The U18 Rugby Europe Championship is underway, and Spain, Georgia, the Netherlands and Czechia have qualified for the Championship semifinals, eliminating Belgium, Poland, Portugal and Germany to the ranking semifinals.
The Czech hosts put on an exciting show, while Georgia and Spain looked dominant in their first games of the campaign.
Champions too good for Belgium
The 2025 U18 Rugby Europe Championship kicked off with a dominant display, beating Belgium 59-32 in the tournament's opening game.
Although the young Los Leones bagged a 27-point win, they trailed 10-0 after the first 10 minutes. Edouard Damoiseau scored the competition's first try while Melvyn Labaere nailed another five from the tee.
However, the champions pulled off a powerful comeback and got ahead for the first and final time before the 20th-minute mark, with finishes from Lucas Alvarez (who landed a brace) and Eneke Sánchez. Malakai Hafoka successfully converted six points to help his side build a comfortable 11-point lead.
Until the break, the U18 Diables Noirs bagged their second five-pointer, but Spain added two more, with Lucas Alvarez completing a hat-trick to go to the half-time rest leading 35-15.
In the second string of 40 minutes saw Spain expand their lead almost immediately, thanks to finishes from captain and scrum-half Bernat Fernández and Isac Machado, plus two more conversions from Hafoka.
In the final 30 minutes, Spain secured two more tries as Laszlo Levaux scored two and Arnaud Masquelier added three for Belgium, wrapping up with a 59-32 score.
Dominant Lelos display
The U18 Lelos put out a convincing performance to defeat Poland 45-5, earning their place in the Championship semifinals.
The Georgians earned their first points following a sensational carry from centre Mikheil Mgaloblishvili, who side-stepped two incoming defenders before diving next to the posts.
However, when most expected Georgia to quickly build an unassailable lead, Poland delivered a monstrous defensive performance, stalling the former champions from scoring until the 21st minute.
After several attempts, the Lelos finally gathered their second finish with Giorgi Kevanishvili hitting from close range. Luka Tchakua followed next, scoring in the corner before Mate Makharadze added his third conversion.
Leading comfortably at half-time, Georgia added two more finishes from their driving maul, with replacement hooker and tighthead prop Saba Jibgashvili and Gega Giorgobiani driving over the line. Poland earned their consolation try with just 10 minutes to go, thanks to a cunning move from Marcel Marczewski, before Bartlome Khamashuridze and Nikolozi Jangulashvili put a bow on the 2025 runners-up win with two more tries.
Oranje overcome the Lobos
At the third match, we saw the first surprise of the U18 Men's Rugby Europe Championship, as the Netherlands defeated Portugal 20–15 to secure a spot in the Championship semi-finals.
Portugal scored first from a successful penalty goal punted by fly-half Sebastião Vasconcelos. The Dutch U18 struck back almost immediately, with lock Faber Siebinga finishing a sensational team move the opposition couldn't counter.
With both sides locked in a tight contest, Portugal tried to find a way to the Dutch try line from the lineout but consistently missed the mark, allowing the Dutch to go unscathed. To add insult to injury, the U18 Oranje managed another breakthrough, carving up seven phases until Christopher Geerdink grounded the ball after a precise short kick from Boris van der Loos.
Leading 10-3 at half-time, the Dutch side added ten more points after a 60-meter gallop from Geerdink and a penalty and try conversion by Jope van de Wassenberg.
With the prospect of failing to qualify once again for the Championship semifinals, Portugal went searching for a comeback that, unfortunately for them, never arrived. Despite claiming two finishes and a conversion, the U18 Lobos' hopes came to a screeching halt thanks to a massive effort from the Dutch defence.
As the clock went red, the Netherlands kicked the ball out to clinch a remarkable win over their longtime rivals, now scheduled to face Georgia in the Championship semifinals.
Hosts qualify for the semifinals
Czechia is through to the semifinals after convincingly defeating Germany 40-21, making their third qualification to the Championship knockouts. After an opening ten minutes with neither side scoring, the hosts finally opened the scoreboard after a brilliant, incisive run from Markos Michopulos, who dove over the try line.
Five minutes later, Adam Dubovsky grounded in the corner before Michopulos added his second conversion of the evening.
Germany tried to fight back and eventually claimed their first finish, but Czechia collected two more converted tries in the aftermath. Just before the break, Felix May found a nudge of space in the Czech defence to land his side's second. The locals were leading 28-14 with another 35 minutes to go.
Unlike what had happened in the opening half, Germany took control of the game, forcing the home side into a series of errors and narrowing the gap to 7 points when May scored again in the corner. However, the support of more than two thousand Czech fans ultimately made the difference, inspiring the home team to secure a victory through tries from Thor Pauer and Lukáš Hejtmánek.
The U18 Schwarze Adler tried to find a way back into the contest, but Czechia closed ranks and held their 40-21 lead until the full-time whistle. Czechia will now face the 2025 Champions Spain for a chance to qualify for the competition's final.
The tournament continues on Tuesday at Marketa Stadium, Prague.
