The Spanish franchise, which entered the decisive match undefeated, culminated an impeccable season and took over from the hitherto dominating tournament, Black Lion, with a performance of enormous authority.
The match couldn’t have started better for Iberians. After a minute and a half of play, a brilliant action on the right flank between Martiniano Cian and Beltrán Ortega allowed Tani Bay to complete the first try of the match. Mateu’s conversion was unsuccessful, but the 5-0 score already reflected the ambition of the Spanish team. During the first ten minutes, the game took place mostly in the Iberians’ field, although the Castilian-Leonese defense easily controlled the Portuguese attempts. Lusitanos closed the gap with a penalty shot converted by Domingos Cabral in the 12th minute (5-3), but Iberians responded with determination. After choosing to go touche instead of securing points with sticks, a very good maul allowed Vicente Boronat to score a new try. Shortly after, the scrum dominance once again bore fruit and a close penalty shot was converted by Iñaki Mateu to make it 13-3.
Iberians’ superiority became even more evident after half an hour. A recovery in their own half led to an excellent follow-up kick by Bay, which gained many meters and allowed the action to culminate with Pablo Guirao’s try in the 33rd minute. The transformation did not come in and the score remained at 18-3, reflecting the Spanish control in all phases of the game. The only negative note of the first half was the injury of Hugo Pichardie, forced to leave the field of play. Before the break, the yellow card for Lusitanos’ number 8 left Iberians with numerical superiority at the start of the second half.
Far from speculating, Iberians came out determined to finish the match. Just two minutes after the restart, John Wessel Bell, who had come on for the injured Pichardie, completed a precise offensive sequence after Mateu opened for Cian, making it 23-3. The gale continued in the 47th minute with a new try by Beltrán Ortega on the left flank (28-3) and, shortly after, a penalty try in the 54th minute raised the lead to 35-3, leaving the final practically decided.
Lusitanos managed to try for the first time through Alfonso Tapadinhas to make it 35-10, but any attempt at a reaction was immediately neutralized by a masterful action by Martiniano Cian. The Iberians wing signed an individual play of enormous quality that ended in a new try, converted by Gonzalo Vinuesa to make it 42-10. Already in the last minute, Tapadinhas once again supported Lusitanos and Cabral converted, establishing the final 42-17.
With this victory, Castilla y León Iberians crowns a perfect season and lifts its first Rugby Europe Super Cup title, confirming its growth and consolidation among the great franchises of European rugby. A historic championship that rewards the regularity, solidity and ambition of a team that is already part of the continental elite.
TECHNICAL SHEET
CyL IBERIANS v LUSITANOS
Final Rugby Europe Super Cup 2025/26
Saturday January 18, 2026
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Castilla y León Iberians Lineup:
1 Raúl CALZON, 2 Santi OVEJERO, 3 Iker ADURIZ, 4 Pablo GUIRAO, 5 Imanol URRAZA, 6 Matt FOULDS, 7 Matheo TRIKI, 8 Vicente BORONAT, 9 Estanislao BAY, 10 Gonzalo VINUESA, 11 Pau AIRA, 12 Iñaki MATEU, 13 Hugo PICHARDIE, 14 Martiniano CIAN, 15 BELTRAN ORTEGA
They also played:
16 Vicente DEL HOYO, 17 Alberto GÓMEZ, 18 Cristian MORENO, 19 Pepe BORRAZ, 20 Álex SALETA, 21 Nico INFER, 22 Lucas GIL, 23 John Wessel BELL
Lusitanos Lineup:
1 Pedro VICENTE, 2 Enzo FERNANDES, 3 Martim SOUTO, 4 Guilherme COSTA, 5 Duarte NUNES, 6 Diego RUIZ, 7 Vasco BAPTISTA, 8 José MONTEIRO, 9 Pedro LUCAS, 10 Domingos CABRAL, 11 Manuel CARDOSO PINTO, 12 Mateus LIBORIO, 13 Vasco LEITE, 14 Maximillien COUTTS, 15 Tomás MARQUES
They also played:
16 Andre BARDZIY, 17 Edmundo Bento FERREIRA, 18 Afonso TAPADINHAS, 19 Luke PEREIRA, 20 Telmo PEREIRA, 21 Tomás AMADO, 22 Samuel Paes BACON, 23 Rodrigo MARQUES
Marker:
Min 2 Tani BAY Rehearsal [9 IBE] 5-0 // Minute 12 Punishment blow by Domingos Cabral [10 LUS] 5-3 // Min 17 Tani BAY Rehearsal [8 IBE] 10-3 // Minute 29 Punishment blow from Iñaki Mateu [12 IBE] 13-3 // Min 33 Pablo GUIRAO Essay [8 IBE] 18-3 // Min 42 Rehearsal John WESSEL BELL [23 IBE] 23-3 // Min 47 Beltrán ORTEGA rehearsal [15 IBE] 28-3 // Min 54 Punishment test favorable to Iberians 35-3 // Min 58 Alfonso Tapadinhas test [18 LUS] and transformation of Domingos CABRAL 35-10 // Min 61 Martiniano CIAN Essay [14 IBE] and transformation of Gonzalo VINUESA [10 IBE] 42-10 // 78 [18 LUS] and transformation of Domingos CABRAL 42-17.
