LIVE STREAM & PREVIEW: EuroBowl XXIX – Europe’s Top Two Teams Clash in Eurobowl Final!

The Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Europe’s #2 team, will host their German Bowl opponents and current #1, the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in the highly anticipated EuroBowl final on June 20 at Braunschweig’s Eintracht-Stadion.

The last time these two teams met was in German Bowl XXXVI, in 2014. In that contest, the Lions took an early lead and then dismantled the Unicorns 47-9. Needless to say, Schwäbisch Hall feels they have a score to settle.

Germany - Rycraw v McCants

Christian Rycraw and David McCants

Don’t count on a one-sided scenario this coming weekend.

The Unicorns, with head coach Siegfried Gehrke still at the helm and with revenge in mindlook even more dominant than they did in Germany’s South division last year having whipped Austria’s mighty Vienna Vikings 45-23 easily in Big6 play. They had previously delivered the same fate to the defending EuroBowl champion Berlin Adler handing them a 57-15 drubbing.

Head coach Troy Tomlin’s Braunschweig squad had a slightly bumpier road to the final.

First they had to come from behind in Innsbruck against the Swarco Raiders and then hold on to beat Swarco 33-28. Then they bade welcome to the visiting La Courneuve Flash from France and dispensed them 37-14 but not before the Flash put up quite a fight. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime before the Lions scored 23 unanswered second half points to pull away for the win.

Germany - Braunschweig - Therriault

Casey Therriault is back

This game could well be a prelude to the German championship as both teams seem to be gathering momentum in their divisions in Germany.

The Lions have recently welcomed the return of quarterback Casey Therriault, who helped them win the last two Germany titles. Former starting quarterback Grant Enders was hurt in the victory over the Raiders and his replacement, Dutch American Evan Landi, is not a true quarterback although he played extremely well in his two outings.

The Unicorns enter the game as the highest scoring offense in Germany averaging 48.3 points per game. Quarterback Marco Ehrenfried has the offense clicking and his favorite target, Moritz Boehringer, is one of the top receivers in Germany.

Germany - Schwabisch Hall - EhrenfriedWide receiver Patrick Donahue has scored 11 touchdowns so far this year in Germany while Braunschweig running back David McCants, is not far behind with 10.

The Lions are second in offense with an average of almost 39 points a game. There again, Therriault has all star receiver Anthony Dable to throw to.

This will be the fifth trip to the Eurobowl final for the Lions. They qualified in 1999, 2002, 2003 & 2014 and won it twice, in 1999 and 2003. For Schwäbisch Hall, this will be the first appearance in this final in their entire history.

EuroBowl XXIX: Braunschweig New Yorker Lions v. Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.