Denmark v Lithuania
Denmark secured a famous win in the men’s Rugby Europe Trophy at the weekend.
After being promoted from the Conference, the Danes lost their opening game at Trophy level 36-26 away to Croatia at the end of last month, but showed enough in that one to take confidence from it.
And, on Saturday, they got a victory under their belts at home by defeating 38-34 Lithuania in a cracking contest.
Denmark got off to the perfect start when winger Christian Kilsdal scored a try converted by stand-off Cassius Deschamps after just four minutes.
Lithuania full-back Arnas Prielaidas then got the visitors on the board with a penalty before two more converted tries made it 21-3 to Denmark after 27 minutes. The scorers were back-row Erwan Caquineau and No.8 Federico Andres Haedo.
The visitors knew that they had to fire back next and they did when No.8 Laurynas Marcinkus scored a converted try before Deschamps missed a penalty for the hosts to leave it at 21-10 at half-time.
That try had clearly given Lithuania confidence because just after half-time they scored again via winger Kestutis Karbauskas and when Prielaidas converted it was 21-17 and ‘game on’.
Lithuania’s momentum was soon stunted though when they had a player yellow carded and Denmark scored their fourth try when they had a man advantage. Tomas Mayne, the centre, was the scorer this time and Deschamps converted for 28-17.
Credit: Michael Alexander Groth
Even with a man down, Lithuania did not stop battling though and they scored a try while shorthanded through Karbauskas which was converted to make it 28-24 after 51 minutes.
Lithuania then lost a second man to the sin bin meaning they were down to 13 for a short spell and, in the 56th minute, Denmark scored versus 13 men when Kilsdal bagged his second and it was converted to give them an 11-point lead.
Back to 14 men now, a Prielaidas penalty for Lithuania then made it 35-27 and, when it was 15 versus 15, Deschamps kicked a penalty with 14 minutes to go to take it to 38-27 to the Danes.
Lithuania made it a nervy ending when Marcinkus scored his second try of the day in the 69th minute converted by Prielaidas, but Denmark held on for a simply breathless 38-24 win.
They are now fifth in the six-team standings on four points with Lithuania bottom on one point after earning a losing bonus point here.
Czechia v Sweden
Czechia are third on nine points with two wins from two after a 48-24 victory over second placed Sweden who are on 10 points.
In another non-stop game that was littered with yellow cards and one red one, Czechia led 34-17 at half-time.
During that 40 minutes their tries came from full-back Martin Cimprich, back-row Jakub Havel, centre Adam Koblic and winger Adam Miracky with a double. Cimprich also kicked three conversions with stand-off Tristan Horak adding a penalty.
Credit: Martin Flousek
Sweden No.8 Theodor Karlsson scored two tries and scrum-half Jack Tatu Robertsson kicked seven points.
In the second period, Czechia’s tries came from centre Jindrich Kulhavy and winger Maxim Aschenbrenner with Cimprich converting both before a late converted try for Sweden by Tatu Robertsson finished things 48-24.
Cyprus v Malta
Malta got their men’s Rugby Europe Conference campaign off to a winning start in Cyprus on Saturday.
The visitors came out on top 27-8 and are leading Pool D as a result.
By Gary Heatly
