Australia and Italy have played each other in full tests at rugby union a total of twenty matches, with the first eighteen won by Australia. Italy achieved their first victory in the fixture in the 2022 Autumn Internationals, some 39 years after the first match between the teams. Australia have met Italy once in Rugby World Cup play, winning 32–6 in Auckland in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. All other matches were Test Matches.
In addition, Australia beat Italy twice in non-Test matches prior to 1983, in games in which Italy gave caps, but Australia, appearing as Australia XV, did not.
History Australia first played Italy on their way home from European tours in the 1970s, though they were not given full international status. The first encounter was in 1973 when Australia ran up 59 points to 21, but the second was the closest ever, with Italy losing by a single point 16–17. Officially, the first test between the two countries was in 1983, following an Italian tour of Australia in 1981 in which the visitors acquitted themselves well against secondary opposition. They toured again in 1986 and played their first test match away from home. Two years later the Italians were soundly beaten at the end of the 1988 Wallabies tour, but their next tour of Australia in 1994 saw a big improvement with all state matches won and an unlucky defeat in the Brisbane test match. In 2011 they met for the first time in a World Cup match at the group stage in Auckland with Australia starting their campaign towards the semi-finals with a 32–6 win. A period of convincing wins to Australia followed, with Italy coming close in 2012, losing by only three points.
In November 2022 Italy won their first game against Australia 28–27 as part of the 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals. Italy won their second consecutive game against Australia in the 2025 end-of-year rugby union internationals.
In July 2026, the two teams met in the inaugural edition of the 2026 Nations Championship, the first phase of which were played in the Southern Hemisphere and was known as the Southern Hemisphere Series. Australia hosted Italy in Perth, and won 57–10.
Summary Note: Summary below reflects test results by both teams.
Overall Details Played Won byAustralia Won byItaly Drawn Australia points Italy points In Australia8800313123 In Italy121020389186 Neutral venue1100326Overall211920734315
Records Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set. RecordAustraliaItalyLongest winning streak18 (22 October 1983 – 12 November 2022)2 (12 November 2022 – 8 November 2025)Largest points forHome69 (25 June 2005)28 (12 November 2022)Away55 (3 December 1988)27 (24 June 2017)Largest winning marginHome48 (25 June 2005)7 (8 November 2025) Away49 (3 December 1988)
Results No. Date Venue Score Winner Competition 1 22 October 1983 Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo7–29 1983 Australia tour of Italy and France 21 June 1986 Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane39–18 1986 Italy tour of Australia 3 3 December 1988 Stadio Flaminio, Rome6–55 1988 Australia tour of Great Britain and Italy 4 18 June 1994 Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane23–20 1994 Italy tour of Australia 5 25 June 1994 Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne20–7 6 23 October 1996 Stadio Plebiscito, Padua18–40 1996 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and Italy 7 23 November 2002 Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genova3–34 2002 Australia tour of Argentina and Europe 8 25 June 2005 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne69–21 2005 Italy tour of Argentina and Australia 9 11 November 2006 Stadio Flaminio, Rome18–25 2006 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and Italy 10 8 November 2008 Stadio Euganeo, Padova20–30 2008 Australia tour of Great Britain, France and Italy 11 13 June 2009 Canberra Stadium, Canberra31–8 2009 Italy tour of Australia 12 20 June 2009 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne34–12 13 20 November 2010 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence14–32 2010 Autumn International 14 11 September 2011 North Harbour Stadium, Auckland (New Zealand)32–6 2011 Rugby World Cup 15 24 November 2012 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence19–22 2012 Autumn International 16 9 November 2013 Stadio Olimpico di Torino, Turin20–50 2013 Autumn International 17 24 June 2017 Lang Park, Brisbane40–27 2017 Summer International 18 17 November 2018 Stadio Euganeo, Padova7–26 2018 Autumn International 19 12 November 2022 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence 28–27 2022 Autumn International 20 8 November 2025Stadio Friuli, Udine26–19 2025 Autumn International 21 18 July 2026 Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth57–10 2026 Nations Championship
XV Results Below is a list of matches that Italy has awarded matches test match status by virtue of awarding caps, but Australia did not award caps.
Date Venue Score Winner Competition 21 November 1973 Stadio Tommaso Fattori, L'Aquila 21–59 1973 Australia tour of Great Britain and Italy 4 November 1976 Arena Civica, Milan15–16 1976 Australia tour of France and Italy
List of series PlayedWon byAustraliaWon byItalyDrawn 3 3 0 0
Year Australia Italy Series winner 1986 1 0 1994 2 0 2009 2 0
References