Belgium produced a stunning performance on Saturday to defeat Netherlands in the men’s Rugby Europe Championship fifth place final.
The 31-10 away triumph in Amsterdam means that the Belgians now progress to the final Rugby World Cup 2027 Final Qualification Tournament later in the year.
Meanwhile, in Heidelberg there was another dramatic away win, Switzerland scoring a winning drop goal with the clock in the red to defeat Germany in the seventh place final and give themselves there first ever triumph at this level 20-17.
Back to Amsterdam and, in the first match of what is finals weekend that continues with the top four in action on Sunday, Netherlands and Belgium met at the National Rugby Center.
A brilliant cross field kick put winger Simeon Soenen over for Belgium’s first try in the third minute. Stand-off Hugo De Francq converted and it was 7-0 to the visitors.
Things got even better for Belgium in the 13th minute when second-row Maximilien Hendrickx barged over for try number two from close range. De Francq converted for 14-0.
The Netherlands were then hit by a yellow card to skipper Koen Bloemen, the second-row, 13 minutes before half-time and a De Francq penalty extended Belgium’s lead further to 17-0
When the Dutch were still down to 14, a quick tap penalty by scrum-half Julien Berger set up centre Jens Torfs, the captain, running a great line and he scored Belgium’s third try. De Francq converted and it was 24-0 after 34 minutes.
Netherlands gave themselves a sliver of hope just before half-time when, back to 15 men, they went over from a driving maul for an unconverted try
It was Belgium who scored first in the second period though to kill off the game.
In the 50th minute some good work by the forwards eventually saw centre Florian Remue burst through to score a try. De Francq’s conversion made it 31-5.
Netherlands, now chasing the game, did score their second maul try via hooker Robbie Coetzee in the 53rd minute, but then Belgium saw out the rest of the 80 minutes, despite suffering with yellow cards, to spark celebrations for them.
In Germany later in the afternoon, there was a great contest between the home side and Switzerland at the Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark.
In the ninth minute Germany took the lead when scrum-half Michael McDonald took a quick tap penalty and went over for a try. Nikolai Klewinghaus, the centre, converted.
Just before the end of the first quarter Switzerland got themselves on the board when scrum-half Simon Perrod kicked a penalty.
In the 34th minute back-row Justin Renc went close on the left for Germany and then centre Enrich Bülow went over for try number two. It was converted for 14-3.
That was the score at half-time, but their forwards powered over for a try soon after the break and when Perrod converted it was suddenly 14-10 and ‘game on’.
A penalty from Klewinghaus in the 51st minute put Germany 17-10 to the good and, with just over five minutes to go, they were still leading by that margin.
The Swiss were not giving up though and, with four minutes to play, replacement Thomas McCarthy peeled off a maul and used his strength to get over for a try after the referee checked with the TMO. Perrod’s conversion made it 17-17.
And then, with the clock over the 80-minute mark, the visitors kept on coming and stand-off Jules Porcher kicked over a drop goal to send him and his team mates wild as the full-time whistle blew.
Gary Heatly
