Luxembourg Rugby Inaugurates New Offices, Eyes Growth & Future Development

On Thursday 16 April 2026, Luxembourg Rugby inaugurated its new offices at the Maison des Sports in Strassen, a facility bringing together national sports federations in Luxembourg, during a friendly and informal gathering attended by guests and partners.

Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Luxembourg Rugby President Jean-François Boulot the new offices mark an important step for the federation as it seeks to strengthen and professionalise its operations. “We want to professionalise the union. And if we want to professionalise, we need more people,” he said, noting that the previous office space had been too small. He added that recent governance changes, including the separation of administrative and sporting functions, and the expansion of staff support this development: “Now we have an office where everybody can work together… it’s better. And it’s the beginning of a new chapter.”

Looking ahead, he highlighted the need for further development, including the recruitment of a general secretary and continued cooperation with the Ministry of Sport. He also stressed the importance of infrastructure, noting that the federation currently lacks a dedicated rugby facility. “We need a place where we can play rugby… a technical centre,” he said, pointing out that access to pitches remains limited.

Jean-François Boulot added that Luxembourg Rugby aims to expand participation, particularly through schools, and sees long-term potential for growth, including ambitions to compete at a higher international level.

The federation also announced upcoming initiatives, including a cross-border “All Blacks Clinic” scheduled to take place from 24 to 28 August 2026, aimed at offering world-class coaching for young players aged twelve to eighteen. Inspired by the methodology of New Zealand’s national team, the programme will focus on developing players’ skills, mindset and understanding of rugby culture, while also supporting long-term player pathways. The event is expected to bring together more than 80 participants.

Among those present at the inauguration were players from Luxembourg’s senior men’s XV rugby team, including Anton Agassi, who spoke to Chronicle.lu about the team’s recent forfeit victory after their scheduled opponent, Latvia, withdrew from the Rugby Europe Men’s XV Conference 2026. The match had been scheduled for Saturday 18 April 2026. He described the situation as “obviously disappointing”, noting that the team had been looking forward to the match as part of its preparations. Luxembourg now have a perfect record of three wins from three matches, with their next fixture scheduled away against Finland on Saturday 9 May 2026.

“We don’t get a lot of time together as a national team to train and to play, so having a game is always really good to prepare,” he said, adding that the focus has now shifted to the upcoming fixture, which will be decisive for the group standings.

Agassi noted that while no replacement international match is expected before that game, the team will continue preparations through training sessions and club matches. “If we win, we should be top of our pool… we just focus on what we can do,” he said, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to deliver.

Looking ahead, Luxembourg Rugby President Jean-François Boulot also highlighted long-term ambitions for the sport in the country, including the possibility of reaching the Olympic Games one day. He noted that this objective is particularly relevant for the women’s national team, describing it as a long-term goal that will require continued development and investment.

(Caption: Jean-François Boulot; Luxembourg Rugby President; Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu)