20/08/2026
Cranleigh RFC’s Touch Champions Shine at the Euros in France
We are proud to celebrate the achievements of two members of Cranleigh RFC’s Touch team, who represented Wales at the FIT European Touch Championships 2026 in Vichy, France.
Touch team coach, Stu Rayer, represented Wales Men’s 50s side, helping his team secure Gold, while Dan Reed represented Wales Men’s 45s and returned home with Bronze. Back at home, their touch teammates were following the tournament closely, tuning into live YouTube coverage to cheer on their fellow players as they excelled on the international stage.
Stu has previously represented both the UAE and Wales at Touch World Cups, competing in one tournament for each country. Dan also brings extensive international experience, having previously represented Wales at a Touch World Cup and an Europeans Championship tournament.
Here, they share in their own words how they prepared for the Euros, the journey to selection and what it was like competing against Europe’s best in France.
Stu Rayer, Wales Men’s 50s – European Touch Championships 2026, says:
“Over the past year, there have been regular commutes to Wales to train and secure selection for the tournament. Once we arrived in France, our expectations were high, but we did not expect to win it as we knew we had some touch games ahead.
“Despite three comfortable wins, a loss to France in the pool stages meant we went into the tougher side of the draw for the knockouts.
“After brushing aside a good Irish team 11-1 in the quarter finals, we met the hot favourites, England, in the semifinal.
“Hot and humid conditions with a place in the final at stake meant it was a tight and cagey first half. England had the upper hand and pressured the line on numerous occasions with only some heroic defending by the Welsh keeping the score at 0-0 until the final play of the first half saw England finally break through the Welsh wall.
“The second half saw England in the ascendancy and slowly move into a 3-1 lead. The writing was on the wall and England looked set to move on to the final and their shot at Gold.
“Wales, however, had not read the script, and, inspired by the immortal words of Michael Sheen, dug deeper than ever before to drag themselves back into the game, scoring two fantastically worked tries to tie the game at 3-3 with 5 minutes left to play. Relentless pressure from the Welsh saw them take the lead for the first time in the game with 40 seconds left to play. England had one last ditch attack, but Wales would not be denied a famous victory. The final whistle blew; players fell to their knees overcome with emotion.
“The Gold medal match versus France was a much less stressful affair. While the result was not a foregone conclusion, the feeling in the Welsh camp was that it was our tournament and we had much more in the play locker to roll out against the French whereas they had played their best game against us in the pool stage. This proved to be the case with Wales in complete control from the start to the finish, running out 7-4 winners.
“Gold was secured, the first time in over a decade. A fantastic reward for all of the hard work and commitment given by the players, coaches and managers over the last year. And for me personally, having played in two previous World Cups, this was definitely the pinnacle.”
Dan Reed, Wales Men’s 45s – European Touch Championships 2026, says:
“The 2026 European Touch Championships saw the Wales Men’s 45s compete in what was undoubtedly one of the toughest divisions of the tournament, with exceptionally strong England, France and Switzerland sides all battling for the medals. In the end, the Welsh boys came away with a well-deserved bronze medal after four days of high-quality Touch.
“I played at middle for most of the tournament. Unfortunately, my regular mid partner suffered a broken collarbone during the first half of our opening match, forcing an early reshuffle that the squad adapted to superbly.
“Day One: We got off to the perfect start with a hard-fought victory over Switzerland, setting the tone for the tournament. The less said about the England game the better. A combination of some very questionable refereeing decisions and a poor performance from us resulted in a scoreline that flattered England. We finished the day in scorching afternoon temperatures against Spain, producing a clinical attacking display to secure a convincing win and head into Day Two with confidence. (internationaltouch.org)
“Day Two: With only two fixtures, every point mattered in the race for the medal matches. First came another huge defensive effort against Switzerland, restricting an excellent attacking side to just four touchdowns in a superb 7-4 victory.
“The afternoon brought our first meeting with France. Their middle, known throughout the age group as ‘The Silver Fox’, is widely regarded as one of the best players in international Masters Touch. A former Toulouse scrumhalf during the 1990s, his rugby pedigree was obvious throughout the contest. The match was an outstanding spectacle, with both teams trading scores throughout. Unfortunately, a couple of defensive lapses from Wales - including one from me - allowed the Fox to score twice, and France eventually ran out 13-9 winners.
“Day Three: Our second meeting with England was a much-improved performance despite another defeat. We then comfortably dispatched Spain, leaving everything to play for on the final day.
“Finals Day: Knowing we needed something special, Wales produced arguably our best performance of the tournament to defeat France 10-9 in a thrilling encounter. That victory earned us a bronze medal play-off against Switzerland.
“The final day was another epic contest. Wales always seemed to keep one score ahead, managing the game well despite a growing injury list. Personally, I had a fantastic battle all game with a Swiss Australian middle, going toe-to-toe from the opening whistle until the final siren.
“The reward was an 11-9 victory and a European Championship bronze medal for the Wales Men’s 45s.
“Looking back, a better performance in that opening match against England may well have given us a shot at the gold medal match. Nevertheless, bronze was a fair reflection of a hugely competitive tournament, and one that the whole squad can be incredibly proud of. A fantastic week of Touch, great teammates, and another memorable experience.”
