The Rhein-Waal University team, made up of students from five continents, played their first official rugby match and finished sixth out of twelve.
Almost half of the Kleve student rugby teams have never played a proper rugby match before. This makes last Saturday’s performance all the more impressive. Right from their very first match, the Kleve team proved their worth, winning 15–10 against their far more experienced and higher-ranked opponents from Nijmegen. In their next match against Rugby Club Nieuwegein, the Kleve students also managed to secure a 25–10 victory despite falling behind at times.
It was not until the round of 16 that the Kleve team were defeated by the up-and-coming Rugby Club Octopus from Uden. The opponents’ Welsh coach, a former assistant to the Dutch national coach, was visibly impressed and praised the Kleve students for their “great skills and so much passion”.
Overall, the team finished in sixth place – one place above the team from Nijmegen. Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences is extremely proud of this result and wishes the team continued success in future competitions.
