International rugby match in Dessau
At the start of the second part of the 2023/2024 Rugby Europe Championship season, the German men’s 15s rugby national team will play its first home match in Dessau, Saxony-Anhalt. The opening match at the Paul Greifzu Stadium could hardly be more attractive, as the team will face World Cup participants and serial European champions Georgia on Sunday, February 4 at 3 pm. The date has been set by the European Rugby Union.
“We’re delighted that we’ve managed to find a venue for this home game where we’ve never played a match before,” said Rugby Germany board member Florian Hartmann. “It’s great that rugby fans in the east and north-east of Germany will only have to travel a short distance to experience the Black Eagles live and support our team.”
“Since 1990, Dessau has successfully hosted an impressive 70 international matches in various sports in the Anhalt Arena or the Paul Griffzu Stadium.
Events in handball, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, badminton and soccer were always very popular and were absolute highlights for our region.We are now delighted that our application to Rugby Germany has been rewarded with such a special international match for the 2023/24 European Championship. We are looking forward to it and will organize a successful premiere in Dessau with Rugby Germany, the city of Dessau-Roßlau and many other partners,” says Ralph Hirsch, Sports Director of the organizing club Anhalt Sport e.V.
Anhalt Sport e.V. is always on the lookout for new attractions and approaches. The club has been in contact with the rugby association for some time now, so it is all the more pleasing to be able to see this brand new front in Dessau.
The home game in Dessau will be the only one in the group phase of the second part of the two-year European Championship season. After a strong sixth place in the final standings last spring, the team led by national coach Mark Kuhlmann is determined to go one better and use its good starting position to secure its place in the group stage, as only the last-placed team out of the eight participating teams has to make it to the Rugby Europe Trophy.
After the group stage opener against Georgia in Dessau, the Black Eagles will play guest matches in Spain on February 10 and in the Netherlands on February 17 before entering the placement round.
In preparation for the difficult match against the European series champions from Georgia, the German 15s rugby men will travel to Hong Kong in November and play two test matches against the national team of the association ranked 24th in the world, eight places above Germany.
As usual, advance tickets for the Black Eagles’ only home match this spring are on sale via the reservix.de portal. Tickets start at just 10 euros.
source: Anhalt Sport