Malta’s successful national rugby players, who have been taking Maltese sport to a new level over the last few years, face a stiff test against in-form Switzerland on April 6 at the Hibernians Football Stadium, where over 4,000 local supporters are expected to be cheering them on.
Despite a world ranking high of 40, they expect to be well tested by a well-organised and methodical Swiss team, who enjoy a strong away record. After their last victory against Lithuania, the Malta team know they will have to be at their best to hold the competitive Swiss, who have a player base 10 times that of Malta, with over 6,000 registered players in their ranks.
Inspiration comes in the form of Malta’s National Ladies Team who beat Switzerland ‘Barbarians’ in the final of an international tournament in February, and now the men look to emulate their female counterparts by giving Switzerland a warm reception here in Malta. This game will be a critical one, knowing that both teams are playing for World Cup 2015 berths as well as position in FIRA’s European Nations Cup Division 2A.
Malta Director of Rugby and National Coach, Damian Neill, was cautiously optimistic, saying: “We played Switzerland in my first game as national coach in 2005, we know what they can do and the squad will put in all the necessary intensive training to prepare for this match.
"The Maltese squad’s average age has fallen from 34 to early 20s, we now have a better base on which to contest big games like this. Malta’s Rugby Union has swelled from 70 to approximately 600 members, excluding the thousands of children who have experienced the game through our Schools Festivals orchestrated by Daniel Holliday with the support of our youth sponsors GasanMamo.
"Back in 2005, there were just four local rugby teams, today there are 17, along with an array of youth squads, we are now more competitive with this player base growing.”
“The public’s interest has also exploded. Our international rugby matches regularly attract 3,000 supporters and more. We look forward to having the fans behind us on April 6 and to having an atmosphere that will lift our players even further for the match''
The match kicks off at 2pm.
For more information visit www.maltarugby.com or call 9988 1266.