An emphatic 72-3 bonus point win for Poland over Sweden on Saturday clinched them promotion from the men’s Rugby Europe Trophy into the Championship for next season.
Over the two-year 2024/25 and 2025/26 cycle, Poland have won the most points in the six-team Trophy in 10 games to earn a spot back at the top table.
In terms of the 2025/26 season taken on its own merits, Czechia just pipped them to top spot after they defeated Denmark 83-19 on the road with a bonus point on Saturday.
But first, let’s look at how Poland made sure of promotion after great consistency over two seasons.
At Arka Gdynia Rugby on Saturday evening they turned on the style in front of their own fans, scoring 10 tries, eight conversions and two penalties to just one penalty for Sweden.
It means that they won nine out of 10 games over the two years, only losing to Czechia this season 32-30 back in November.
By the time that Poland were partying after making sure of promotion, Czechia had already made sure of the 2025/26 top spot earlier in the day, completing an unbeaten season.
For a few hours that also put them above Poland by a point in the two-year standings, but the way Poland played in the evening meant that Czechia had to settle for runners-up spot in that cycle after eight wins and two losses.
Still, winning five out of five this year after winning three last year is a massive step up and, at Erritsø Rugby Club, there was never a chance that Denmark were going to deny then a 2025/26 clean sweep.
Czechia scored 12 tries, 10 conversions and one penalty to three tries and two conversions by their hosts.
With one match of the 2025/26 Trophy iteration to go - sixth placed Croatia take on fifth placed Lithuania this coming weekend - Czechia are top, Poland are second, Sweden are third and Denmark are fourth.
Meanwhile, in the women’s Rugby Europe Championship there is a mouthwatering 2025/26 title decider coming up this coming Saturday in Amsterdam.
It will be between the Netherlands and reigning champions Spain after they both made it two bonus point wins from two over the weekend.
Netherlands are top of the four team standings on points difference after they backed up a 59-0 bonus point victory over Portugal with a 41-0 triumph over Belgium.
At the Sportcomplex Sint-Gillis, Netherlands were 19-0 up at half-time and then cranked things up a notch in the second period to make it 41-0 at the end, replacement Isa Spoler scoring the last of seven tries.
Belgium are third in the standings and Portugal are fourth after a 45-5 loss to second placed Spain at home at Campo de Rugby da Moita.
It was 21-5 at half-time and a try from winger Ana Mata, plus two Spanish yellow cards, gave Portugal some home.
However, after three first half tries, Spain composed themselves and scored four more after the interval to make sure of the win. The win backed up a 39-0 bonus point win over Belgium first up.
Finally, in the men’s Rugby Europe Conference on Saturday, Ukraine beat Moldova 31-15 and Malta defeated Israel 50-25.
Ukraine have now won two from two and are top of Pool C with Moldova second while Malta are top of Pool D after three wins from three with Israel winless and bottom of that section.
By Gary Heatly
