Following on from a successful first edition in 2023, Rugby Europe, the continental governing body and the Czech Rugby union have announced a 4-year extension of the hosting partnership during the ongoing competition in Prague.
The Rugby Europe U18 and U20 Championship will therefore take place in Prague until 2027 included.
These two tournaments form part of an important pathway for the development of these young players as many of them will hope to make the transition to the main senior teams, and for many aspiring youngsters it’s the first taste of international competition.
The Rugby Europe U18 and U20 Championship gathers around 500 players from the eight best European nations (outside of the Six Nations) and deliver the annual title of European champion.
They contribute to the development of players at the highest international level. They are also an opportunity for unions and recruiters to spot emerging talents and rising stars.
President of Rugby Europe, Janhein Pieterse, said: “I am really pleased to be able to extend our partnership with the Czech Rugby Union for these European Championships.
This competition is a fantastic opportunity for players from across Europe come together to show what they can do at this level of rugby against some of the top-talent from across the continent. It also gives the chance for coaching staff and scouts to assess a new exciting generation of rugby players.
The competition is in excellent hands with Pavel Mysak and his team at the Czechia union and it’s great to be able to have Prague as a regular stop in our season of competition, which is easily accessible to fans from around Europe.”
According to Dušan Palcr, Czech Rugby Union President, the extension is a significant success for the whole Czech rugby. “We are very happy to host such important competitions for another 4 years. The decision means that Rugby Europe consider us as reliable organizer. Providing the European U18 and U20 Championships is an impulse for the entire Czech rugby.
"It helps the popularity of the sport in our country, attracts the attention of the media, fans and children. This is definitely the path we want to take in the development of rugby in Czechia.”
