Luxembourg Conclude Rugby Europe Trophy Campaign Without a Win

On Saturday 5 April 2025, Luxembourg’s senior men’s XV rugby team played their final match of the 2024/2025 Rugby Europe Trophy season against Poland.

The Red Lions, playing in blue, opened the scoring in the fourth minute following a line-out, with Gael Pujadas grounding the ball for a try. The conversion was missed, but Luxembourg took an early 5-0 lead.

Over the next ten minutes, Luxembourg held off Polish attacks and were awarded a penalty in the 15th minute. However, Fintan Lawlor’s kick was off target and the score remained unchanged.

In the 20th minute, Poland's Dawid Banaszek received a yellow card and was temporarily sent off. Luxembourg were awarded another penalty, but Gauthier Barès was also unable to convert.

Two minutes later, Luxembourg broke through Poland’s defence again. Team captain Christian Olsen finished off a swift attacking move, putting the hosts 10-0 ahead. The conversion attempt was once again unsuccessful.

Poland got on the scoreboard in the 26th minute, with Daniel Gdula successfully converting a penalty to reduce the deficit to 10-3.

By the 30th minute, Poland returned to full strength as Banaszek re-entered the field.

In the 33rd minute, Luxembourg launched a quick counterattack from defence, with Kai Sweetnam being brought down just metres short of the try line. Poland responded with an attack of their own and were awarded a penalty, but Banaszek was off target.

The first half concluded with another successful penalty kick from Poland’s captain Daniel Gdula, bringing the score to 10-6 in favour of Luxembourg at the break.

Luxembourg captain Christian Olsen shared his thoughts with Chronicle.lu on the first half of the match: “We started the match very strong. I think we surprised Poland a little bit. We showed we have the same skill level, we showed we can be at this physicality.”

Just four minutes into the second half, Krystian Mechecki scored a try to give Poland the lead, followed by a successful conversion from Daniel Gdula, making it 10-13 in favour of the visitors.

Poland continued to apply pressure, and in the 57th minute, another penalty was awarded. Daniel Gdula converted again, extending their lead to 10-16.

In the 61st minute, Luxembourg’s Matthew Dennis-Soto received a yellow card, reducing the hosts to fourteen players. Shortly after, Poland’s captain added another penalty, pushing the score to 10-19.

Despite continued efforts from both sides, neither team managed to add to the score until the 72nd minute, when Piotr Marcin Wisniewski scored a try for Poland. This was followed by a successful conversion, taking the score to 10-26.

A few minutes before full time, Luxembourg’s Matthew Dennis-Soto received a second yellow card, which was upgraded to a red.

The match concluded with one final successful attack by Poland, sealing a 10-33 victory.

After five matches, Luxembourg finished last in the Rugby Europe Trophy standings, in sixth place with two points, and are now relegated to the lower division – Rugby Men's Conference 1.

“I believe we'll be back in two seasons. There's no reason we shouldn't be. I think we deserve to be at this level. We showed it with how we played. We just, unfortunately, only woke up against the three hardest teams in the competition in the last three matches and we let the first two go. It's the nature of rugby. We can hold our heads up high, we'll come back stronger and I think we'll surprise some people next time we're in Europe Trophy,” said Christian Olsen.

IK