby players from fourteen countries have reached centurion status. Two referees have officiated more than a century of rugby internationals. Twenty-seven players are Rugby World Cup champions. Sam Cane, the All Blacks captain, is the most recent centurion. SportsBoom compiled a list of the top ten most-capped rugby players of all time. Seven are retired, and three are currently still active.

The Top 10 Most-Capped Rugby Players

Wyn Jones played 159 times for Wales and was capped thirteen times for the British & Irish Lions across four Southern Hemisphere tours (2009, 2013, 2017, 2021). He is the equal second-most capped Lions player. It is unlikely any player will dislodge the Welshman from the top spot for many years. Three active players will move up the list of the top ten most-capped rugby players. 

James Slipper passed George Gregan on Saturday, 21 September 2024 against New Zealand, to become the most-capped Australian rugby player of all time. Beauden Barrett equalled Cian Healy (tenth) during the last Rugby Championship match against Australia on Saturday, 28 September 2024. Slipper, Barrett, and Healy will climb the ladder during the end-of-year Autumn International Series. 

England is the only nation to win the Rugby World Cup but not have a representative in the top ten most-capped players of all time. Sergio Parisse is the most-capped Italian player. He is one place higher than Brian O’Driscoll, the most-capped Irish player, and Slipper. Gregan, O’Driscoll, and Barrett are the only backs on the list. The rugby position most represented comes from the scrum.

Three props, two locks, a flanker, and number eight all reached 131+ Test caps. Interestingly, no hookers, wingers or fullbacks make the top ten list. There is one flyhalf, centre, and scrumhalf represented. However, Eben Etzebeth, the Springboks lock, is the next player who will get past 130 Test matches. If he stays healthy over the next few years, he will play more than 150 international games. 

Eben Etzebeth with The Webb Ellis Cup//Getty Images

The Most-Capped South African Rugby Player

Etzebeth (128) became the most-capped Springbok of all time when he passed Victor Matfield’s 127 Test matches against Argentina in the final Test of The Rugby Championship in 2024. Etzebeth will need to play another year of Test match rugby to make the list of the top ten most-capped rugby players in history. 

The Most-Capped New Zealand Rugby Player

Sam Whitelock is the most-capped New Zealand rugby player. He passed Richie McCaw during his last season in 2023. McCaw is the most-capped international rugby captain and flank of all time. McCaw won 110 of his 148 Test matches as skipper of the All Blacks. He also has the most wins by an international player, winning 131 of his 148 games. The flank captained New Zealand to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015. 

McCaw also won a record ten Rugby Championship titles. Beauden Barrett will climb to ninth overall most capped international rugby player during the final two matches of the 2024 Rugby Championship. Barrett is still young enough to pass Whitelock and become the most capped Kiwi in history, but he will need to play most of the All Blacks’ Test matches in the next two years.

The Most-Capped Australia Rugby Player

James Slipper has the most Wallaby caps (140). Slipper will reach 150 caps if he plays another season for the Wallabies. 

The Most-Capped England Rugby Player

There are no England internationals on the top ten list. Ben Youngs, however, is the most-capped England player of all time. Youngs played 129 Test matches for England. One hundred and twenty-seven for England, and two for the Lions. He is the second-most capped scrumhalf in international rugby; however, Connor Murray (127 Tests) will pass him by the end of the 2024 season. 

The Most-Capped British & Irish Lions Rugby Player

Willie John McBride holds the record for most British & Irish Lions Test caps. McBride played in seventeen Test matches across five tours. He captained Ireland 63 times, but his most memorable achievement was leading the Lions on their unbeaten 22-match tour of South Africa in 1974. 

The Most-Capped Ireland Rugby Player

Brian O’Driscoll is the most-capped Irish rugby player. He played 133 Tests for Ireland and eight for the British & Irish Lions. 

The Most-Capped Scotland Rugby Player

Ross Ford is the most-capped Scottish rugby player. The hooker played 111 Test matches for the Scots and one for the Lions. Ford is one of four players to represent Scotland one hundred times. 

The Most-Capped Italy Rugby Player

Sergio Parisse is the most-capped Italian rugby player in history. Parisse is Italy’s greatest-ever rugby player. He is ranked number four all-time for international matches. He played 142 times for the Azzurri. He holds the joint record for most Rugby World Cup tournaments, playing in five. Parisse is the most-capped number eight in rugby history, and he holds the record for the most Six Nations appearances (69). 

The Most-Capped France Rugby Player

Fabien Pelous is the most-capped French rugby player. Pelous retired in 2007 as the most capped lock in history. He played 100 times as a lock in his 118 Test match career with France. However, Victor Matfield broke his record. Wyn Jones, Whitelock, and Etzebeth also passed his achievement.