Germany down Rugby World Cup regulars to pull off shock REC win

In the Rugby Europe Championship opening weekend, Germany produced one of the greatest results in their recent history as the Schwarze Adler overcame the Stejarii in a tight contest.

Meanwhile, Portugal, Spain and Georgia had to endure valiant efforts from Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland to secure bonus-point wins.

Los Leones do enough to overcome a spirited Oranje
Spain started the campaign on a high, claiming a 51-33 bonus-point win at the Amsterdam National Rugby Centre against the Netherlands.

With Stade Français operator Samuel Ezeala making his official debut for Spain, the 2025 runners-up scored their first try two minutes into the game. Centre Iñaki Mateu scooped up a Dutch loose ball to give his team a five-point advantage, which was extended a few minutes later following a penalty conversion by Gonzalo Vinuesa.

Before the clock had reached the first quarter, Spain added their second try of the game, scored by lock Ignacio Piñeiro, who carried from short range to give Vinuesa an easy conversion.

Although the home side managed to get their first points on the board, Spain kept the ball flow going and secured two more converted tries, with Ezeala and Alberto Carmona earning their first Test match tries.

Both teams added one more try each before the break, with Bjorn Dolman getting his first of the game and Carmona bagging a brace. The score was 34-12 after 40 minutes.

Despite producing a convincing showing in the opening half, Spain’s form dipped in the final 40 minutes, committing several mistakes that allowed the hosts to narrow the points gap.

Prop Hugo Pirlet expanded Spain’s lead before Tim de Jong riposted a few minutes later, with both teams locked in an intense affair that ended with one yellow card and a 20-minute card, issued to Dutch flanker Spike Salman.

Despite being down to 14 men, the Netherlands fought valiantly and managed to score the same number of tries as Spain in the game’s final quarter, wrapping up the contest with an 18-point deficit, a positive outcome for such an inexperienced squad.

Spain return home to host Switzerland in Palencia next Saturday, while the Netherlands will welcome Georgia at the Amsterdam National Rugby Centre.

Despite the rocky second half, Spain departed the Netherlands with five points in the bag and a solid start to their title aspirations, with the only negative being Gonzalo Vinuesa’s injury.

Mons delivers another tight contest between Belgium and Portugal
Engulfed in a spectacular atmosphere at Mons Charles Tondreau, Belgium and Portugal delivered a competitive contest that ended with the Lobos claiming a 47-17 victory.

After surviving an early scare, the visitors opened the scoring with Samuel Marques slotting an easy conversion. Portugal kept pumping and, in the 20th minute, found their way into the Belgian try area following a spectacular play from Nicolás Martins.

The back row eluded several opposition players before throwing a wide pass to Rodrigo Marta, with the centre grounding the ball.

With momentum on their side, Portugal pushed their Pool B rivals back and ultimately extended their lead with Samuel Marques diving from the ruck. The scrum-half converted the extras.

Nonetheless, despite the 20-point deficit, the home side kept believing a turnaround was on the cards and worked tirelessly to earn their first try of the game through Alexandre Raynier. The hooker steered an unstoppable driving maul to give Belgian fans a reason to cheer.

Until the break, both sides added three more points, with Portugal taking a 13-point lead into the second half.

While some might have expected Portugal to keep building their lead from the restart, Belgium were able to regain a footing, scoring another try from a driving maul.

Portugal were consistently penalised for scrum and breakdown infringements and, at one point, were pinned inside their 22 with a player in the sin bin. However, the hosts failed to take advantage and opened the door for another Portuguese try, finished by wing Manuel Cardoso Pinto.

From that point on, Portugal held a firm grip on the match and added two more converted tries before Jérémy Rozier signalled the end of the game.

The Lobos will now travel to Germany with five points on the board, while Belgium face Romania at the Arcul de Triumf.

Lelos overcome determined Switzerland
The reigning champions, Georgia, had to double their efforts to leave Yverdon-les-Bains with a bonus-point 54-03 victory, as Switzerland produced a strong defensive display.

While the Lelos did come away with eight tries, they were shellshocked by Switzerland’s effort in the opening half, with the hosts allowing the champions just seven points.

Fullback Otar Metreveli scored the visitors’ first try before the opening quarter, gathering and grounding the ball after a superb short kick from Giorgi Kveseladze. Eight minutes later, Switzerland got on the board as fly-half Jules Porcher converted a penalty.

Georgia made several attempts to extend their lead, but a cascade of set-piece and handling errors, along with a heroic Swiss defensive performance, prevented further scores before the break.

After the restart, the floodgates eventually opened. Akaki Tabutsadze added Georgia’s second, followed by tries from Giorgi Javakhia and Tornike Jalagonia.

With 20 minutes left on the clock and momentum on their side, the Georgians took full control of the contest, crossing for four more tries before the final whistle.

An all-time Germany upset in the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship
Against all odds, Germany emerged victorious over Romania in a 30-24 contest, completing one of the most sensational results in recent Men’s Rugby Europe Championship history.

In a game of two halves, the Stejarii dominated the opening 40 minutes, scoring two tries through flanker Cristi Boboc and wing Toni Maftei, both converted by Alin Conache.

Unable to find a foothold, largely due to a malfunctioning set-piece, Germany were limited to six points from Leo Wolf’s boot.

With a 14-06 scoreline at the break, few could have predicted what followed, as the Schwarze Adler launched a dramatic comeback.

Nine minutes into the second half, scrum-half Oliver Paine wriggled through the Romanian defence to narrow the gap. With Wolf adding the extras, wing Félix Lammers followed, finishing in the corner after a sharp pass from Christopher Henning.

Germany led for the first time, plunging the Stejarii under sustained pressure. Although Conache converted a penalty, it failed to halt Germany’s momentum, with the hosts scoring again. Wing Daniel Hamilton-Strong gathered a Romanian fumble and raced clear, sending the home crowd into celebration.

As the clock moved into the red, Romania briefly regained the lead through a try from prop Gheorghe Gajion, finished after a strong carry and assist from Iliesa Tiqe.

However, Player of the Match Leo Wolf delivered the decisive moment, eluding the Romanian defence to sprint in the match-winning try and seal historic celebrations.

For the first time in nine years, Germany defeated Romania, a landmark result that could prove crucial in Mark Kuhlmann’s side retaining their Men’s Rugby Europe Championship status.