Luxembourg Men's Rugby Team Fall to Sweden in Europe Trophy Match

On Saturday 29 March 2025, Luxembourg's senior men's XV rugby team played their fourth match of the 2024/2025 Rugby Europe Trophy season, against Sweden.

Sweden, who had won their first three matches, sat second in the tournament standings, while Luxembourg had recorded one draw and two defeats and were placed at the bottom.

The visitors started more actively and opened the scoring in the 11th minute, converting a try and successful conversion to lead 7-0.

Two minutes later, Sweden were temporarily reduced to fourteen players following a yellow card for Armir Kozhani. Luxembourg capitalised, with Fintan Lawlor successfully converting a penalty to bring the score to 3-7.

In the 17th minute, Luxembourg’s Stuart Logier was injured in a collision and required medical assistance. As a result of the incident, Logier received a red card, levelling the numbers on the field. However, shortly afterwards, Fintan Lawlor was also shown a yellow card and temporarily sent off, leaving Luxembourg with only thirteen players on the pitch.

Sweden took advantage, scoring their second try and extending their lead to 14-3. With Armir Kozhani returning to the field, Sweden once again had fifteen players, while Luxembourg continued to defend with thirteen.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Head Coach James Kent told Chronicle.lu that this phase marked Luxembourg’s strongest performance: “I think what we can be proud of is the character we showed. It’s obviously always hard to play 13 thirteen against 15 fifteen at times and fourteen against fifteen. But I think when we were thirteen against fifteen is when we played our best rugby.”

In the 27th minute, Gauthier Bares converted another penalty won through the efforts of Lucas Schmitt, bringing the score to 6-14. Lawlor returned to the field shortly after, but Sweden managed to breach the home defence twice more before the break, taking an eighteen-point lead into half-time at 24-6.

Luxembourg captain Christian Olsen shared the coach’s instructions from the half-time break: “The head coach at halftime said to stick to the game plan, which we did: put the ball high, put it deep, and avoid playing in our own half. It was just unfortunate. I think it comes down to maybe a bit of fitness, a bit of preparation.”

Three minutes into the second half, Luxembourg executed a strong attacking move finished by Anthony Drennan, with Lawlor adding a successful conversion to close the gap to 13-24.

Both teams held each other at bay for much of the second half, but Luxembourg were unable to add further points during this phase. Midway through the half, Sweden pulled away decisively, scoring three tries in five minutes to bring the score to 13-45. Two further scores followed in the 70th and 74th minutes, extending the visitors' lead to 57-13.

Luxembourg did have the final say. In the closing moments, Yared Ketema crossed the line to register a final try, setting the final score at 18-57.

Yared Ketema reflected on the moment in an interview with Chronicle.lu: “It was a period where heads were dropping a bit, and we lost some momentum. I just capitalised on a ball that was in the air — it was a slow ball, and I made the best out of it. To be honest, I consider myself pretty lucky. But yeah, it's also experience — going for everything, not giving them anything, and just making the most of the opportunity.”

Luxembourg will conclude their 2024/2025 Rugby Europe Trophy campaign at home on Saturday 5 April 2025, when they host current table leaders Poland.

IK