Radnicki under-18s won the sixth Belgrade Trophy on Sunday, beating four other Serbian youth teams – and the scorching conditions – at the Red Star Football Academy, home to Red Star Belgrade’s rugby league team.

Despite suffocating temperatures of 37 degrees Serbia’s new breed of rugby league players played ten total matches in the 9s competition. More than 50 players turned out from Podbara in Novi Sad, Radnicki in Nova Pazova, and Belgrade outfits Red Star, Dorcol and Vozdovac.

"This was a great tournament and I'm very happy that Serbia has steady youth development,” said Belgrade federation president Radoslav Novakovic. “I also want to thank to the Belgrade council for sport and youth who supported this tournament for the last six years.”

Winners Radnicki and Vranje side Soko will contest the full Serbian under-18 cup final on 27 June in Nova Pazova.