The Malta Men’s Rugby Sevens National Team has achieved a historic milestone by earning promotion to the Rugby Europe Sevens Trophy Division—the second-highest tier out of five in European rugby. This marks a significant progression for the team, which only three years ago had secured promotion from the lower-tier Conference 2 division.
Entering the tournament ranked lowest in their pool, Malta began their campaign on Saturday with a narrow 24–17 loss against Serbia. Undeterred, the team bounced back in style with a commanding 27–10 victory over Finland, showcasing a more refined and confident performance. They closed the pool stage with a thrilling 27–21 win over Austria, a game that highlighted the Maltese side’s technical prowess, grit, and determination.
Securing second place in their group earned Malta a place in the semi-finals, where they faced tournament hosts Andorra. With Andorra having defeated Malta just three weeks ago during the GSSE, the hosts faced this encounter with confidence. However, Malta delivered a tactical masterclass in front of the home crowd, outplaying their opponents and securing the promotion to the Trophy Division.
Though bruised and physically taxed, Malta went on to contest the tournament final against Monaco—GSSE gold medalists and clear favourites. Despite a courageous performance, Malta fell short, but their runner-up finish cemented their rise in European rugby ranks.
“This is an incredible achievement for our team,” said Malta Rugby Football Union President, Robert Portelli. “Over the past three years, we have worked tirelessly to grow our player base and develop depth in our 7s squad. Promotion to the Trophy Division validates this effort. It also complements the success of our 15s team, who topped their group for the second consecutive season, narrowly missing out on promotion. I believe both our 7s and 15s sides belong in the Trophy division, and this result proves we’re on the right path.”
In parallel, Malta also participated in the Women’s 7s Conference division. While the team faced tough challenges from all teams, there were bright spots as the women’s squad secured three wins against Bulgaria, Estonia, and Lithuania.
“We recognise that there’s still work to be done on the women’s side,” added Portelli. “But we’re encouraged by the promising performances from our younger players and proud of the commitment shown by the entire squad. Every player gave their all on the pitch. Securing three wins is a strong step forward and gives us a solid foundation to build on.”
This weekend’s results reflect the resilience, progress, and growing depth of Maltese rugby across both the men’s and women’s formats. With continued investment and development, the Malta Rugby Football Union remains committed to raising the standard and visibility of the sport across the islands and beyond.
The Malta Men’s Rugby Sevens squad was formed as follows:
Xavier Mamo, Jean Scholey, Ryan Felice, Jamie Farrugia, Jake Pace, Brendan Dalton, Philippe Ioffe, Kyle Gauci, Adam Kelly, Jethro Zammit Randich, Kaine Louie Dimech, Joseph Walker, Josh Gatt.
Coaching & Support Staff were: Head Coach: Jaike Carter, Coach: Patrice Debiere, Team Manager: Joseph Cutajar and Physio: Daniel Azzopardi.
The Malta Women’s Rugby Sevens squad was composed of Sairita Cassar, Amber Dalli, Emma Borg, Rebekka Bartolo, Raisa Farrugia, Penelope Saverton, Jacqueline Richard, Francesca Schembri, Brenda Caruana, Nicole Ebejer, Claire Casha, Myra Bonello, Diane Pace
Coaching & Support Staff was lead by Head Coach Carmelo Longo along with; Assistant Coach: Keegan Weintraud, Strength & Conditioning Coach: Marion Azzopardi, Team Manager: Charlotte Sultana Evans and Physio: Samuel Ian Portelli.
