There could not have been a more dramatic end to the 2025-26 NLB season for our Men's 1st XV and their rivals from Lugano. A try from the last action tilted the game towards the men in black, while the Basel players in their green jerseys were left to ponder what may have been. From a very difficult start to the game they had fought back into the lead throughout the second half. Scrums clearly did not go Basel's way in this final and the many penalties at the set-piece even led to a yellow card in the first half against one of the Basel props. At one point, Lugano were one player and 18 points up. If one thought that Basel were down and out by then, they were in the wrong though. Ben Pretôt scored from close range, starting a comeback that would make people think about the same fixture on the very same ground four years ago.

Negotiating the scrum issues a lot better, Basel were stringing some nice phases together in the second half. Some choice words from the coaches at half-time seemed to have the right effect. Finally playing in the right areas of the pitch, Basel asked some serious questions from the Lugano defense. A promising maul was stopped in its tracks, but our boys in green managed to evacuate the ball into free space. Ben Brown's nicely weighted cross-field kick found the hands of Santi Zanon, who scored in the far corner. At 12-18, the job was not done yet, for either side really. Just another few minutes later, Santi Zanon crossed the try line again, this time from an interception 10m from our own try line. With 10 minutes to go our boys pinned Lugano into their own 22, forcing an offside penalty which Daniel Zinsstag converted into three points for a 22-18 lead going into the final few minutes.

Nothing was to beat the drama of these final minutes - although, little did we know about what was going to happen between Yverdon and Stade Lausanne a few hours later in NLA. Basel heroically defended their line, even at reduced numbers. One man went to the bin for off-side, another one for what was given as a high tackle. And then, despite all efforts, even with 13 against 15 players, the line broke and Lugano scored on the stroke of full-time. With the successful conversion, Lugano won the game 25-22. While our rivals may have taken home the trophy, it is Basel however, who will move up to the NLA for next season. New challenges, opponents and destinations will be on the horizon for our 1st XV.