It’s that time of year again...Our National Rugby Team and the Malta RFU have been working hard on preparations for our next international fixture, part of the journey leading to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, organised by the International Rugby Board (IRB), every four years, since 1987. The 27th of October marked the beginning of our two-year European Nations Cup, in which Malta plays in Division 2A, the 3rd highest division in European Rugby, excluding the Six Nations competitors. This first match was  away to Croatia, a team that Malta has played nine times. Last Saturday Malta lost to Croatia 20-19, in a display of rugby that had the opposition’s supporters handing out a standing ovation to our Maltese team.

On Saturday, Malta will be hosting Lithuania, this time with a home advantage, a fixture that will be played at the Hibernians Football Stadium, in Corradino, Paola. Kick-off time will be at 2:30pm, and tickets may be bought online or through outlets, or even at the door.

Once again, the Malta RFU promises a great day out for all the family. Rugby is in fact known to be a clean sport, with a great atmosphere where supporters of both sides sit together, even at the highest levels of the sport. Malta is no different. This will be Malta’s 51st International Fixture, and the atmosphere at each game is a successful build-up of the last!

The FIRA European Nations Cup runs over two years, and will come to an end in 2014. Its matches double up as qualifying matches for the Rugby World Cup, being held in England in 2015. If there was ever a time to start supporting your National Rugby Team, this would be it - it is the highest-ranked male team sport on the island, with our Men’s National Team currently ranking 48th out of over 120 countries that play Rugby Union worldwide.

Rugby Union is the most popular code of the sport of rugby around the world, in fact, Rugby Union has officially joined the ever-increasing group of Olympic Sports, and shall participate in the next Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, in 2016.

The preliminary squad details have been announced as follows:

Coach: Damian Neill

Team Managers: Steve Busuttil and Danny Sacco

Physio: Karl Farrugia

Team Staff: Calvin Briffa and Alistair Livesey

This is the pool of players from whom the final selection of 22 players will be selected on Friday:

Kyle Mason, Daniel Holliday, Adam Kennedy, Simon Abela, Nathan Gatt, Clayton Cassar, Luke Watts, Darren Deguara, Mike Bonavia, Mark Davey, Daniel Apsee, Tom Holloway, Rob Holloway, James Morris, Malcolm Attard, Rodrick Borg, Dominic Busuttil, Toby Quarendon, Matthew Camilleri, James O'Brien, Vince Stivala, Max Galea, Dragan Cerketa, Nick Wright.