Strasbourg Showdown – a touch of humility

EPXV squad alongside President Roberta Metsola, Members and Secretary General Alessandro Chiocchetti

The EPXV team faced Strasbourg City Hall for bragging rights over who could claim Strasbourg as their home rugby turf. Unfortunately for EPXV, this mixed touch rugby game went decisively the way of the fiercely proud Alsatians. While not a showcase performance on this occasion, it was nonetheless a successful exercise in visibility for our club and EU sporting values. With many friendships formed, we learned valuable lessons to take away from this match.

It was one of those glorious spring evenings that make Strasbourg so endearing: clear skies and dozens of people wanting to get involved—either playing or simply watching the rugby. As the setting sun glistened on the Parliament building across the road, our honorary chair, President Roberta Metsola, met and chatted with both teams and the officials. While she wished both sides the best of luck, she made it abundantly clear that she wanted EPXV to prevail and win big. No pressure, Madam President! Emboldened by this mission statement, Team Europe got off to a blistering start. Our captain and star player, Jaroslav Bžoch (MEP), received the ball and charged the opposition try line—only to be tackled a metre short.

Judging from that opening move, EPXV looked poised for a decisive victory. But our hosts were having none of it. Team Strasbourg held their nerve, passing with precision and steadily building a commanding lead. EPXV was valiant and never gave up, scoring a well-deserved try towards the end of the match—one for the statistics, as they say. Team Strasbourg, a seasoned touch-rugby team, seriously challenged us with their ability and professionalism. In the post-match debrief, coach Ollivier summed it up: “They’re not doing complicated stuff—just easy passes left and right, and not losing possession.” He repeated the message at the following training session back in Brussels. Fundamentals first!

For the EPXV team, this friendly match was about much more than a mere win. It was a showcase for our EU sporting values, as well as a recruitment and visibility drive. European Parliament Rugby is entering a new phase. Founded in anticipation of the 2023 World Cup for parliamentary teams, it played its first game in the spring of that year. A little over two years on, we’ve participated in a full tournament and organised matches to test our mettle. With this Strasbourg exhibition match and the associated recruitment push, it feels like the team is completing a full cycle to repeat each year.

What’s next? For now, training sessions are very popular, with attendance high enough to field up to four squads. This is a fantastic development, one that should soon translate into regular match-play. Ambition is what drives this club forward!