Balkans Championship : 2014-2017

In 2014 four teams gathered to play in this inaugural competition. In that year Serbia and Greece defeated Hungary and Bosnia respectively, Greece then took the final while Bosnia won the third placed game.

Since then Greece has had its issues but they seem behind them now. Serbia has consolidated and is doing well. Neither Bosnia nor Hungary came this time, the latter I guess isn't a Balkan nation anyway. However a new nation has arrived in the form of Bulgaria and it played it's first test match at the 2017 championship.

The 2017 competition was played in Belgrade, Serbia. In the abbreviated format Greece were unsurprisingly too strong for Bulgaria, winning 68-8 on the Friday. Then on Sunday Bulgaria took on a Serbia XIII as a curtain raiser, losing again 50-20 but no doubt appreciating the two games. The final saw the hosts, Serbia, defeat Greece 50-8.

These sort of tournaments are excellent to develop and encourage newer nations. Hopefully Bosnia can figure again in a future championship.

	BALKANS CHAMPIONSHIP
	YEAR	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
	2014	Greece	Serbia	Bosnia	Hungary
	2017	Serbia	Greece	Bulgaria	-