This weekend will be marked by rugby as the medal games take place on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday in Valmiera, Valmiera’s “Fēnikss” fought for bronze against “Lāčiem/Mūku Sala” in Valmiera, and on Sunday, the main game is the fight for the title, where the principal duel between “Baltic XL/Livonia” and “Miesnieki” of Ķekava is scheduled.
For the last two years, the first place has been won by “Miesnieki”, who won the match last year with 21:13, winning the 15th title, but in 2022, in both games, they prevailed in a similar match with 26:23 and 33:20. On the other hand, “Livonia” was last champion in 2021, when they beat “Miesnieki” rugby team 51:37 in a high-scoring game and won their fifth title.
“Balitc XL/Livonia” have a good chance this year to regain the title after a two-year break and become champions in Rugby15 for the sixth time. This season, the two strongest Latvian rugby teams of the decade have met twice, with the Livonians celebrating the victory both times. First, on July 20, in the last game of the main tournament of the Latvian championship, “Baltic XL/Livonia” very convincingly beat the 14-man “Miesniekus” with 48:12, the teams agreed to end the game early and the Livonians became the winners of the regular season.
On the other hand, a week later in the duel of the Baltic Top League, when the teams strengthened their formations, especially the butchers, the result was almost the same – 46:17, but the game was much more similar, “Baltic XL/Livonia” achieved the decisive advantage at the very end of the game. The first half ended with only 15:12 in favor of the Livonians, but with eight minutes to go, the result was 29:17 in favor of the “Livonia” club, but with a penalty kick, two touchdowns and conversions in the last minutes, the Livonians were able to create an advantage of almost 30 points.
The results in the Baltic Top League are also better for “Baltic XL/Livonia”, who have won three times in six games on the field, but experienced losses with a very similar result in the other three games, while “Miesnieki” have only lost in five games so far, some of them with a very large point difference. Therefore, “Baltic XL/Livonia” will be considered favorites in Sunday’s game, but in any case, the game promises to be very exciting and similar, because “Miesnieki”, like “Livonia”, have always been able to gather their strength for the principled final or the decisive game for the title of Latvia in the championship.
RK “Baltic XL/Livonia” coach Mārcis Rullis says that it will be a tough game and none of the teams can be considered favorites, as the possibilities are similar. “We are preparing hard because it will be a tough game on Sunday. Some players are getting treatment but hopefully everything will be fine. According to the rules, we cannot take players from further reserves from the second team. We will be able to put about 75% of the optimal composition,” says Mārcis Rullis.
“In the Baltic Top League, both teams have different formations with additions. We won convincingly in the Latvian championship game in July, but the butchers had only 14 players. In the final, everything will start from scratch. It will be an exciting, watchable game that is likely to go point to point. “Butchers” are also preparing, putting their soul, heart, to show a strong resistance. They will have a lot of fans too. I think the chances are similar – 50:50,” concludes Rullis.
“Let’s start with the optimal composition, from the players that are currently available. Three first-team players are missing, unavailable for various reasons. It is clear that the opponents will fight hard, because the Butchers always go out in the finals with a lot of fighting spirit. This year they will field the old experienced players in the final game. Because we are waiting for a very interesting final on Sunday”, the coach of RK “Livonia” is sure.
2024-09-16 02:33:58