Malta rugby face Austria in friendly international in Vienna

The Malta rugby national team are in Vienna where they will face Austria in a friendly fixtures on Saturday.

The game forms part of Malta’s ambitious campaign to qualify for the 2031 Rugby World Cup.

This marks the first in a series of crucial warm-up games leading into the Rugby Europe Conference season, which kicks off in April with clashes against Andorra (away) and Israel (home).  

Twenty-three locally based players will join forces with several heritage players from the UK and Australia, forming a strong and determined squad ready to take on a powerful Austrian side.  

Head Coach Phil Pretorius said: “Our local players have undergone a ten-week strength and conditioning program to ensure they’re fit, strong, and rugby-ready for these fixtures. There’s a wealth of talent in Malta capable of taking us forward in the global rankings.”  

MRFU president Gerald Strickland has heaped praise on the work carried out in recent weeks by the governing body management and volunteers.

“Behind this team is a small but dedicated group of volunteers and management staff working tirelessly to raise rugby’s profile in Malta and to showcase the sport’s physical and mental benefits,” Strickland said.

“We’re also focused on building a sustainable youth program to strengthen our clubs and ensure future success. I wish our boys every success in Vienna.”  

Squad: Kurt Aquilina, Nicholas Azzopardi, Martin Barbara, Gareth Blundell, Max Booth, Brendan Dalton, George Elliott, Andrea Galea, Kyle Gauci, Terence Galdes, Charlie Hayhurst, Alex Hignett, Axel Jeffers, Adam Kelly, Dylan McDonald, Jon Jon Micallef, Aidan Micallef, Kyle Micallef, Nicholas Maylor, Jonathan Pace, Jake Pace, Gabriel Seychell, George Strickland, Kane Tippett, Karl Valentino, William Watts, Samuel Zammit, Jethro Zammit Randich, Jean Zarb.