Georgia and Spain are your 2024 finalists, with the U18 Lelos and Leones booking their seats in Saturday’s final. Netherlands and Czechia will have to contend for the bronze, while Portugal and Germany will faceoff for 5th place. Romania and Belgium will make the 7th placement final.
Portugal survives a fierce Belgium
After a disappointing loss against Czechia, Portugal were able to pull back and defeat a spirited Belgium side, winning 27-15 in the opening game of round 2.
The 2023 runners-up scored first, with fullback Martim Dias regathering a well-placed kick from Tomé Lobo and running unopposed to place the ball inside the try area. Despite the early lead, the Portuguese side were never in full control. Belgium fought back and scored their first three points with a pin-point kick from fullback Charles Depasse.
Portugal reached the try-area for a second time, as Eduardo Uva guided a spectacular maul drive to cash in an easy try.
The young Diables Noirs didn’t throw in the towel and stroke back with a pair of tries. Inside-centre Thomas Nelis made an unstoppable run to touch the ball down to narrow the margin to six points; and ten minutes later, lock Armand Dumont followed his teammate's example and pushed back a couple of tacklers before diving in.
Belgium’s lead in the game was short-lived as Portugal turned the game around just before half-time. Playmaker and precision kicker Tomás Marques converted another three-pointer to pull his team ahead 17-15.
In the remaining 35 minutes the Portuguese stepped up, closing the ranks while defending and taking more risks when they had the ball, scoring two more tries and wrapping up the game in style. Belgium fought hard to change the course of the game, but it wasn’t enough.
Where the game was won: Grittiness. When it most mattered, Portugal went into survival mode and worked until they had nothing left in the tank. Great tackles, a resilient mindset and the drive to win.
Top moment of the game: Minute 68:23. 22-15 was the score with just 2 minutes to full-time. Portugal had a well-positioned scrum, but a missed pass or a turnover could open the door for another competition upset. At that moment, Salvador Guimarães eluded the whole Belgian defence, assisting Martim Dias for the fullback’s second try of the game, making it the end of a heated clash.
Germany flies high against Romania
Total rugby. That’s the best and only way to breakdown Germany’s first half against Romania, with the U18s Schwarze Adler going to the locker rooms with a 23-05 score advantage, enough to qualify them for the 5th placement final.
The Germans were astounding from the first second, easily speeding up the ball, finding the right combinations at the right moments, and unravelling the tight Stejarii defence with excellence.
Their first five-pointer came from a brilliant line break from number-eight Karl Kasper, with the loose forward offloading to Luan Dietz. The wing kicked the ball high, ensuing chaos in the Romanian opposition who allowed Bela Sindermann to slide in and recapture the ball to score a stunning try.
The German lead kept growing, and not even the two Romanian tries made them flinch at any point of the game.
Edward Jumatate and Karl Kasper offered a proper show to the fans, electrifying every carry, run, kick, scrum exit and sprint, overpowering Romania at every turn.
Where the game was won: match-flow. Germany was simply the best team in the pitch, making sure they would score points at every possible opportunity. The speed at which they played with the ball was mesmerizing, putting the Romania defence under heavy fire.
Top moment of the game: minute 29:34. A 50/22 that simply wrapped up the game even if there were still another 40 minutes to play. Fullback Edward Jumatate gathered a Romanian kick and, very calmly, hammered down the ball inside the opposing 22, with the rugby egg bouncing until it was out. What followed that 50/22 was Germany’s third try, tanking Romania’s hopes of turning the game around.
Georgia is heading for another final
Georgia and Rugby Europe Championship finals are a match made in rugby heaven, with the U18 Lelos taking down the Netherlands and cruising to a 36-05 victory.
The five-time champions made sure to translate their dominance into points, boxing Netherlands inside their half proceeding to accelerate the flow of the game and open a couple of cracks for their outside backs to run through.
But before the backs had a chance to strike, it was the forward pack that scored the opening try. A thundering 15-meter rolling maul only stopped when it was inside the in-goal area, drawing a line between the two teams.
The Georgians added two more tries to their tally, exiting for a half-time rest with a comfortable lead. In the last half of this Championship semifinal, the Lelos doubled their lead and qualified for the final with a triumphant display of raw physicality and a cunning game plan.
The Oranje didn’t get the desired result, but the heart and soul displayed were immense, giving the fans a sense of their growth and development.
Where the game was won: physicality. Yes, Georgia did score some beautiful open-play tries, but the brutal physicality gave them firm control of the game. Mikheili Shioshvili, Luka Saghinadze, Davit Baramia and Daviti Barbakadze were absolute powerhouses who made life easier for their team.
Top moment of the game: minute 08:00. That driving maul. The way that the Georgians decided to show how they were the reigning champions was pivotal to setting the tone of the game, with that 8-man machine devouring metres and metres until they reached safe port. If the Dutch had been able to stop it, maybe things could’ve been different in the end.
Los Leoncitos are back into the final!
Since 2019, Spain hasn’t been able to qualify for the U18s Championship final, having lost against Portugal in the last three editions of the European tournament. But, in 2024 they are back to the final and will fight for the title until their last breath.
The Spanish dominated and defeated the home team, with the visitors taking a 41-17 win to book a final match against Georgia.
Pelayo Serrano opened the scoreboard, with the wing forcing his way through and overpowering a couple of tacklers to put Spain in the lead early in the game. Fullback Pedro Pérez converted the two extra points and would also add six more points before the fifteen-minute mark.
The Czechs tried to find a way to get back to the game, but the game plan that worked well against Portugal wasn’t sufficient to stop Spain in their tracks. The best they could do was a try scored by Ondrej Cerny, with the fullback catching a Spanish fumble to give his team the first five points.
In the second half, Czechia searched for a way to break the opposition’s dominance, and again found their way to the try-area, with Cerny getting a brace.
However, the home team’s second try fuelled Spain to get back on the offensive, with the 2019 finalists adding two more, thanks to a brilliant solo effort from Mateo Arágon and a penalty try, sealing the deal.
Where the game was won: simplicity. Spain had a plan and executed it to its tiniest detail, making sure it would pay off in the right moments. There wasn't a need to add any flamboyance to the game plan, as their goal was just one: win. Simplicity can be the most direct road to victory, as demonstrated by Spain.
Top moment of the game: minute 52:35. Mateo Aragon’s try put an end to Czechia’s intent of changing the course of the game. The outside back just sprinted towards the try-line, bouncing off incoming tacklers to then place the ball in the corner just before he was thrown outside of the pitch.
Click here to see the program of the finals : U18 Rugby Europe Championship 2024
The final will be broadcasted in Rugby TV in Georgia
By Francisco Isaac
