VPC Andorra Kicks Off Elit Rugby Promotion Push Against Club Rugbi Alcalá

VPC Andorra begins its promotion push to Spain's Elit rugby league this Sunday, facing Club Rugbi Alcalá away at the Municipal Luisón Abad in Alcalá de Henares.

The Andorran side, coached by Dani Raya, finished second in Group B of the Spanish Division of Honor B regular season with 58 points from 12 wins and two losses. Their opponents, led by Francisco Javier Mañueco, placed third in Group C on 51 points, with 11 victories and three defeats. Kick-off is at 1pm.

Raya described Alcalá as a strong outfit with a dominant kicking game and a robust pack in static phases. He highlighted Argentine fly-half Agustín Isola—no. 10—as a key threat who delivers points through his boot, adding that the visitors' scrum is particularly powerful. "We must sharpen our defence against their kicking," the VPC coach said.

The promotion phase features eight matches—four home and four away—across a tough group including undefeated Steelphalt Getxo, CAU Rugbi València, and Hermo Soto del Real. The top two will meet the third and fourth in semi-finals, with the final winner earning promotion to Elit.

Raya set realistic expectations: qualifying for the top four is the priority, not automatic promotion. "It's a very strong group. It won't be a failure if we don't go up—we've shown we can compete, even finishing second in our regular-season group," he said. The team aims to reach the final but anticipates a challenge.

VPC will miss injured players Hugo Llata and Pep Arasanz, Lluc Cunill for personal reasons, and sanctioned Mateo Macchi, who has two matches left of a four-game ban. New addition Valentí Hoxha, from France's Avenir Castanéen in Federal 2, will feature.

The squad is motivated ahead of more high-stakes fixtures. They sit out the second round, face a Cyprus trip in the third, then host Universitari Bilbao Rugbi.