Poland’s men got their Rugby Europe Trophy campaign for 2024/25 off to a flying start on Saturday with a 40-13 bonus point win over Lithuania.
The Polish squad were relegated from the Championship last term, but have regrouped and are looking forward to being involved in the Trophy over the coming months.
And on Saturday in the Narodowy Stadion Rugby in Gydnia they played some good rugby to secure five points.
In front of a healthy and noisy crowd, Poland got off to the perfect start in the fifth minute when scrum-half Mateusz Plichta darted over for a try. It was converted by stand-off Wojciech Piotrowicz.
A penalty from full-back Arnas Prielaidas then got Lithuania on the board before loosehead prop Jakub Wojtkowicz ran an excellent line to go in under the posts for Poland’s second converted try.
A really well-worked team try for Lithuania in the 23rd minute, an unconverted one finished by Laurynas Marcinkus out wide, made it 14-8.
Poland then got a crucial third converted try a few minutes before the break to make it 21-8, back-row Siokivaha Taufui Halaifuana crashing over.
And it got even better for them when an unconverted effort by winger Kacper Wrobel made it 26-8 at half-time.
Try number five for the hosts arrived early in the second period when, after Lithuania had a player yellow carded for a deliberate knock on, full-back Jonathan O’Neil went over. It was converted.
Back-row Michal Mirosz bagged try number six before a consolation five-pointer from Laurynas Marcinkus for Lithuania.
Lithuania have won one and lost two in the six-team competition now to sit fourth while Poland are second.
The pacesetters are Sweden who are on 13 points and have three wins from three after a triumph away to Croatia on Saturday.
It was an end-to-end game in the Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić in Zagreb with the visitors eventually coming out on top 42-31 versus their hosts who are bottom of the standings, but can take confidence from this showing.
Sweden knew they were in a real game from the off and led 21-12 at half-time.
In the second half they grew that lead to 42-19 before two late Croatia tries.
There was better news for Croatia in the women’s Rugby Europe Conference on Saturday though when they went to Bulgaria and battled to secure a 17-10 away triumph.
It was 5-5 after a tight first half and then it was 10-10 heading into the last 20 minutes before stand-off Ela Avramovic scored the winning try and conversion.
Despite falling short of a bonus point, Sweden keeps the lead of the Trophy division before new games taking place next week.
Croatia take on Lithuania in Zagreb and Czechia hosting Poland after the 2024 Rugby Europe U18 Championship Finals.
By Gary Heatly
