MAI Has a Big Victory at the Rugby-7 Сhampionship

June 17, 2019

On June 16, 2019, at the Slava stadium in Moscow, student tournament for the Rugby-7 Cup of the Moscow City Sports Department was held. It was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the MAI Rugby Club. At the same time, the MAI Open Cup was traditionally played.

The competition was attended by 11 strongest student teams of Moscow.

MAI traditionally was represented by two teams, the MAI-1 team, which recently won the title of the strongest student team in Russia, and the MAI-2 team, consisting of international students. It should be noted that two students from Malaysia play in the MAI-1 team.

All teams, according to the existing rating, were divided into four groups, in which they held preliminary games. MAI-1 was opposed by the teams of the Moscow University of Ministry Interior and Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU).

Both games ended with major “dry” victories of MAI. In the ¼ final, our team met with the team of D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia and did not leave the opponents any chance of winning.

The MAI-2 team lost in their group in a bitter struggle to the team of Moscow State University, took second place and reached the ¼ finals, where they met with the team of RUDN University - one of the strongest teams in Moscow. Beating a rival in a technical and tactical training, the MAI-2 team could not excel the RUDN University team at a power struggle. It was defeated and stopped the fight for the Cups.

After the end of the games in groups, the players of all teams were invited to the grand opening of the tournament. Rector of MAI Mikhail Pogosian, representatives of the Moscow city government, Russian Rugby Federation and other officials welcomed athletes and supporters. Mikhail Pogosian opened the competition and wished all the teams success.

During the grand opening of the tournament, the creation of the Moscow Student Sports League was announced.

In the semifinals, the MAI-1 team met with the team of Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI), which is a constant rival of MAI in the fight for first place. The result of the meeting was 25:7 in favor of MAI.

After the semifinals’ games, a friendly game was played by the team of MAI graduates with the team of tournament participants. In this interesting meeting our graduates won confidently.

In the final, MAI-1 team met with students of Moscow State University. The result - victory of MAI!

At the award ceremony of the tournament, to MAI-1 was given the Cup of the Moscow City Sports Department and the MAI Cup "60th Anniversary of the MAI Rugby". Shah Ridzvan, student of the Institute No. 6 Aerospace, was recognized as the best player of the MAI-1 team.

“This tournament was very special for me because it is the last tournament before my returning home. It means a lot for me. And after winning the final, my joy knows no bound. I am very happy. I want to thank my team, we are playing like a family. And of course, my coach - the mastermind. He is a very good, friendly and helpful person. I am fortunate that I got these teammates and such a fantastic coach,” - said Shah Ridzvan.

“It is difficult for me to select the best players because everyone reacted to this tournament very responsibly and wanted to finish the game season with another major victory. The rugby players of the Moscow Aviation Institute once again confirmed that for many years the teams of our university are the strongest in Moscow,”- said the coach Valery Khromenkov.

The players of all teams received memorable souvenirs. During the tournament interactive playgrounds, mobile platforms and buffets were available for the spectators.

“I enjoyed the games so much. It was a very competitive tournament. Of course, I supported MAI teams because I am a student of the university and MAI teams were really unstoppable. Guys were playing very well. They are very skilfulI. So now I want to play for MAI team,” - said Oshadha Yasas Bimsara, MAI student from Sri Lanka.