Croatia rugby team defeats Austria 24-18 to claim group lead

The Croatian national rugby team secured a vital 24-18 away victory against Austria in Krems, moving to the top of their Conference division group. The win brings the team closer to returning to the Trophy division, the second tier of European rugby.

Croatia initially took a 5-0 lead, but Austria responded to lead 15-12 by halftime following a yellow card issued to Marinović. In the second half, Martin Altamirano scored to put Croatia ahead 17-15. Despite the pressure, Daniel Mau’u scored a decisive try in the 73rd minute, which captain Niko Vranešević converted to extend the lead. Austria managed a late penalty to finish 24-18, earning a bonus point for keeping the margin under seven points.