Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and Portugal have qualified for the semifinals, in an action packed first round that had tries and moments for all tastes.
2023 runners-up start in great fashion
Eleven tries, none conceded and a 61-00 victory over Switzerland, Belgium started their title run flying!
Alain Gérard's team dominated from the kick-off with a powerful pack backing the Swiss to a corner, with the backline repeatedly tearing apart the opposition’s defence. Fullback Liam Duncan guided the U20 Diable Noirs offensive strategy, setting a series of incredibly well-built plays that put them over the finish line.
Belgium scored 27 unanswered points in the first 40 minutes, turning up the intensity and tempo in the last half of the game to increase their lead by an extra 34 points.
It wasn’t the best day in the office for Switzerland, but Gabriel Fernandez and Alexian Fessler showed promise and a fighting spirit that will be important in the next couple of games.
Where the game was won: intensity. Belgium’s speed, pace and conditioning were just too strong for Switzerland to overcome, with the winning side never taking the foot off the gas. What makes it all even more incredible, is the fact that the replacements were able to raise the intensity to another level when they came in.
Top moment of the game: minute 08:02. Belgium had already scored their first try and were able to recover the ball by forcing a Swiss knock-on. When the match official gave the green light for the scrum battle to start, the Belgian pack simply drove forward and gave the space and time for Mattias Bodromian and Benjamin Ruddick to set up wing Lucas Michiels to go for the try.
Romania qualifies for the semifinals!
For the first time in seven years, Romania has qualified for the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship U20s semifinals, overcoming a resilient and passionate Poland by 48-22.
The young Stejarii had a brilliant opening half taking quick control of the ball possession and territory to build a 20-point lead in the first ten minutes. Fly-half David Balan orchestrated most of the moves and converted a total of 19 points in under 40 minutes, a lead too big for Poland to overcome.
Even so, the Polish U20s had some moments of brilliance in the game, with Mateusz Kolas's crosskick being a perfect example. The kick wasn’t gathered, but it ultimately led to the Biało-czerwoni scoring their second five-pointer of the game.
Romania never lost control, and steered the game towards a 48-22 victory, claiming a spot in the 2024 semifinals.
Where the game was won: discipline. Romania’s first 20 minutes was a stunning display of discipline and control, with the Eastern European side forcing Poland to concede a series of penalties. Andrei Ionut Schutz's leadership was key, as the captain kept his team focused when it mattered the most.
Top moment of the game: minute 05:22. Scrum dominance, quick gateway and try. Simple as that, and it came at the right moment as Poland was trying to counter Romania’s early six-point lead. Romania showed off their scrummaging power, dragging the opposition back, and giving the right opportunity for the backline to strike. An old-fashioned rugby play, to the delight of the rugby fan.
A heavy dose of Netherlands vs Germany insanity
The best match of the first round came out from the clash between Netherlands and Germany, with the reigning champions triumphing 61-34 to qualify for the next round.
The Dutch kicked things off with a try in the opening minutes, with Toine Obiang powering and breaking through the opposition's last line of defence. With Niek Doornenbal converting the extras, the 2023 Men’s REC U20 winners worked through the phases and successfully scored two more converted tries before the 12th-minute mark.
Fans were already thinking it would be a one-direction game, however the junior Schwarze Adler had other plans. In just under 15 minutes, they would cut Netherlands leading margin from 21 to three points, putting on an exciting show that sent the stands into a frenzy. Loose forward Quentin Moughty bagged a brace of tries, making his presence felt in open play and the scrum.
With things heating up, the Dutch welcomed half-time to reorganize and find a way to cool down their rivals’ audacity.
Luckily, the champions' forward pack clicked and went all-in, overpowering their German counterparts and rebuilding a 21-point lead, with Guus Henkes and Warrick Jones adding their names to the try-scorer sheet.
From this moment on, Germany didn’t have the resources to fight back, allowing the Netherlands to cruise past and wrap up things.
Where the game was won: belief. In the end, the Dutch team had a bit more belief in themselves, climbing a level or two to put an end to the German resistance. Even when they conceded those 27 points in twenty-five minutes, the reigning champions never seemed to lose their cool, keeping their emotions in control.
Top moment of the game: minute 50:45. Playing already with a 14-point disadvantage, Germany was looking for a way to get back into the game, but the heavy Dutch pressure made it impossible. In the dying seconds of the 50th minute, Warrick Jones blocked a German kick, collecting the oval ball to score his team’s sixth try of the game, putting an end to the game.
Relentless Portugal cuts Czech’s dreams short
The 2023 bronze winner, Portugal, didn’t leave anything to chance and made sure to take seriously the gauntlet thrown by Czechia, scoring five tries in the first half hour. The Portuguese forward pack lead by Francisco Almeida and Martim Souto boxed the Czech opposition inside the 22, allowing for their backs to run loose.
The Portuguese architected a handful of astonishing plays, with their opening try deserving a thorough rewatch, with Portuguese senior international Manuel Vareiro sidestepping five tacklers to assist Vasco Leite for the centre’s five-pointer.
Down 47 points, Czechia kept fighting and eventually scored their only try of the game, with Ondrej Vilimovsky finding his way into the try-area.
Ultimately, Portugal finished strong and booked their semifinal spot with a 59-07 win.
Where the game was won: showmanship. Portugal’s flair and insatiable appetite to keep speeding up the game and looking to cause havoc worked wonders and helped the young Lobos build an insurmountable lead.
Top moment of the game: minute 1. A try that had everything and that set the tone for the game.
By Francisco Isaac
