Malta’s men’s rugby sevens national team has secured promotion to the Rugby Europe Sevens Trophy Division—Europe’s second-highest tier—marking a major step forward for the squad just three years after their rise from Conference 2.
Ranked lowest in their group heading into the tournament, Malta opened their campaign with a close 24–17 defeat to Serbia. The team responded with a strong 27–10 win over Finland and followed that up with a 27–21 victory against Austria to finish second in their pool and advance to the semi-finals.
Facing hosts Andorra—who had beaten Malta at the GSSE three weeks earlier—the side delivered a disciplined and tactical performance to seal their promotion with a convincing win.
Although physically worn, Malta pushed on to the final against Monaco, the reigning GSSE gold medallists. Despite a valiant effort, Malta fell short, but their runner-up finish was enough to confirm their place in next season’s Trophy Division.
“This is an incredible achievement,” said Malta Rugby Football Union president Robert Portelli. “Over the past three years, we’ve worked hard to develop our sevens programme. This result confirms the team’s progress and complements the strong form of our 15s team, who topped their group for the second year running.”
Malta also fielded a team in the women’s Rugby Europe Sevens Conference division, picking up three wins against Bulgaria, Estonia and Lithuania. While results varied, performances from younger players stood out.
“We know there’s more to do on the women’s side,” added Portelli. “But three wins are a step forward, and we’re proud of the commitment and effort shown by the whole squad.”
This latest success reflects the ongoing development of Maltese rugby across both men’s and women’s formats. The MRFU says it remains focused on raising standards and strengthening the sport’s presence at home and abroad.
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