Day 3 - European Championship Series 

BelSevens

A crucial day awaits the BelSevens as they face an elite Great Britain team in the semi-finals. The BelSevens, considered underdogs, approach this match with the right mentality: every game must be played to the fullest!

The match starts intensely, and they quickly concede two tries. After halftime, the Olympic team of Great Britain accelerates and finishes the match with a score of 0-29. The Belgians need to move past this semi-final and fully prepare for the bronze medal match against Spain.

This match could be historic, as if the BelSevens manage to beat the Spanish, as they did in the first leg in Makarska, they will finish in second place in the overall European Championship standings.

The match kicks off at high speed with a very quick try from the Spanish team. The BelSevens, focused and determined, do not let themselves get unsettled and remain focused on their ultimate goal. A magnificent try by Émilie Musch reduces the score to 5-7 before halftime, promising an exciting second half... and it was.

Belgium dominates this second half. A well-structured defense and a strong desire to win the medal make the difference for the BelSevens. The match is tense and the actions go back and forth, but it is the Belgians who push the hardest. Time ticks away and the final buzzer sounds with the Belgians in possession of the ball. They make one last push, all together. The ball moves to the right with captain Cécile Blondiau charging the Spanish defense. She is stopped but manages to pass the ball to the fleet-footed Hanne Swiers, who fires off and scores a magnificent try.

Incredible!

They have beaten Spain, secured the bronze medal for the second time in this championship, and finish second in the overall European Championship standings, just behind France. Historical!

Additionally, they qualify for another year in the HSBC Challenger Series.

Here is a recap of the BelSevens' journey to bronze and silver: in the pool stage, they beat Turkey (29-0), Italy (26-0), and lost to Spain (5-27). Then in the quarter-finals, they beat Germany (17-7) but lost the semi-final to Great Britain (0-29). They finished by winning the decisive match and taking revenge against Spain (10-7). An impressive journey!

A great weekend for rugby sevens in Belgium!

MenSevens

For the MenSevens, it was also a crucial day. They were starting their final day of the championship against Georgia, the team that had beaten them two weeks ago in Makarska. There was a sense of revenge in the air.

This tournament had already been somewhat frustrating for them, and this match for 5th place was no different. It was an incredible match. Both teams scored very quickly, and after just two minutes, the score was 7-7. The actions kept coming, and the ball moved from one end to the other without interruption.

The final match buzzer sounded, but the ball remained in play. No decisive try was scored, so they moved into overtime. The additional five minutes flew by with constant action from both sides, but still no try. After the first overtime, a second one followed. By this point, they had already been playing for 19 minutes instead of 14.

Once again, no try was scored, but the actions continued from both sides. At the end of the second overtime, the Georgians obtained a penalty close to the posts. The kicker opted for a dropkick to end the match. He aimed, he kicked, he scored. The Belgians thus suffered another defeat against Georgia, losing 7-10. They would also play against Spain, but for 7th place.

With Gaspard Lalli (captain) and Jens Torfs (prop) injured, this final obstacle was not going to be easy to overcome. They dug deep within themselves and gave everything to secure a victory and finish on a high note. Unfortunately, the Spaniards proved to be more effective, fresher, and more combative.

The Belgians will therefore have to settle for another 8th place in this leg of the European Championship.