Lithuania set new Rugby World Record

Lithuania have written their name into rugby's history books after beating Serbia 77-5 on Saturday to record an 18th consecutive test victory and surpass the previous record in the men's Game held by New Zealand and South Africa.

A nation of three million people, Lithuania's run began on 27 May 2006 with a 23-17 away win over Hungary in Esztergom and has now seen them beat 12 different countries across Europe with only four matches decided by a single score.

Lithuania have already secured the Division 3A title and promotion to the third level of the European Nations Cup, but the record provides a confidence boost ahead of their Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifier with Ukraine on 8 May.

Victories over Israel (19-3) and the higher ranked Netherlands (6-3) have earned Lithuania the play-off with Division 2A champions Ukraine, the winner of which will face Romania home and away to determine Europe's representative in the cross-continental play-off for the 20th and final place at RWC 2011.

"It's great to achieve 18 successive wins and be the record holders, but we haven't yet achieved our goal," captain Mindaugas Misevicius told AFP. "We want to qualify for the World Cup in New Zealand."

Lithuania scored 13 tries against Serbia, centre Gediminas Liutrus and flanker Andrius Martinskas grabbing hat-tricks with Tomas Zibolis, Justinas Vasiliauskas, Egidijus Detronis, Edvardas Zilius, Kestutis Marcijauskas and Marius Andrijauskas the other scorers in the record-breaking win.

The All Blacks had set the record of 17 consecutive test matches between 18 September 1965 and 6 June 1969, a sequence ended with a 17-6 loss to South Africa in Pretoria in July 1970.

The Springboks, then world champions after their success at RWC 1995, equalled this run between 23 August 1997 and 29 November 1998 with England's 13-7 win at Twickenham a week later denying them the record outright.

LITHUANIA (27/05/06-)

27/05/06 - Hungary 17-23 Lithuania
28/10/06 - Lithuania 37-15 Norway
18/11/06 - Bulgaria 10-50 Lithuania
19/05/07 - Austria 0-27 Lithuania
02/06/07 - Lithuania 36-7 Hungary
27/10/07 - Lithuania - 64-3 Bulgaria
13/04/08 - Lithuania 43-17 Latvia
03/05/08 - Lithuania 48-0 Austria
17/05/08 - Hungary 12-13 Lithuania
07/06/08 - Norway 9-40 Lithuania
08/11/08 - Andorra 10-26 Lithuania
15/11/08 - Lithuania 33-0 Switzerland
02/05/09 - Lithuania 50-9 Serbia
09/05/09 - Armenia 19-24 Lithuania
23/05/09 - Israel 3-19 Lithuania
06/06/09 - Lithuania 6-3 Netherlands
10/10/09 - Lithuania 40-12 Andorra
24/04/10 - Serbia 5-77 Lithuania

NEW ZEALAND (18/09/65 - 14/06/69)

18/09/65 - New Zealand 20-3 South Africa
16/07/66 - New Zealand 20-3 British & Irish Lions
06/08/66 - New Zealand 16-12 British & Irish Lions
27/08/66 - New Zealand 19-6 British & Irish Lions
10/09/66 - New Zealand 24-11 British & Irish Lions
19/08/67 - New Zealand 29-9 Australia
04/11/67 - England 11-23 New Zealand
11/11/67 - Wales 6-13 New Zealand
25/11/67 - France 15-21 New Zealand
02/12/67 - Scotland 3-14 New Zealand
15/06/68 - Australia 11-27 New Zealand
22/06/68 - Australia 18-19 New Zealand
13/07/68 - New Zealand 12-9 France
27/07/68 - New Zealand 9-3 France
10/08/68 - New Zealand 19-12 France
31/05/69 - New Zealand 19-0 Wales
14/06/69 - New Zealand 33-12 Wales

SOUTH AFRICA (23/08/97 - 28/11/98)

23/08/97 - South Africa 61-22 Australia
08/11/97 - Italy 31-62 South Africa
15/11/97 - France 32-36 South Africa
22/11/97 - France 10-52 South Africa
29/11/97 - England 11-29 South Africa
06/12/97 - Scotland 10-68 South Africa
13/06/98 - South Africa 37-13 Ireland
20/06/98 - South Africa 33-0 Ireland
27/06/98 - South Africa 96-13 Wales
04/07/98 - South Africa 18-0 England
18/07/98 - Australia 13-14 South Africa
25/07/98 - New Zealand 3-13 South Africa
15/08/98 - South Africa 24-23 New Zealand
22/08/98 - South Africa 29-15 Australia
14/11/98 - Wales 20-28 South Africa
21/11/98 - Scotland 10-35 South Africa
29/11/98 - Ireland 13-27 South Africa