Luxembourg's promotion winning team;
Credit: FLR via Facebook
In a few short weeks, Luxembourg's men's national rugby team kicks off its 2024/2025 campaign at the highest level it has achieved to date.
Chronicle.lu spoke to Luxembourg Rugby Federation (FLR) President Jean-François Boulot about his expectations for the upcoming season.
Chronicle.lu: For the new 2024/2025 season, the national team has been promoted to the Rugby Europe Trophy. Can you tell us what this means for Luxembourg rugby and what your expectations are for the coming campaign?
Jean-François Boulot: At European level, there are eight teams in the Championship (1st division), six in the Trophy (2nd division) and 27 in the Conference (3rd division). Our promotion to Trophy Rugby Europe shows that a small country like ours can make it into the European top 15, and that the work done by all those involved in the FLR is paying off.
For our first participation at this level, we want to hold our own. We'll be discovering a more demanding and tactical level of play, so we'll need to be as strong as we were last season.
Chronicle.lu: Please tell us a bit about the journey that brought you to this level. Was it a simple promotion last year?
Jean-François Boulot: The Rugby Europe board wanted to introduce a new championship format in the Conference division after consultation with all the federations concerned. Four pools were created, two pools with countries that did not wish to move up to the next level and two other pools with teams looking to move up. Our pool was made up of Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and frankly, we had to battle against each of them.
To reach this first place, the technical staff did a huge amount of work and knew how to choose the game strategies that enabled us to win all our matches. This tactical work came to the fore in the play-off match against Moldova. The team showed its seriousness and mastery of the game. The Moldovan president, who was at my side during the match, said to me: "We didn't expect this performance from you, sincere congratulations".
Chronicle.lu: Has the promotion brought with it any unexpected challenges, benefits or changes that have already come to light?
Jean-François Boulot: There are no changes to the way we operate. The main change is the number of matches, since in the Trophy division there is only one pool of six teams, who will play each other either at home or away.
This season, the league will be made up of the Czech Republic, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Luxembourg, with two away games (Lithuania and Czech Republic) and three home games (Croatia, Sweden and Poland).
Our challenge is to involve players and clubs in this new project to find the right balance of play for everyone.
Chronicle.lu: With regard to this promotion, what benefits, if any, do you see for clubs and grassroots rugby in Luxembourg?
Jean-François Boulot: I hope that this promotion will attract a new public, new supporters and, above all, that it will encourage new vocations for our sport.
As for our two clubs with senior teams, they too have managed to reach the top echelon in their respective German leagues, so that means that the level of the game in Luxembourg has really progressed.
Playing at a higher level can only bring us more experience, both collectively and individually. The players will have the chance to measure themselves and show their ability and our "know-how", which can only help them to progress. As I've already said, we're a small country but our Red Lions have a huge heart.
I hope that this will attract new players and children to the clubs.
Chronicle.lu: The season kicks off with an away match in Lithuania on 26 October, and the first home game is against Croatia on 30 November. Will the home matches be played at the Stade de Luxembourg, and when and where will tickets go on sale?
Jean-François Boulot: Of course, we plan to play all our home matches at the Stade de Luxembourg, and tickets will go on sale via Luxembourgticket online, as we've always done. However, I can't give you a date when tickets will go on sale, as the FLR board of directors is due to be voted in October, and I can't tell you whether the next team will work in the same way as the previous one; let's hope that sales will start early enough in November.
Chronicle.lu: In the same vein, are there any plans to offer a kind of "season book" for all home games?
Jean-François Boulot: We plan to play three matches at home, and the idea of a season ticket could come up, but as I said before, we'll have to wait for the next board meeting in mid-October to decide whether or not to accept the request.
Luxembourg's fixture dates are as follows; kick-off times are still to be confirmed.
