European Junior Touch Championships 2024 Review

Ireland sent three teams to the 2024 European Junior Touch Championships which took place in Vichy, France. Our teams had been preparing continuously all year in the lead up to the tournament and looked to put all their hard work on show. 

The Mixed 15s (MX15) started off the tournament against the hosts France in a tough encounter, unfortunately losing. They sprung back with strong wins against Cayman Islands, Scotland and Belgium. A narrow loss to Wales and a final win against Lebanon sealed a fourth place finish in their pool. A bronze final awaited for the Mx15s where they fell short against a strong Wales team.

The Boys 18s (B18) had two wins against Lebanon in the pool stage in a tough group consisting of England and France B18 and the England and France Boys 20s. This left Ireland in fourth place in their group and a bronze final against Wales where they fell short. 

The Mixed 18s (MX18) dominated their pool stage going unbeaten throughout and racking up 78 tries in the process, more than any other team. They had wins against Italy, Scotland, Belgium, Cayman Islands and Wales. The Mx18s also had a match for the ages in a 10-all draw against England. The MX18s fell just short in the semi-final against Wales in the narrowest of losses, but rectified it in the bronze final with a convincing win against Belgium. 

All the players should be very proud of their achievements and we thank all the coaches, managers, sponsors and parents for all their work.