2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference

The 2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference is the third-level rugby union competition below the premier Championship and Trophy competitions. It is the second Conference under its new format. After Czech Republic was promoted to the Trophy and Ukraine relegated at the end of the 2016–17 season, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Sweden and Ukraine compete for the Conference 1 title. While after the relegation of Turkey and the promotion of Slovakia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia will compete for the Conference 2 title.

2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference
Date14 October 2017 – 26 May 2017
Countries20
Tournament statistics
Champions Lithuania (1st title)
Matches played40
Attendance29,325 (733 per match)
Tries scored284 (7.1 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Conference 1
James O'Brien (49)
Conference 2
Cassius Deschamps (59)
Top try scorer(s)Conference 1
James Kirk (5)
Luke Watts (5)
Conference 2
Gauthier Bares (5)
Igor Dejanović (5)
Christian Melgaard (5)
Official websiteRugby International Championship
← 2016–17 (Previous) (Next) 2018–2019 →

The winners of Conference 1 North and South will play an additional match, a Conference 1-Trophy Promotion play-off for the right to play the 2018–19 Rugby Europe Trophy. While the bottom placed teams of Conference 1 North and South will be relegated to Conference 2 for the following season, replacing the North and South winners of Conference 2. The bottom placed team with the worse overall record will be relegated and participate in the 2019 Rugby Europe Development season.

The competition saw Alhambra Nievas and Joy Neville become the first and second women referees to take charge of men's fifteen–a–side internationals. On 14 October 2017 Nievas refereed the match between Finland and Norway. On 28 October 2017 Neville refereed the match between Norway and Denmark.[1][2][3][4][5]

Conference 1

Table
Champions and advances to
Promotion play-off
Relegated
Place Nation Games Points Try
BP		 Losing
BP		 Grand Slam
BP		 Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Lithuania440012778+4920119
2 Ukraine42119263+2920012
3 Sweden420292109−171009
4 Hungary40136072−120305
5 Latvia410372121−490004
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points
At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point
Loss within 7 points – 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points
Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points

Fixtures

Table
Champions and advances to
Promotion play-off
Relegated
Place Nation Games Points Try
BP		 Losing
BP		 Grand Slam
BP		 Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Malta440022148+17330120
2 Croatia42118597−1210011
2 Israel420210586+1911010
4 Bosnia and Herzegovina41035140−860004
5 Andorra401360154−940204
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points
At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point
Loss within 7 points – 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points
Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points

Fixtures

Conference 2

Table
Champions and Promoted
Relegated
Place Nation Games Points Try
BP		 Losing
BP		 Grand Slam
BP		 Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Luxembourg440016224+13820119
2 Denmark430121145+16620014
3 Finland4202107120−131009
4 Norway41038390−71106
5 Estonia400431315−2840000
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points
At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point
Loss within 7 points – 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points
Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points

Fixtures

Notes:

  • The Finland v Norway match was notable for being the first time an all female list of referees were chosen to officiate a men's fifteen a side game.[6]
  • Originally a home game for Norway, but moved to Luxembourg due to recent cold weather conditions meaning the pitch could not recover in time.[7]

Table
Champions and Promoted
Possible Relegation
Place Nation Games Points Try
BP		 Losing
BP		 Grand Slam
BP		 Table
points
played won drawn lost for against difference
1 Cyprus430111451+6320014
2 Austria430111088+2210013
3 Serbia420213198+3311010
4 Slovenia42028275+70109
5 Slovakia400445173−1280000
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points
At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point
Loss within 7 points – 1 point
Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points
Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points

Fixtures

Conference 1 promotion to Trophy play-off
19 May 2018
Lithuania  81-10 Malta 
Siaulai, Lithuania

See also

References
  1. "Female referees Alhambra Nievas and Joy Neville to make history by taking charge of Men's Internationals". www.telegraph.co.uk. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  2. "Alhambra Nievas: Female referee hopes to 'create a pathway' for other women". www.bbc.co.uk. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  3. "Meet Alhambra Nievas – the trailblazing female referee about to make history". www.telegraph.co.uk. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  4. "Spanish referee Alhambra Nievas makes rugby history in Helsinki". www.telegraph.co.uk. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  5. "'Role model' Joy takes top refereeing honour". www.independent.ie. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  6. "Sports first for Finland international as female referees take charge". 14 October 2017.
  7. "Norway Facebook post". Rugby Norge. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
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