Major achievements in rugby by nation

This article contains lists of achievements in major senior-level international rugby union, rugby sevens, rugby league and wheelchair rugby tournaments according to first-place, second-place and third-place results obtained by teams representing different nations. The objective is not to create combined medal tables; the focus is on listing the best positions achieved by teams in major international tournaments, ranking the nations according to the most number of podiums accomplished by teams of these nations.

Results
For the making of these lists, results from following major international tournaments were consulted:


 * IOC: International Olympic Committee
 * IPC: International Paralympic Committee
 * RLIF: Rugby League International Federation
 * WR: World Rugby

Medals for the demonstration events are NOT counted. Medals earned by athletes from defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) or historical teams are NOT merged with the results achieved by their immediate successor states. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) do NOT combine medals of these nations or teams.

The tables are pre-sorted by total number of first-place results, second-place results and third-place results, then most first-place results, second-place results, respectively. When equal ranks are given, nations are listed in alphabetical order.

Rugby union, rugby sevens, rugby league and wheelchair rugby
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men and women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Men and women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby union
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
 * Defunct National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or historical teams are shown in italic.

Men and women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Men
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Women
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Rugby league
† Non International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.

Wheelchair rugby
† Non International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members.

General
Official results
 * Rugby Union
 * Olympic tournament: Rugby at the Olympics
 * World Cup: Rugby World Cup
 * Women's Rugby World Cup: Women's Rugby World Cup
 * Rugby sevens
 * Olympic tournament: Olympics
 * World Cup: World Cup
 * Rugby league
 * World Cup: World Cup
 * Wheelchair rugby
 * Paralympics tournament: Results, Result Books