Athens welcomes women’s rugby
Athens is a new venue on the women's sevens calendar, but is already growing in importance as place for eastern European teams to prepare for European Championships. Moa Wejle from The Mamas reports for us on her team's experiences at the second Athens Cup.
Published by Moa Wejle, April 7th, 2015
3 minute read
The rugby community is one of a kind! You meet people and what connects you is the passion for a sport, founded on such sound values that we consider ourselves alike and bound together, just by sharing the same love for an oval ball. One of these connections, from Facebook, brought my team to Athens Cup.
It is always very apparent when a tournament organiser has the intention of getting better at what they are doing and wanting to grow. Here is an excellent example. This was the second year of Athens Cup. I believe I have never felt so welcome arriving, participating and playing at a tournament. They truly take pride in organising this event and they have a desire to make it an experience worthwhile for the teams, both on and off the pitch, so that they return the following year.
It is an ‘all-inclusive’ tournament with transfers, including airport pick-up, hotel, food and rugby, on level with any international Rugby Europe event. As a player, you just have to turn up and play. As a manager, you have to attend the manager meeting and follow the clear instructions.
The standard of the rugby was very good with 5 teams participating; Georgia, Greece, Malta, The Mamas and Israel (the 6thteam, Moldavia, pulled out with short notice). The format of the tournament was one pool, two days of play, with play-offs, semis and final. The referees where on an acceptable level and the medical service spotless. The banquet had a friendly atmosphere and the teams mixed with the locals and a good amount of indigenous culture including food, music, dancing and Greek plate smashing.
The tournament has the potential to grow and it would be great to see two pools next year. I believe, with a slightly bigger format, the logistic issue of/waiting time for the airport-shuttle, would be solved. However, since the tournament is played on one pitch, I would suggest that 8-12 teams/2 pools is the maximum capacity.
Brownie points:
-The hospitality and generosity of the organising club Ippokratis RC and the Greek Rugby Union
- Panathinaikos RC, although not part of the organisation, who let us use their pitch for training
- We got a goodie bag on arrival
- The food!!!!
Tournament results
Malta - Georgia 0-36Israel - Mamas 12-0Mamas - Greece 34-0Georgia - Israel 7-12Israel - Malta 40-0Greece - Georgia 0-45Mamas - Malta 42-0Israel - Greece 41-0Georgia - Mamas 5-5Malta - Greece 34-0
Semi-finals:Georgia - Mamas 20-5Israel - Malta 34-5FinalIsrael 5-7 GeorgiaThird placeMamas - Malta 17-12
Fifth placeGreece - Malta 7-10