New format for Rugby Europe International competitions

Rugby Europe have announced changes for the up-coming men’s XV structure for the 23/24 season in the Trophy and Conferences divisions.

Rugby Europe Conference

The competition will now consolidate to feature a single conference with four pools and 17 teams.

The pools are focused on geographical and logistical criteria.

• Pool A: Andorra, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Norway
• Pool B: Luxembourg, Hungary, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria
• Pool C: Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Turykie
• Pool D: Israel, Cyprus, Malta

These changes have come through a series of consultations with the teams involved, where the current financial climate with inflation, there was a need to reflect on the competitions structure and a consensus was reached, while key-consideration was also given to maintaining a high level of play and similar number of playing opportunities.

Teams with ambitions of climbing up the rugby pyramid can compete in a play-off to the Trophy after submitting their intentions to Rugby Europe where an assessment on various aspects will be made after winning their respective pool.

The play-off will take place in the last weekend of May 2024.  

Teams who are not involved in the Conference this year still have the possibility to play international games under the Rugby Europe umbrella.

Rugby Europe Trophy

This season’s Trophy, the second division of Rugby Europe’s XV competition under the Championship, will now feature six teams. Czechia will take their place after being promoted after defeating Israel in the play-off earlier in the year. They will join Lithuania, Switzerland, Croatia, Sweden, Ukraine. 

Dates and kick off times will be updated once confirmed by the host union.