Georgia retained their crown, with the U18 Lelos overcoming a spirited Spain to remain ahead of the pack. Netherlands finished in their highest ever position, claiming third place, while Czechia came in fourth. Portugal was forced to produce their best to earn a 5th place over Germany, with Belgium and Romania finishing in 7th and 8th respectively.
The champions are triumphant once more
For a sixth time, Georgia has lifted the U18s Men’s Rugby Europe Championship title, securing a 32-11 win against a Spanish team that fought until the end.
The Georgians kicked things off in style as fly-half Gigi Sirbiladze, who was awarded the accolade of Player of the Tournament, set up a stunning crosskick for winger Saba Sharvashidze to catch and score the opening try. Not long after, the champions followed with a second five-pointer, as hooker Anri Shvelidze cashed in from a rolling maul.
Georgia subsequently added a third and fourth try to their tally, taking complete control of the game.
Spain's only first half points came from Pedro Pérez’s boot, with Georgia leading 22-06 at half-time.
After the break, the Georgians extended their lead, working well from their set-piece and physicality, forcing a handful of Spanish errors to raise their lead to 33-06.
The U18 leoncitos awoke and attempted to shift the game’s flow, pushing the Georgians back into their half. When the clock hit the 54th minute, Oriol Marsinyac barged his way in, scoring his team’s first and only try of the game.
The score remained unchanged until the end, with Georgia deservedly taking the trophy home after another unstoppable campaign in the U18s Men’s Rugby Europe Championship.
Where the game was won: Set-piece dominance. It isn’t a novelty, as Georgian rugby is wildly recognized for capitalizing the most out of their scrum, lineout and maul, but the 2024 U18s showed a ferocity that has made this title run an even more impressive one. They overpowered Spain when it mattered, and made their set-piece work pay off.
Top moment of the game: Georgia’s second try. Spain conceded a very early try, but there was an attempt to get back into the game, trying to fend off Georgia’s powerful set-piece and lethal backline. So, when U18s Lelos squeezed another scrum penalty, they immediately opted to go for the 10-meter lineout with only one idea crossing their minds: maul try. That was the moment that Georgia clinched a 6th title victory, showing a fierce maturity to capitalize at the right moments.
The Oranje take the bronze
The Netherlands have finished on the podium of a U18s Men’s Rugby Europe Championship tournament for a first-time, earning a 34-0 win over Czechia.
An early kicking mistake by a Czechian player allowed Netherlands lock Niek Zwijnenburg to put his team ahead when only two minutes of game time had been played.
Hien Thielen would land the conversion and, later on, a penalty to build a stable 10-point advantage.
The Czechian side showed some promise in a handful of backline moves, getting close to the Dutch 22 area, but couldn’t overturn the strong Dutch defense. In the last ten minutes of the opening half, Netherlands scored two additional tries, with wings Kian Vos and Ben Temperley finding the whitewash.
In the final 35 minutes of the 3rd place playoff, the Czechs were able to contest the opposition’s territory dominance delaying any further change in the scoreboard until the last ten minutes.
The Dutch had to work hard to find their back into the opposite try area, and it would happen 0following a brilliant solo run from Finn Kelliher, dotting the ball down to confirm his team’s 3rd place finish.
Where the game was won: Precision. The Netherlands showed again a very promising developing U18s program, and the 2024 team's precision when going for the points was undoubtedly astonishing. Czechia was able to fend off the Dutch threat for long periods, but the Oranje didn’t need much time and chances to reach the in-goal area when they turned their ball speed up.
Top moment of the game: Netherlands' final try. Finn Kelliher can take a bow, as the outside back fully deserved it after scoring a fantastic try. Yes, there wasn’t much on the line, but the sidestepping ability combined with his speed gave a spectacular taste to that moment of the game.
Lobos howl high in the end
Portugal concluded their campaign with a 30-12 win, brushing aside an energy-packed Germany who wrestled for the game’s control.
Tomás Marques landed the match’s first points before Martim Dias concluded a well-built backline move to give Portugal an eight-point lead before the first quarter. Mateus Liborio dived in for the U18s Lobos's second try before being temporarily sent off for an illegal tackle.
In the following play, Germany finally found a way into the Portuguese try area, scoring from a triumphant rolling maul to spark some flair to the match.
Although being down one player, Portugal kept pressing on and eventually clinched a 3rd try, coming from Salvador Guimarães. The loose forward caught a spectacular offload from teammate Miguel Romero to bump one tackler before placing the ball down in the corner.
With seven minutes to go until half-time, playmaker Tomás Marques showed a bit of his flashy skills, eluding a couple of defenders before making a run to earn his team a 4th five-pointer.
Down by twenty-five points, Germany went looking for a comeback in the remaining 35 minutes and was able to tip the scales for a brief period, leading to a second try, cliched by wing Luan Dietz.
The Portuguese stroke back ten minutes after, crafting a team try concluded by number-eight Miguel Romero, being the final change in the scoreboard of the 5th placement final.
Where the game was won: Positive aggressiveness. It wasn’t the most dominant display of power, but the Portuguese U18s were more dominant in contact, and that was enough to put them over the try-line. The physicality imposed in every carry made a significant difference, especially in the last 22.
Top moment of the game: Minute 28. When the German rolling maul came crashing in through the Portuguese in-goal area, there was a chance of a herculean comeback. But, Tomás Marques had other ideas, and his solo try put an end to the Schwarze Adler’s dream of defeating the Portuguese. It was a moment of brilliancy by the young playmaker, reawakening his team from a short slumber.
Belgium retain their place at the U18s Championship in 2025
In the opening game of the final round of the U18s Men’s Rugby Europe Championship, Belgium made a massive effort to defeat Romania.
The Belgian's first half was of pure excellence, scoring 18 unanswered points, which would be enough to keep the U18 Stejarii at bay.
Roman van Humbeeck, Henri Atkinson and Thomas Wickham scored the Diable Noirs tries in the opening half, making the best out of Romania’s indiscipline – two yellow cards in the first twenty minutes.
The Romanians levelled the playing field scoring two tries in the second half's first ten minutes. Hooker Mihail Cojocaru and number-eight Mihai Alexandriuc went over the line following a sequence of phases.
Unfortunately for the Romanians, the Belgium U18s kept believing they had what it takes to get a memorable victory, closing ranks and forcing their way into the opposition’s 22.
In the final 10 minutes, they scored a brace of tries, putting an end to any remaining doubt and retaining their place in the U18s Men’s Rugby Europe Championship.
Where the game was won: Discipline. We have already highlighted how Romania’s indiscipline played a big role in their previous losses, but again it played a major factor in blocking them from getting a first win. More than twenty penalties were more than enough to help Belgium score those 30 points.
Top moment of the game: minute 62. After narrowing the point difference from 18 to just four points, Romania could’ve made a stunning comeback. Alas, the Belgium set-piece started to click again and after five solid minutes of carrying the ball, they eventually broke the Romanian defence and scored what would be a vital try for the game’s outcome.
By Francisco Isaac
Photos Martin Flousek
