Watch: History in sight as Malta Rugby face Austria with promotion to Trophy Division at stake

Phil Pretorius’s men are coming from an impressive run in the Conference Division, which saw them win all their group matches emphatically to top their group, but more importantly, finish with the best record from all five groups in this section.

That achievement has earned the team the right to face Austria, the team with the second-best record among all teams in the division, with the winner progressing to the Trophy Round, the third-tier of European rugby, and a step closer to a dream qualification for the World Cup.

“This is a very important match for us,” coach Phil Pretorius told a news conference.

“We are coming from a very encouraging Conference Division campaign, and surely the spirit in the group is very positive heading into this crucial match.

“However, it’s clear that Austria will be our biggest challenge yet, as they are a formidable side. They are a very confident team that is blessed with some physically strong players, which makes the side very strong in scrums and line-outs.

“Austria have several players who are plying their trade in the Czech Republic, so they are a good side.

“However, I can assure you that Austria have never encountered a team like Malta. My players have great national pride, and they fight hard for their country, and that is a real bonus in rugby.

“It’s going to be tough, but I have been really pleased with how the team has prepared for this match, and we are ready for the challenge.

“The Austrians are a major force in European rugby, but although Malta is a small country on the continent, we are capable of doing great things with a small number of people.

“I expect my players to put on a great show and make the Maltese people proud.”

Malta captain Joseph Greaves said it will be imperative for the players not to look too far ahead, but to follow the instructions the team coaches give them and take it one step at a time.

“We approached the match with a lot of confidence,” team skipper Joseph Greaves told Times of Malta.

“We played Andorra, Israel, and Cyprus and won convincingly, but we know Austria is a much bigger challenge. So, the biggest thing was that we allowed ourselves to fully buy into what the coaches have given us, and ever since then, results have followed.

“We can be outcome-oriented and focus on winning or losing on Sunday, but we must take the game one step at a time, and if we buy in what we have been given, it would give us the best chance to get the result we need.”

THE SQUAD

R. Apsee, T. Davey, A. Hignett, A. Borg, T. Galdes, S. Camilleri, R. Connolly, N. Azzopardi, M. Davey, L. Watts, H. Perkins, J. Walker, C. Sultana, J.J. Micallef, G. Strickland, B. Scott, J. Greaves, A. Micallef, T. Holloway, C. Schmidt, R. Holloway, K. Gauci, A. Kelly, J. Scholey, R. O’Brien, K. Tippett, C. Dudman, B. Dalton, S. Borg, P. Ioffee, J. Connolly, J. Zammit Randich.