Estonia’s U18 boys rugby sevens squad completed their first-ever European Championship campaign in Budapest on 17–18 July, finishing seventh in the Rugby Europe Boys Trophy 2. The result — and the story behind it — marks a genuine milestone for Estonian rugby.
Day one: The learning curve
Playing in Pool B alongside Georgia, Austria and Hungary — three sides well above Estonia’s current level — the squad were held scoreless across all three group games.
- Hungary 48–0 Estonia
- Austria 50–0 Estonia
- Estonia 0–52 Georgia
Georgia — five-time U18 European XV champions who won the tournament 31–0 in the final — conceded just five points across the entire event. Austria reached the final. Hungary played on home soil. The opposition was formidable, and for fifteen-to-seventeen-year-olds on their first international tournament, the experience was exactly what it needed to be.
“Thursday was hard. We won’t hide that,” said head coach Tanner Saar. “But the boys kept their heads up.”
Day two: The response
The same squad came out on Friday with a different energy — and proved what they are capable of.
Serbia 24–12 Estonia: Aleksander Nigul scored Estonia’s first-ever try at a European Championship. Alexis Besnard added the second and converted.
Hungary 33–12 Estonia: Besnard crossed twice more and converted one.
Zero points on day one. Twenty-four points and four tries on day two.
Standout performers
Alexis Besnard (Marlow RUFC, England) — 3 tries, 2 conversions. Travelled from England to represent Estonia and ended the tournament as the squad’s top scorer.
Aleksander Nigul (Sohni Ragbiklubi) — scored Estonia’s first-ever try at a European Championship. A moment that will stand in the record books.
Quotes
Tanner Saar, head coach: “Thursday was hard. We won’t hide that. But the boys kept their heads up. Friday showed what this team is really capable of — we scored in both games, fought for every ball and showed we belong here. The tournament helped build a strong foundation for these young players for the challenges ahead. We gave everything.”
Paul Davidson, team manager: “These boys put on the Estonia jersey and went to Europe to test themselves. That’s something most people never get to experience. It’s easy to say from the outside that the score was bad — but those people don’t know what it takes. Four tries on day two, improvement in every game, and boys who gave absolutely everything. I am incredibly proud of them. We are new to this game, but we are growing faster than anyone thinks.”
Final standings
- Georgia
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Hungary
- Serbia
- Estonia
The squad
Head coach: Tanner Saar | Team manager: Paul Davidson | Physiotherapist: Siret Täks
Aleksander Nigul, Garmin Kender, Arti Neemelo, Joosep Õim, Karl Gustav Viisitamm, Laur Kristjan Raik, Nikolas Sebastian Pihelgas, Richard Vlassov, Risto Revon Viisitamm, Ruben-Thor Talpas, Uku-Martin Teder (all Sohni Ragbiklubi) | Martin Lillemäe (Helsinki Warriors Rugby Club, Finland) | Alexis Besnard (Marlow RUFC, England)
The trip to Budapest was funded through crowdfunding and sponsor support. Thank you to Leadlex Law Firm, Estlander Grupp, Kimmo OÜ, Pudel Baar, Kennedy’s, Yolo Group and Tbilisi Restoran, and to all individual donors. The campaign remains open at u18.ragbi.ee.