Norway u17s defeat Montenegro match report

europeanrl — Mon, 11 May 2026 09:32:06 +0000

Norway u17s defeat Montenegro match report

Norway u17s defeat Montenegro match report (Photo : ERL)

A hat trick of tries from fullback Richard Lui Buch was the highlight as Norway U17s defeated Montenegro 30-8 in Alcoa, Farsund.

“I was impressed with the performance, it was a hard game,” said Norway U17s coach Lars Haigh. “Montenegro were a big physical team but our try line defence was immense. In attack we were a little bit basic but we can work on that. I’m very happy overall.”

He added: “We had a few standout players, Timur Liman seemed to be involved in every tackle, Leander Nesvic was going very well until he was injured and of course Richard Lui Buch was excellent.

We are hoping to play a further game this year at this age group, we’ll train a few more times, but the aim is to continue to improve these players and increase the pool for the national teams.”

Prop Nesvic opened the scoring after 17 minutes, the hosts having repelled early Montenegro pressure, Lui Buch adding to their advantage, Yazan Farjan converting both in a faultless kicking display.

The visitors hit back when Nemanja Durdevac powered through the middle to find the line, Stefan Janjic unable to convert, leaving it 12-4 at the break.

Montenegro capitalised

Montenegro capitalised on a Norwegian error from the restart, hard-working Vasilije Stojanovic going over but Lui Buch halted any hopes of a comeback, leaping out of dummy-half to add his second try.

Sustained pressure saw the visitors camped out on the Norwegian try line for much of the remainder of the half until a pressure relieving penalty allowed Lui Buch to claim his treble.

A final score for Norway saw Hjalmar Birkeland Olsen go over as the whistle sounded, Farjan adding his fifth conversion as the last act of an entertaining game.

Montenegro U17s coach, Aljosa Marinkovic, noted: “There is an obvious difference in experience between the two sides.

Norway knew how to finish near the try line whereas we got a bit excited and we have to do like Norway and play a little bit more with the brain.

“I was very pleased with everybody, they gave their best but especially with the performances of Vasilije Stojanovic and Luka Šimunovic who have come back into the side.

We need to play as many games as possible, and over the next two years we are aiming to play in the European U19s Championships.”

NORWAY 30

Tries: Richard Lui Buch 3, Nesvic, Lui Buch 3, Birkeland Olsen (80)
Goals: Farjan 5

Richard Lui Buch, Elias Gradert, Simon Tjemsland, Hjalmar Birkeland Olsen, Afred Brattli, Yazan Faraj, Timur Liman, Odin Martinsen, Markus Mikaelsen, Leander Nesvic, Jack Balls, Oskar Ousdal Berghom, Valentin Mjølhus

Interchanges: Joel Røhrs , Sebastian Båtnes, Victor Blackburn

MONTENEGRO 8

Tries: Durdevac, Stojanovic
Goals:

Vuk Ðuretic, Luka Andrijaševic, Serafim Mitskevich, Luka Novakovic, Nikola Supic, Todor Nikcevic, Stefan Janjic, Nedo Radovic, Marko Radovic, Matija Cicak, David Cubranovic, Nemanja Durdevac, Ognjen Giljaca

Interchanges: Vasilije Stojanovic, Luka Šimunovic, Petar Popovic, Nemanja Dedovic

Referee: Joseph Rago (Norway)

Half Time: 12-4

First schools tournament played in Montenegro

europeanrl — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 04:50:06 +0000

First schools tournament played in Montenegro

Author : European Rugby League

First schools tournament played in Montenegro

First schools tournament played in Montenegro (Photo : European Rugby League)

Around 80 children of both genders, aged 12-14, from five schools have played in the first rugby league tournament in Montenegro.

The event, held in Tivat and organized by the current men’s champions Arsenal RL Club.

Saw elementary schools Branko Brinic in Radovic, Drago Milovic of Tivat, Njegos from Kotor, Bijela’s Orjenski Battalion, and the international Knightsbridge School also from Tivat participate.

Opening the tournament, the vice president of the municipality, Andrija Petkovic, said that the local administration recognized the importance of sports and put youth sports in the focus of their attention.

This year we have doubled the sports budget

“This year we have doubled the sports budget and I hope we can make this tournament a tradition,” said Petkovic. “The results are less important, the focus is on the game and fun.”

Igor Adzaip, president of the Arsenal club and Montenegro Rugby League, who organized the event, added:

“The goal of the tournament is for children to learn the basics of rugby league and for this sport to be brought closer to them and further popularized.

We are planning to start and form youth rugby league teams in the three municipalities of the Bay of Kotor.

Montenegrin Rugby League has big plans, we finished the domestic championship with three clubs two of whom play in the Balkan Super League and the national team played its first international against Malta last year.

We are putting together our application to be associate members of International Rugby League.”

Mitar Boskovic, a sports teacher at Knightsbridge school and level 1 rugby league coach at the Arsenal Rugby League Club, said that he expects this tournament will awaken additional interest in this sport among elementary school students.

“We want to break stereotypes among parents from non-traditional rugby areas,” he said.

“People in Montenegro have a good predisposition for playing rugby league and I noticed several students who have great potential to progress in this sport.”