How Good Is Brazil at Rugby? The Real Story

Most people just don’t link Brazil with rugby—they think football, carnival, maybe volleyball. But rugby’s been sneaking its way in, and the story is way more interesting than you'd expect. You might be surprised to hear Brazil’s men’s team beat the United States in a real match back in 2016. Yep, that actually happened, and it rattled plenty of rugby fans worldwide.

Brazil’s rugby team, Os Tupis, didn’t just pop up overnight. Sure, they’re nowhere near the All Blacks, but they’ve worked their way from the bottom and now hold their own, especially among South American squads. Local clubs are springing up, the player count is growing, and fixtures are drawing bigger crowds each year. If you want to keep an eye on where the next rugby upset might come from, Brazil’s worth watching.

• Rugby Roots in Brazil
• How Brazil’s Team Stacks Up
• Biggest Wins (and Losses) So Far
• Brazil in South American Rugby
• Rugby Fixtures: Who Are They Playing?
• What’s Next for Brazil’s Rugby Scene?

Rugby Roots in Brazil

Not a lot of folks realize it, but rugby’s been kicking around Brazil for over a century. The first recorded Brazil rugby match actually happened all the way back in 1891 in São Paulo. British immigrants are mostly to thank for that—they brought the game with them and set up the country’s very first club, São Paulo Athletic Club. Weirdly enough, that’s the same place where Brazilian football also got its start.

Even though rugby’s long history in Brazil makes it sound like it should be massive, it stayed a real niche sport for a long time. Most kids grew up with footballs, not rugby balls. But around the 2000s, things started to shift. More people started playing, especially after the Brazilian Rugby Confederation (CBRu) began pushing the game in schools and colleges. The move paid off, with interest snowballing in bigger cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Here are a few fast facts to show how things have shaped up:

• The first ever international test for the men’s Brazil rugby team was in 1932, against Chile.
• Brazilians have their own word for try—it's “ensaio.” Pretty fitting since every try feels like a fresh experiment.
• Since 2014, the number of registered players in Brazil has grown by at least 80%.

You’ll also notice a stronger women’s rugby side, thanks to Brazil’s push for gender equal sports. The women’s team won the South American Sevens title over 15 times, showing that Brazil’s rugby roots go deeper than just the guys.

Here’s what’s really wild—being named as a host for the rugby sevens at the Rio 2016 Olympics gave Brazil’s rugby a solid jumpstart. After that, the sport started to move from a dusty corner of athletics to something you could actually see on local TV. That boost helped create new leagues, youth programs, and even some homegrown rugby stars people can cheer for.

So, while rugby isn’t Brazil’s top sport by a long shot, its grassroots are sturdy and growing fast. Every year, more local fixtures are popping up, and the crowds keep getting a little bit bigger. For a country known for carnival and samba, you might want to add a ruck or two into that mix.

How Brazil’s Team Stacks Up

When people talk about Brazil rugby, it’s usually in the context of an underdog. But if you peel back the layers, Brazil’s national team has made some real progress in the last decade. As of early 2025, Brazil is ranked 27th in the World Rugby rankings. While that might sound modest, remember, a few years ago, they were nowhere near the top 30.

Os Tupis have a reputation for gritty defense and fitness. They’re not the biggest team on the pitch, but what they lack in star power, they make up for with energy and discipline. You’ll notice most of their players are shaped more like footballers than traditional rugby locks, so their playing style leans on speed and teamwork over brute strength.

The team’s backbone is homegrown, but lately, a few players from Brazil’s big cities have picked up rugby during time spent studying or playing abroad, mainly in Portugal or France. They come back, share new tricks, and help raise the local game. Some core players you’ll see in most rugby fixtures include scrum-half Felipe Sancery and number 8 Andre Arruda—two guys with a real influence on Brazil’s style.

Here’s how Brazil compares in some key rugby stats in South America (as of 2024):

Not quite giants, but way closer to the pack than they were even five years ago.

Brazil’s coach has been vocal about how they prepare: lots of fitness sessions, major focus on tackling drills, not so much on fancy moves. In the words of Pablo Lemoine, head coach since 2021:

“We don’t have physical monsters, so we play with our minds and our hearts. The boys want respect, so every meter on the field matters.”

One thing’s clear: Brazil isn’t just making up the numbers anymore. Their steady climb in world rankings, growing crowds at rugby fixtures, and a better-organized domestic league help explain why you can’t count them out, no matter who they’re facing.

Biggest Wins (and Losses) So Far

If you ask a Brazilian rugby fan about proud moments, the top pick is almost always the 24-23 victory over the United States in the Americas Rugby Championship back in 2016. That game put Brazil rugby on the map, at least in the Americas. The U.S. team was expected to win easily. Instead, Os Tupis pulled off one of the most talked-about upsets outside of South American football stadiums.

That wasn’t a fluke, either. Since then, Brazil has pulled off wins against Chile and Paraguay in the South American Rugby Championship. These fixtures matter, because they show that Brazil isn’t just turning up; they’re competing and grinding out results. Beating Chile 15-10 in 2018 proved they could hang with local rivals.

On the flip side, Brazil rugby still suffers some hard losses. Matches against heavyweights like Argentina (especially Argentina XV, their development squad) often end up pretty one-sided. For example, in 2022 they lost by over 60 points to Argentina XV. This just shows the gap between the top teams in the region and where Brazil stands today.

