Greece crowned European Rugby League Division C champions

Greece were crowned Division C champions after they proved too good for the Czech Republic, running out 68-16 winners in Aspropyrgos, Athens.

After outclassing Malta in June, Greece went into the game knowing that a win would guarantee them the title in the European Rugby League Championships, which is extraordinary for a sport virtually unknown to the vast majority of Greek fans.

A crowd of 400 was on hand to welcome both sides to the field in Aspropyrgos and it took two minutes of the game for the Greeks to get on the scoreboard. Meads was able to break through and race around the full-back to score.

Meads then took on the defense to score his fourth try of the game and then it was skipper Michael Korkidas who showed plenty of strength to get the ball down adjacent to the posts. Sue-Tin Kentrotis added the extras to push Greece ahead 30-6 after 29 minutes of action.

Five minutes later, Lucas Kristof raced through the line to score but the scoreline showed 34-12 at half-time when Pyrgos-raised Nikolaos Kannellopoulos stepped inside to score after the Greeks spread the ball wide. The try came after Greece got the ball back from the kick-off.

It took just four minutes of the second half for Meads to add to his tally but the biggest cheer came in the 53rd minute when the try of the match was created.

From his own half, Korkidas split the defence and then sent center Ioannis Loustous Vallasas on a good run. With the cover getting to him, Vallasas got a great ball away to a flying Giorgin Syti and the full-back was able to race away to score much to the delight of the crowd.

Caslavska scored in the corner to make the score 46-16 after an hour of play and then fancy foot work for Meads saw him register try number six.Crowd favourite Panteleimon Arfaras from Rhodes scored in the 69th minute after Caslavska lost the ball returning a kick.

Three minutes later, Meads and Sebastian Sell combined before the latter scored to see Greece leading 62-16.Arfaras then got a great ball away for a flying Nikolaos Bosmos to score. The try scorer then added the goal to see Greece win 68-16.

It was a great performance by Greece, which featured no less than 13 players from the domestic competition. Lock-forward Ioannis Roussoglou was the pick for the locals and was well supported by the rest of his team-mates.

"The amount of progress the local boys have made in a short space of time has been incredible," said Greek National coach Steve Georgallis, the assistant coach at the Manly Sea Eagles.