On Sunday the 3rd of July, Reykjavik Raiders played the first ever official 15-a-side rugby game on Icelandic soil against Thunderbird Rugby Club from Arizona, US.

Photos: Ljósmyndari - Borgþór Sævarsson

About 3 weeks ago, I was invited by Reykjavik Raiders Rugby Club to be referee for the first ever rugby game to be played in Iceland. Being part of such an historical game is something you cannot refuse, so I took the opportunity and travelled to Iceland. And actually, refing a rugby game in Iceland sounds pretty “exotic”. Not to mention that Ebbe Torp and Magne Kleven (Oslo RK) joined the Icelandic who were missing some experience in front row.

A year ago, 6 guys sitting in a pub in Reykjavik had the crazy idea to start a rugby club in Reykjavik. A year of recruiting, a year of training, a year of internal 7s game, a year of promotion, and here they are, playing the first official 15-a-side rugby game against an American team.

It was a very open game played in front of a nice crowd. Icelanders are playing a lot of 7-a-side internally, so each time they managed to get good balls from their forwards, the back line was able to spread it to the wing for quite a number of very nice tries. Almar Sverrisson impressed when he came in, scoring 3 tries. 

On Thunderbirds side, forwards did a good job, and Morgan Siegal had some good run breaking through the defence. Unfortunately a lack of support stopped most opportunities created by Siegal.

The game ended with a convincing victory from the Icelandic team. It was a great advertisement for rugby, and it was actually even more important to win in front of the camera of the National TV.Rugby is just at its very early stage in Iceland, and after the IRB coach course given by Douglas Langley (IRB/FIRA-AER) few weeks ago and this first 15-a-side game, rugby seems to be on good tracks to invade Iceland. The aim is now to create 3 teams around the Reykjavik area to start a proper championship, and also a Union. It would not be surprising to see Iceland competing in the FIRA-AER European Nations Cup in a near future.

Photos: Ljósmyndari - Borgþór Sævarsson

Score: Reykjavik RRFC 45 (24) – Thunderbird OBRC 27 (17)

Reykjavik RRFC: 7 tries, 5 conversions

Thunderbirds OBRC:  5 try 1 conversion

100 spectators

Referee: Vincent Bouchet (Norway)

Reykjavik Raiders Rugby FC: 1. Elías Halldórsson, 2. Erlingur Hinriksson, 3. Ísak Þór Atlason, 4. Birnir Orri Pétursson, 5. Ingvi Þór Þórisson, 6. Marius Petruskevicius, 7. Adam Crompton, 8. Peter Short, 9. Michael Wilson, 10. Andrew Britten-Kelly, 11. Jón Sigurður Pétursson, 12. Martin Kelly, 13. Anton Logi Sverisson (Captain) 14. Phil Jones, 15. James Broad. – 16. Almar Sverrisson, 17. Ebbe Torp, 18. Magne Kleven, 19. Daniel Harley, 20. Kristinn Þór Sigurjónsson, 21. Matthew Kingdom, 22. Georges Guiguay

Thunderbirds Old Boys Rugby Club:  1. Phil Williams, 2. Mike Lee, 3. Gordon Harris, 4. Patrick Stewart, 5. Taylor Miller, 6. Jason O’Brien, 7. Chris Cook, 8. Alex Stein, 9. Alex Olsen, 10. Nigel Wilford, 11. Bill McColl , 12. Morgan Siegal, 13. Henrik Lauritzen, 14. Steve Bisogno, 15.Michael Sargent – 16. John Kephart, 17. Neal Henderson, 18. John H. Greenlee, 19. Chuck Hamilton, 20.Raminder Sandhu, 21. Nikhil Agrawal, 22. John Hamilton