The Super Cup returns this Saturday, when the Bohemia Rugby Warriors welcome the Delta to the Rugby Aréna Tatra Smíchov to kick off the tournament's sixth season.
With the tournament looking for a new champion, the Portuguese Lusitanos, the Dutch Delta, the Belgian Brussels Devils, the Czech Bohemia Rugby Warriors, and the Romanian Wolves will be locked in a fierce fight across October and December.
But who are some of the main star players who deserve our attention? What can we expect from each contestant? Here's our guide to the 2026 Rugby Europe Super Cup.
Delta
- Head coach: Alex Liddell
- Highest final placement: 3rd place (2025)
- Player to follow: Mike Hansen (back-row)
Delta will be packed with some of their best youth talent, including Mees van Oord, Sem Verplancke, Mart van der Veen, and Ilan Vaasen, as well as top-level signings such as Mike Hansen. The Delta came close to qualifying for the final in 2025 after conceding a 24-19 loss against the Iberians, with their driving maul and scrum making quite a dent on the team that would end up lifting the title.
With that in mind, can 2026 be the year that the Delta can finally overcome every rival and cross the finish line in 1st place? Again, with the pulsating dynamic of the young talent combined with the physical intensity delivered by the forward pack, there's a real chance that we might see a new contender arise from the Delta shores.
Bohemia Rugby Warriors
- Head coach: David Courteix
- Highest final placement: 5th place (2025)
- Player to follow: Lukáš Brada
It's hard to deny that the Bohemia Rugby Warriors have become one of the most entertaining sides in the Rugby Europe Super Cup, thanks to a unique playing style that can electrify any clash, which has more than once caught the opposition by surprise.
With David Courteix leading the Czech franchise once again, fans can expect another action-packed season, with some of the country's best players ready to join the fray: from the elusive Lukáš Brada to the bone-crushing enforcer Dan Hošek, there's no shortage of superstar power. Despite missing qualification for the playoffs in 2025, the Bohemia Rugby Warriors are going from strength to strength and will certainly be targeting a place on the podium.
Brussels Devils
- Head coach: Sébastien Guns
- Highest final placement: 4th place (2025)
- Player to follow: Julien Berger
Julien Berger is back for a potential final tour with the Brussels Devils, so if you are looking for high intensity, flaming passion, and some of the best wizardry, the Brussels Devils are your team! With Sébastien Guns at the helm of the Belgian franchise, the Devils have built a game settled on their set-piece and their ability to make an impact from close range.
At the same time, their kicking strategy can deliver a world of hurt to the opposition, with Curtis Moucheron and Miguel Fachada pulling the strings. In 2025, they fought hard to finish on the podium, and although they failed to beat the Delta, it felt like the Devils had what it took to claim the title.
RESC TEAMS 2026
Lusitanos
- Head coach: Simon Mannix
- Highest final placement: 2nd place (2021 and 2025)
- Player to follow: Hugo Aubry
Is this the year that the Lusitanos finally get to wear the Rugby Europe Super Cup crown? With a team packed with players who helped Portugal win the 2026 Men's Rugby Europe Championship, expectations are high, as the Lusitanos have long been one of the most competitive and exhilarating sides to follow since the Super Cup first took place. Mastermind fly-half Hugo Aubry will be one of their main performers, alongside legendary Lobos captain Tomás Appleton, flanker João Granate, and wrecking-ball no.8 José Monteiro, which gives you an idea of how talented this side is. With this in mind, expect them to boss the set-piece before sending the ball flying to the backline and unleashing some of the coolest moves and plays of the entire Super Cup.
Romanian Wolves
- Head Coach: Horea Hîmpea
- Highest final position: 3rd place (2021)
- Player to follow: Alexandru Savin
Horea Hîmpea will command the Romanian Wolves this season, but what can we expect from the Romanian franchise? Starting from the front, the Wolves will have Alexandru Savin leading the front-row alongside Vasile Balan, while Logan Weidner and Matthew Tweddle will have the honours of thwarting the opposition from the lock and flanker positions. Despite a lukewarm last season, the Wolves seem to be in a different stage of development in 2026, with a strong mix of cunning experience and exciting young talent that could be enough to push them over the line. With the World Cup 11 months away, you can expect every Wolves player to give their all in hopes of impressing the national team staff and earning a place among the Stejarii.
If you missed the previous article explaining how the competition will unfold this year, we want to remind you that six matches are scheduled for October – taking place on October 10/11, followed by the 17th, and finally the 24th – before a break for the Nations Cup. Two further rounds are then scheduled for the weekends of December 5 and 12; the tournament follows a round-robin format, with the team accumulating the most points crowned champion.
You can watch the Rugby Europe Super Cup on RugbyEurope TV or RugbyPassTV.
