Poland outmuscle Sweden in European rugby cup
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
07.09.2014 07:30
The Polish pack beat Sweden 29-17 in the first match of the season in the rugby European Nations Cup in Warsaw.
Poland's Tomasz Rokicki during the victory over Sweden on Saturday in Warsaw: photos - PAP/Leszek Szymański
The Division 1B match on Saturday eveming was held at the Polonia Warszawa football stadium, with Poland's pack overwhelming the Swedish defence, in front of a crowd of around 5,000.
Though no match for the All Blacks, Poland has a thriving domestic rugby league - Lechia Gdansk were crowned champions for the third year running in July - and are ranked 35th in the world by the International Rugby Board (IRB).
The European Nations Cup is a bi-annual league competition, with Poland finishing third in 1B, one place above Sweden, last season.
Though more associated with football, speedway or winter sports, Poland has actually been playing international rugby union since 1958.
Poland are also to face the Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine and Moldova in their division, with the winners gaining promotion to 1A, one tier of European rugby below the Six-Nations. (pg)