Cyprus beat Bulgaria 35-17 in the final game of the season in the Rugby Europe Conference 1 South division at Makario stadium training ground in Nicosia.
The match started off at an electric pace with Bulgaria getting the first points on the board through an intercept pass and a great finish. Cyprus were quick to respond and soon found themselves back on even terms thanks to a well worked backline move that cut right through the Bulgarian defense to score under the posts.
The Mouflons continued their attacking ways, scoring an additional three tries in the first half and securing a bonus point before going into the half-time break. One was a penalty try as the Bulgarian line out defense could not withstand the Cypriot onslaught and had to illegally bring down the maul. As the half came to a close Bulgaria were only able to attain another three points to bring the score to 28-10 in Cyprus’ favour.
With the pace that the first half was played at it was no surprise to see some tired legs on the pitch following the interval. Both sides made substitutions throughout the second half but the pace of the first half was unmatched.
The game drew to a close with both sides each scoring an additional converted try to set the final score at 35-17 to the Mouflons. The win ensured the season ended on a high for Cyprus as they moved up to third position in the standings.
The win maintained Cyprus’ unbeaten record against Bulgaria and provided a true spectacle for the fans. Not only did Cyprus get the win on the day, but in doing so also prevented Bulgaria from topping the standings and being in contention to play for a promotion opportunity for next season.
This fixture saw a first and a last cap among the Cyprus players: Alex Georgiou made his debut and impressively scored a try in the 19th minute, while long-serving Mouflon Chris Joannou made his final appearance. Everyone at Cyprus Rugby thanks Chris for his dedication to representing Cyprus and being an invaluable member of the organisation for so many years.
Cyprus tries: Kai Phillips (13), Alex Georgiou (19), penalty try awarded (28), Yiannis Loizias (39), Callum Cooper (72); Conversions: Dominic Georgiou (13), Dominic Georgiou (20), Dominic Georgiou (40), Dominic Georgiou (74).