Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene crown Saint Devota Tournament champions

The prestigious international 7-a-side rugby tournament came to a close on Saturday at the Stade Louis-II with an electrifying final, watched by the Prince and Princess of Monaco, who came to celebrate the sporting spirit and values of rugby.

The 13th edition of the Tournoi Sainte Dévote came to a close on Saturday 26 April with a resounding 2-0 victory for Montpellier Hérault Rugby over English club Cobham FC. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène graced the finals with their presence, honouring an event that has become a fixture of the sporting calendar for young rugby players.

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Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira, South African legend and 2019 World Champion with the Springboks, attended the awards ceremony as patron of this year’s event, adding to its international prestige.

Monaco lifts Saint Devota Trophy

One of the highlights of the competition was when Princess Charlène, as President of the Monegasque Rugby Federation, presented the Monegasque national team with the Trophée Sainte Dévote, awarded to the winner of the traditional match between Monaco and Rugby Club Lucciana. This symbolic match, played since 2011, celebrates the ties that bind the Principality and Corsica, through the history of their patron saint.

An international festival of young talent

This year’s tournament featured 24 teams representing 21 nations, for a sporting spectacle of international dimensions. Aside from the competition itself, the event brilliantly embodied rugby’s values of discipline, tolerance and respect.

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Young Xavier Papp, a player in the Swiss Rugby Vaudois team, stood out in particular, and was awarded the trophy for best player in recognition of his exemplary talent and sportsmanship.

Launched on Friday with an opening ceremony presided over by Princess Charlene, the 13th edition also featured a range of inclusive activities, such as “Rugby for All”, enabling schoolchildren in the Principality and young adults with disabilities to get their first taste of the sport.

Over two days, the symbolically named Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella pitches hosted exciting matches that were free of charge and open to the public, making the tournament, which is organised in partnership with the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, a real grassroots success that celebrates rugby in all its dimensions.