One thing to keep in mind: Brazil loses big, but they keep coming back stronger. Every year, they pick up at least a couple of wins, and their scoring is improving even in losses. Hang around the Brazil rugby scene for a while and you’ll see the progress flicker through the fixtures—especially when you look at the results from just five or ten years ago.

Brazil in South American Rugby

When it comes to South American rugby, Brazil isn’t just there to make up the numbers anymore. For the past decade, Brazil’s national squad, Os Tupis, has moved up from being a pushover to a real threat in the region. In the South American Rugby Championship (also called the Sudamericano), Brazil regularly faces Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay. Argentina’s on another level—they almost always win. But outside of that, the games are way more even now.

Brazil’s biggest leap forward came in 2016. That year, they knocked off the United States 24-23 in the Americas Rugby Championship (yes, the same tournament Argentina and Canada play in). It was the type of win that got people asking about Brazil rugby for the first time. Since then, Brazil has put up a fight against Chile and Paraguay almost every time, and even managed to beat Uruguay in 2018—a big deal considering Uruguay’s ranked much higher.

Here’s a look at Brazil’s recent records against other South American teams (from 2021 to 2024):

Brazil now takes part in the Americas Rugby Championship and the South American Championship almost every year. They don’t just show up; they usually grab at least one win each tourney and never get totally blown out. Their defense keeps getting tighter, and their set-pieces don’t fall apart as much as they used to. If you’re looking at rugby fixtures for South America, Brazil’s games are usually pretty competitive and worth watching.

And it’s not just men. Brazil’s women’s rugby squad actually qualifies for the Rugby World Cup Sevens regularly and is one of the strongest sides in South America, especially in sevens. That kind of success helps push the whole local scene forward, with more kids picking up a ball every year.

Rugby Fixtures: Who Are They Playing?

If you're following Brazil rugby, knowing who they're lining up against is half the fun. For 2025, Brazil has a packed fixture list, mixing up matches against tough teams and familiar rivals. The bulk of Brazil’s games are in the South American Rugby Championship. You’ll find them trading tackles with Argentina XV, Chile, and Uruguay—teams that really test what Os Tupis are made of.

Here's a quick look at some confirmed fixtures for this season:

Some of these matches are grudge games. The rivalry with Chile has always been close—last year’s nail-biter in Santiago was decided by just two points. Brazil also keeps hammering away at Uruguay, who’s a regular at the Rugby World Cup. Facing Argentina XV is another story; no easy wins there, but it’s a huge learning moment for the Brazilians every time they play.

You might wonder how the crowd size and atmosphere compare to the bigger rugby nations. Honestly, it’s a different vibe, but excitement is real. Home games in São Paulo or Belo Horizonte pull thousands of fans, which is big news since rugby used to be a total afterthought in Brazil.

“Brazil’s fixtures against South American rivals have become must-watch games for both diehard rugby fans and curious locals,” said Diego Ramirez, a fixture analyst for Americas Rugby News.

Watching the Brazil rugby team line up against South American favorites shows how far they’ve come. These fixtures matter for World Rugby rankings and bragging rights—and you never know when another upset is coming. If you want live action, keep an eye on the calendar. Some matches even stream on YouTube or local sports channels, so you don’t have to miss out.

• Check official channels for fixture changes—dates can shift fast.
• If you’re new to following Brazil’s games, South America’s championship matches are usually the most heated.

What’s Next for Brazil’s Rugby Scene?

Brazil’s rugby scene isn’t stuck in neutral—it’s gaining ground every season. The buzz after their win over the USA wasn’t just a fluke. The Brazil rugby setup has been putting effort into talent development, especially with more schools and universities hopping onto the rugby bandwagon. Kids used to choose football by default, but now some are picking up a rugby ball and giving it a real shot.

The Brazilian Rugby Confederation (CBRu) has set some pretty clear plans for growth. The goal? Get into the Rugby World Cup. They missed out in 2023, but they’ve kept training camps tight, pulling in overseas coaches and using better fitness programs. That gap in experience with top teams isn’t as massive as before, which is promising for upcoming rugby fixtures.

Clubs are a key piece. The Super 12—the main Brazilian league—has raised the standard for homegrown players. Transfers from Argentina and even Europe are showing up, bringing know-how and more eyes on the league. The bigger crowds at top matches are proof that locals are catching the rugby bug. As a result, it’s way easier now to find a club or touch rugby session in São Paulo, Rio, or Porto Alegre than it was a decade ago.

For the women’s team, there’s also a real push. Brazil’s women have dominated in South America, especially in sevens. Their sights are now set on closing the gap to teams like Canada and the USA. So, it’s not just a men’s story here.

Want to keep up with the latest Brazil rugby news and fixtures? The CBRu’s site posts the next international matches, including dates for the South American Championship. Plus, big tournaments in Brazil like the Americas Rugby Championship are now drawing crowds of over 10,000. Here’s a quick look at some moments and numbers worth watching:

If you’re planning to catch a match, check local rugby clubs or look out for fixtures posted right after the next World Rugby window. The vibe at the stadiums is friendly, food’s good, tickets aren’t expensive, and you get to see a sport on the rise. Who knows—maybe the next big upset will have Brazil’s name on it.