On Sunday 3 July, Reykjavik Raiders played the first ever official 15-aside rugby game on Icelandic soil against Thunderbird Rugby Club from Arizona, USA, and the Icelanders won 45-27.
A year ago, six guys sitting in a pub in Reykjavik had the crazy idea to start a rugby club in Reykjavik. A year of recruiting, a year of training, a year of internal Sevens game, a year of promotion, and they were, playing the first official 15-aside rugby game against an American team.
It was a very open game played in front of about 100 spectators. Icelanders are playing a lot of seven-a-side internally, and so each time they managed to get good ball from their forwards, their backline was able to spread it to the wing for quite a number of good tries. Almar Sverrisson impressed, scoring three tries. On Thunderbirds side, the forwards did a good job, and Morgan Siegal had some good run breaking through the defence. Unfortunately a lack of support stopped most opportunities created by Siegal.
The game ended with a convincing victory from the Icelandic team. It was a great advertisement for rugby, and it was actually even more important to win in front of the camera of the National TV.
Rugby is still at its very early stage in Iceland, and after the IRB coaching course given by Douglas Langley a few weeks ago and this first 15-aside game, rugby seems to be on course to invade Iceland. The aim is now to create three teams around the Reykjavik area to start a proper championship, and also a Union. It would not be surprising to see Iceland competing in the FIRA-AER European Nation Cup in a near future.
For the record Reykjavik scored seven tries with five conversions, Thunderbirds five tries and a conversion.
Reykjavik Raiders Rugby FC: 15 James Broad, 14 Phil Jones, 13 Anton Logi Sverisson (captain) 12 Martin Kelly, 11 Jón Sigurður Pétursson, 10 Andrew Britten-Kelly, 9 Michael Wilson, 8 Peter Short, 7 Adam Crompton, 6 Marius Petruskevicius, 5 Ingvi Þór Þórisson, 3 Ísak Þór Atlason, 4 Birnir Orri Pétursson, 2 Erlingur Hinriksson, 1 Elías Halldórsson,
Replacements: 16 Almar Sverrisson, 17 Ebbe Torp, 18 Magne Kleven, 19 Daniel Harley, 20 Kristinn Þór Sigurjónsson, 21 Matthew Kingdom, 22 Georges Guiguay
Referee: Vincent Bouchet (Norway)
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