Coach: Sergey Tyaktev

 

Key Players: Alexsander Shkurinskiy (Centre Back), Dvitrii Santalov (Left Back)

 

Road to Qualification: Group 1 winners – Europe qualification

 

History in Tournament: 1977: 1st, 1979: 1st, 1981: 2nd, 1983: 1st, 1985: 1st, 1987: 3rd, 1989: 1st, 1991: 3rd (all previous as Soviet Union), 1993: 4th, 1995: 1st, 1997: 12th, 1999: 7th, 2001: 1st, 2003-2005: DNQ, 2007: 9th, 2009: DNQ, 2011: 13th, 2013: 17th 

 

Overview:

 

Russia have a history of mixed results at the Men’s Junior World Championship. As the inheritors of Soviet Union results they were dominant through the early years of the tournament. In 1993 they finished for the first time without a medal – but it would not be the last. 

 

Since their win in 1995 Russia have experienced ups and downs ranging from a period of non-qualification to their seventh gold medal, and last to date, in 2001. In 2013 they recorded their poorest result at the tournament, finishing 17th, which was nevertheless enough to win them the President’s Cup.

 

With the recent disappointments in their senior teams at the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 (14th) and the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship in Qatar (19th), the Russian Handball Federation is under new leadership, the senior Russia teams have new coaches, and their national squads are working hard for better results. The one bright spot in Russian handball this year has been women’s club side Dinamo-Sinara, who were a surprise participant at the Women’s EHF Champions League FINAL4. 

 

Russia qualified for the Men’s Junior World Championship courtesy of their top-ranking finish at the European qualification in January 2015. The team won two matches (against Austria and Turkey) and recorded one loss, against Slovakia, in this phase. 

 

Centre back Alexsander Shkurinskiy was key for the team in the qualification, scoring 23 goals to finish third on the top scorers list. With 18 international matches, Shkurinskiy is one of the most experienced players on Russia’s comparatively green squad. Eight players on the provisional team list match his tally, which is the highest number of appearances for the side. 

 

Group at Brazil 2015: 

Group A: Sweden, Russia, Netherlands, Tunisia, Belarus and Paraguay

 

Games at Brazil 2015:

All times local

Monday 20 July:              RUS-PAR (14:00)

Tuesday 21 July:              TUN-RUS (16:15)

Thursday 23 July:             RUS-NED (11:45)

Friday 24 July:                   RUS-BLR (16:15)

Sunday 26 July:                SWE-RUS (14:00)