Hooker Peter Kokontis led the way with three tries as Greece eased to the European U19s Shield with a comprehensive 94-6 win over Norway at the CREPS Font Romeu high performance facility in the Pyrenees, France, to end the tournament unbeaten.
The dominant Greeks ran in 18 tries in all, William Giovas with two in the opening 13 minutes, as they built up a 52-6 half time lead, stand off Joshua Silverstone-Utheim with Norway’s reply, to maintain his record of scoring in every game.
“I’m ecstatic for the boys, all 22 of them,” said Greece head coach, Jim Pizanias, to the background of bouzouki music ringing out from the victorious dressing room. “They all got games in this series and it was great to see our six domestic players on the field in this match together, that was the best part about it.
“All those boys had a great tour, they really loved it and they’ll go back to their schools and universities and will let everyone know how great it is to play for Greece at rugby league. Hopefully we can get a 19s competition going in Greece on the back of this.”
The other winners in the final round of Shield matches were Ireland, who just held on to defeat Canada 44-40 in a thriller, late tries from Ieffi Hannan, Samuel Douglas and centre Eddy McGillan seeing them home.
“Fair play to Canada, what a team,” said Ireland head coach Dave Merrick, as his side claimed second spot on the table. “We planned to move their big men about but it didn’t come off so we had to revert to basic rugby, it became a battle of attrition and our boys had a lot of heart.
“Sometimes you’ve got to be firm to be fair and that’s what the boys got at half time.”
Winger Jacob Williams posted a hat trick for the young Wolverines who led 22-12 at the break but just couldn’t hold on in the end.
Greece 94
Bailey-Dean Latanis, Vasilis Karageorgiou, Dean Tsavaris, Jonathan Siambis, Kostas Grivas Tzimopoulos, Timur Agostini-Leland, Lukas Kontrafouris, Leo Valdmanis, Peter Kokontis, Peter Papoulis, Alex McGrath, Alex Jelenkovic, William Giovas
Interchanges: Jack Tsokos, Alex McGrath, Napoleon Mavrovkefalos, Rafael Macovei
Tries: Giovas (2, 13), Kokontis (5, 56,62), Papoulis (10, 41), Kontrafouris (16, 78), Valdmanis (21), Siambis (24), Karageorgiou (29), Mavrokefalos (32, 45), Tskokos (35), Latanis (50), Agostini-Leland (68), Tsavaris (75)
Goals: Kontrafouris 7/13, Agostini-Leland 0/1, Tsokos 1/1, Tsavaris 2/2, Jelenkovic 1/1
Norway 6
Filip Naparty, Joel Rohrs, Elias Gradert, William Giddings, Vetle Korre-Ostby, Joshua Silverstone-Utheim, Iver Sivertsen Lauvsnes, Odinn Numason, Tobias Andresen-Langaas, Filip Boe, Sebastian Batnes, Victor Blackburn, Valentine Mjolhus
Interchanges - Arian Harbas, Kristoffer Gradert, Tobias Auno, Silas Mjølhus
Try: Silverstone-Utheim (39)
Goal: Silverstone-Utheim 1/1
Referee: Cody Kuxmann (USA)
Half Time: 52-6
Canada 40
Oliver Lenahan, Wyatt Klasen, Rory Jago, Michael Tsoutsis, Jacob Williams, Jack Shortis, Torin Brooks, Santiago Benavides, Thomas Haufe, Bogdan Dimitrijevic, Blake Marshall, Alex Paddle, Noah Bolton
Interchanges: Elliot Barton, Joshua Williams, Alex Dymock, Patricio Asomoza Estrada
Tries: Williams (1, 9, 74), Jago (18), Bolton (37, 52), Lenahan (42)
Goals: Lenahan 6/7
Ireland 44
Finn Maguire, Ieffi Hannan, Eddy McGillan, Samuel Douglas, Aaron Corbett, Bobby Barton, Theo-Cole Cyprien, Jack Brown, Harry Knowles, Richie Whelan, Rhys Morgan, Tiernan Conway, Daniel Ridpath
Interchanges: Finn Maguire, Dominic Greene, Donncha Fee, Charlie Sweeney
Tries: Corbett (3, 33), Brown (47, 69), Maguire (55), Hannan (60), Douglas (66), McGillan (76)
Goals: Barton 6/8
Referee: Nectarios Tsakalos (Greece)
Half Time: 22-12