Further evidence of the ascending nature of women’s rugby in Denmark was provided on Saturday in Latvia, where Denmark fought back to a 15-15 draw against the host nation. It was the first international XVs match for the Danish women in 20 years.
Featuring six players from the Danish women’s 7s team who won silver in the Trophy Series earlier this year and earned promotion to the Sevens Championship Series in 2026, there were doubts as to how the Danish women would fare in an international XVs test match.
Host Latvia established a 10-0 lead before Danish fly-half Nina Vistisen—who actually coaches the national Danish sevens side—put the Danes on the board, and the scored remained 10-5 at the half.
Alma Mandrup, the youngest Danish woman ever to be capped, pulled the Danes equal at 10-10 before the Latvians took back the lead 15-10.
With roughly 10 minutes left in the match Vistisen scored her second try, and the score remained 15-15 at full time.
‘The team just weren't interested in losing today. There was a lot of pressure from the hard-hitting Latvians, but we just kept fighting, multiple times coming back from a deficit to fight for the draw’, commented Danish Head Coach Steve Hall after the match. ‘Every single player gave their all and just wouldn't quit. It was absolutely amazing and makes me so proud to be their coach’.
‘It was an honor to captain the first official Danish women’s XVs game in 20 years!’, exclaimed Danish captain Malou Krøll Sebens. ‘We almost exclusively play 7s in Denmark, so the XVs game is new—or at least less familiar—to almost everyone on the team. So I’m very proud of the work and heart all the girls put into the game against Latvia to pull off a 15-15 result. We all fought to the very end, and it was amazing to take the field together and represent Denmark. I know it’s just the beginning for us and I can’t wait for what the future holds!’
The Danish side included players from eight different Danish clubs, which attests to the increasing breadth of women’s rugby in Denmark.
Photos by: Zigismunds Zalmanis
