What can we all expect at the beach rugby tournament on Strand?
First of all, we expect good fun, nice atmosphere and enjoyment with rugby. The tournament will take place on Saturday the 15th of july and will last the whole day. You can spend the whole day outside, be on the beach, watch rugby, sit in the cafe Orkus, which will also be the base of all the teams. From 11:00 a.m. until almost 6:30 p.m. you will be able to enjoy rugby, you will have time for everything. If you get hot, you can take a bath in the Danube, drink a refreshing drink or eat an ice cream. All around the field there is natural shade, where you can find a hiding place from the intense heat.
The Republic Hydrometeorological Institute forecasts that Saturday will be a hot day, a temperature of 35 degrees is expected with a mostly sunny day. Regardless of the fact that you will be on the beach, have natural shade, and the possibility to swim in the Danube, we urge you to bring a hat or cap, sunglasses and sunscreen. Don’t forget that even arriving at the Strand can be nasty, and always have a refreshing drink with you.
If you come by car, you have a paid parking lot in front of the Strand. We didn’t know last time we didn’t pay, luckily we didn’t get fined. But keep that in mind, it may not be well marked that parking is charged, but be sure it is. There is also an entrance fee to Strand, a daily ticket costs a symbolic 50 dinars. Ask the porter if entering and exiting multiple times is allowed.
Why do rugby in Serbia need tournaments like this?
They are needed more than anything, because they are primarily of a show character and because clubs from all over Serbia as well as clubs from abroad take part. Beach rugby is very demanding, but it’s also a lot of fun. So that players can have fun and enjoy themselves first of all. To spend the whole day at rugby, without rushing and rushing, to enhance socializing and a positive atmosphere in an excellent environment. We repeat, rugby should be enjoyment and fun, not drudgery and boredom.
On the other hand, it is an ideal opportunity for clubs that are not in the official competition to perform as a club. Who knows, maybe it motivates them to enter some competitions during the year. Anyway, it’s very nice to see that they still nurture rugby in their cities and communities. That is to be commended, because it is not at all easy to maintain a rugby club.
16th Memorial "Luka Marin"
Rugby club Vojvodina organizes a memorial tournament every year in memory of former club player and Serbian national team member Luka Marin. This year they will organize 16th in order. A very touching gesture from the club and family who organize a tournament in Luka’s honor every year in the sport he loved.
Tournament information
Tournament date: Saturday 15.07.2023 .
Start of the turnament: 11:00h
End of the tournament: 6:30 p.m
Start of the third half: 7:00 p.m
Venue: Volleyball courts on Strand, Novi Sad
The base where the rugby players are: Caffe Orkus
Participating teams and competition system
This year, 10 teams announced their participation in the tournament, the same as last year. With the fact that last year three teams canceled their participation in the last part, which was very frivolous, because the organizer had planned from the hourly rate, the schedule of matches as well as the necessary infrastructure, so it is a little frivolous to cancel just because someone doesn’t feel like going that day.
The competition system is such that ten teams are divided into two groups of five. In each group, everyone plays each other, and at the end, the placement matches are played. 8 teams from Serbia and 2 teams from Montenegro took part.
Group A: RK Vojvodina, RK Budućnost, RK Loznica, Barabarijensi and GRK Vršac.
Group B: RK Rad, RK Arsenal, RK Borac Starčevo, Ovnovi and RK Torpedo Mlava.
Competition schedule and matches kickoff:
- 11.00 – RK Vojvodina – RK Budućnost
- 11.15 – RK Rad – RK Arsenal
- 11.30 – RK Loznica – Barabarians
- 11.45 – RK Borac – Ovnovi
- 12.00 – RK Budućnost – RK Loznica
- 12.15 – RK Rad – RK Borac
- 12.30 – RK Vojvodina – GRK Vršac
- 12.45 – RK Arsenal – RK Torpedo Mlava
- 13.00 – RK Budućnost – Barabarijansi
- 13.15 – RK Rad – Ovnovi
- 13.30 – RK Loznica – GRK Vršac
- 13.45 – RK Borac – RK Torpedo Mlava
There is a break from 14:00 to 15:00.
- 15:00 – RK Vojvodina – Barabarijansi
- 15:15 – RK Arsenal – Ovnovi
- 15:30 – RK Budućnost – GRK Vršac
- 15:45 – RK Rad – RK Torpedo Mlava
- 16:00 – RK Vojvodina – RK Loznica
- 16:15 – RK Arsenal – RK Borac
- 16:30 – Barabarijansi- GRK Vršac
- 16:45 – Ovnovi – RK Torpedo Mlava
- 17:00 – Game for 9th place
- 17:15 – Game for 7th place
- 17:30 – Game for 5th place
- 17:45 – Game for 3rd place
- 18:00 – Final
It is planned to play 25 matches, where each team should play 5 matches. Each match lasts twice for 5 minutes, which means that each team will get 50 minutes of sand rugby. It is not to be expected that the hourly rate will be released in a minute, because it will be very hot and it will be necessary to spray the field with water non-stop.
Tournament competition rules
- The team consists of ten players.
- Five on five players play on the field.
- The half-time lasts five minutes, and the whole game lasts ten.
- One try is one point.
- The number of attacks is unlimited.
- If a player is knocked down with the ball in his hands, possesion of ball will change
- If a player is kept on his feet with the ball in his hand for more than 2 seconds, possesion of ball will change.
- A player has 2 seconds to pass the ball off the ground after a tackle if it is not held.
- The out is executed as a quick out with a backward pass.
- There are no rucks, lineouts, scrums and kicking.
- The defending team after a tackle retreats 2 meters to the offside line.
RK Arsenal from Tivat will defend the trophy won last year
Arsenal from Tivat deservedly won the winner’s cup in the tournament last year. They were the best, the most prepared and in a very dominant way won the first place in the end. This year they will be there and defend the won trophy, so the least we expect from them is to provide last year’s matches.
Competition after competition
A lot of excitement awaits us in the third half. First of all, we are waiting for a competition in fast beer drinking. Last year, Rajko Janković lost the crown to Aleksandar Rašić from Vršac to everyone’s astonishment. We will see how the competition will look like this year and whether Roger Federer will return to the rhythm of the competitors in drinking beer or Rajko.
We also resent why there is no beer drinking contest in the team competition. We think the relay is as much a team sport as rugby is and it would be quite fun to organize a competition.
A raffle is also organized in the exhibition area. When you buy a beer in Orkus, you get one ticket, so if you like alcohol and prize games, this is for you. Last year the raffle was very interesting with valuable prizes.
So you have a very nice rugby event ahead of you where you will have a whole day of fun and where you are expected to enjoy yourself and have a great time.
