There were wins for Delta and Romanian Wolves on the first weekend of Rugby Europe Super Cup action of the season.
The five-team event got underway on Saturday at the Rugby Aréna Tatra Smíchov in Prague as Bohemia Rugby Warriors from Czechia hosted Delta from the Netherlands.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when back-row Mike Hansen went over for a try after just three minutes.
That one was not converted, but their second try by hooker Harald De Vries in the 10th minute was turned into seven points by the boot of stand-off Bram Roters and it was 12-0.
The Warriors knew they had to hit back quickly and they did three minutes later when back-row Viktor Vodicka scored a try converted by centre Tristan Horak.
Twan Stevens, the Delta centre, then scored an unconverted try and, after a blistering opening 15 minutes, it was 17-7.
With both sides missing penalties, that was the way it stayed until the break and, indeed, amazingly there were no points scored between minute 15 and 69.
With 11 minutes to go, the Warriors scored an unconverted try through winger Lukas Brada and, at 17-12, it was ‘game on’.
Delta stayed composed and managed to complete a bonus point 27-12 win thanks to unconverted tries in the 74th and 79th minutes from centre Frederik Nuboer and replacement Sam Van Berkel. The Warriors also suffered a late yellow card.
The next day, 96 points were scored in a thriller at the Arcul de Triumf Stadium in Bucharest as the Romanian Wolves got the better of Brussels Devils 50-46.
At half-time, the visitors led 27-21, but the Wolves were superb in the second period as they went on to collect four match points to the Devils one.
The Wolves try scorers were hooker Ruadze Vazha, loosehead prop Alexandru Savin, centre Tristan Uys (2), No.8 Alexander Dinu, full-back Eujann Botha and winger Sivaniolo Kalaveti Lumelume.
Ioan-Stefan Cojocariu, the Wolves stand-off, kicked six conversions and a penalty.
The Devils tries came from Michael Vanlierde (2), his fellow winger Miguel Fachada, Maurice Fromont, his fellow second-row Dries De Keyser and sub Quentin Juge (2).
Their other points came from a penalty and four conversions by full-back Mattheo Van Holsbeke.
This coming weekend there are two more games in the competition and last year’s losing finalists Lusitanos enter things.
On Saturday, the side from Portugal are away to Bohemia Rugby Warriors before Delta host Romanian Wolves.
