Sweden & Georgia promoted to Euro 7s Championship
Sweden and Georgia will play in next year’s European 7s Championship, while Andorra and Israel are relegated to the Conference.
Published by John Birch, July 13th, 2024
3 minute read
Sweden have bounced straight back to the European Sevens Championship after winning both rounds of this year’s Trophy.
By far the strongest team in the series, Sweden won every game they played over the two weekends, and were rarely troubled in any game.
The battle to join them was far closer, however. Georgia had been very strong in the first leg, but lost to Hungary in their pool this weekend and then to Denmark in the semi-finals, only finishing third by taking revenge on Hungary in the third-place game. However they did just enough to pip Denmark to the second promotion place on points difference, putting them at the top of European Sevens next year for the first time.
At the other end of the table, Norway – 12th in the first leg – beat Romania in their pool, which put them into the quarter=finals, all but ensuring their safety from relegation especially when Israel – who beat them to 11th place in the first leg – again lost all of their pool games.
Israel’s only hope was to avoid the 11th place playoff, but a narrow 12-10 defeat to Austria confirmed Conference rugby for the Israelis next season.
That win was also enough to keep Austria in next year’s Trophy and in the end it is Andorra who go down, despite beating Israel to 11th place.
Results
Pool A: Sweden 15-5 Norway; Finland 19-0 Romania; Sweden 29-7 Romania; Finland 22-12 Norway; Sweden 34-0 Finland; Romania 7-24 Norway
Pool B: Georgia 34-0 Israel; Hungary 10-15 Switzerland; Georgia 38-5 Switzerland; Hungary 19-5 Israel; Switzerland 19-5 Israel; Georgia 12-14 Hungary
Pool C: Denmark 24-0 Austria; Latvia 14-5 Andorra; Denmark 22-5 Andorra; Latvia 7-5 Austria; Denmark 24-5 Latvia; Andorra 5-22 Austria
Quarter-Finals: Sweden 29-7 Norway; Denmark 26-7 Switzerland; Georgia 10-0 Latvia; Hungary 19-14 Finland
9th-12th Place Semi-Finals: Austria 12-10 Israel; Andorra 12-17 Romania
5th-8th Place Semi Finals: Norway 5-17 Finland; Switzerland 0-38 Latvia
Semi-Finals: Sweden 19-17 Hungary; Denmark 12-5 Georgia
11th Place: Israel 0-17 Andorra
9th Place: Austria 19-0 Romania
7th Place: Norway 22-7 Switzerland
5th Place: Finland 14-20 Latvia
3rd Place: Hungary 10-28 Georgia
Final: Sweden 24-0 Denmark