Ukraine's women's rugby sevens team won the European Championship in the Trophy division — and did so with a result that can hardly be called accidental: no losses across two rounds, minimal points conceded, and two victories over the same opponent — Italy's national team.
How it unfolded
The first round in the Croatian city of Makarska, the Ukrainian women completed flawlessly: three group stage victories with scores of 39:0 over Croatia, 45:0 over Austria, and 27:0 over Georgia — with no tries conceded in their own in-goal area. In the final, Italy's team lost 24:10. The best player of the first round was captain Natalia Mazur, who scored two tries.
The second round in Chișinău proved more competitive. In the quarterfinals, Austria lost 0:31, in a tense semifinal the hosts — Moldova — conceded only 14:15. The final again against Italy — 15:10 in Ukraine's favor. The best player of the round was Lviv native Oksana Pasichko.
"Ukraine's women's team not only secured first place in the overall standings but also earned the right to compete in the elite Championship division next season"
National Olympic Committee of Ukraine
What Championship means in practice
Trophy is the second tier of women's rugby sevens in Rugby Europe. Championship is the first tier, where France, Spain, Ireland, and other leading continental teams compete. The promotion brings not just prestige: it means a different level of opponents, different media attention, and ultimately a different benchmark for player development.
It is notable that Ukraine has already traveled this path: after winning the Trophy Series 2023, the team was promoted to Championship, but subsequently returned to the second division. The current triumph is a return to promotion, not a debut.
- The squad includes at least six players from Lviv
- Two consecutive finals against Italy — both won
- Opponents failed to score a single point during the group stage in Croatia
What's next
The team already knows what awaits them in Championship next season. However, the experience of 2023–2024 shows: reaching the elite division and consolidating a position in it are different tasks. Whether the squad depth and infrastructure will be sufficient to avoid repeating the decline this time — will become clear in the first matches of the new season.
