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Germany spring surprise in Europe

In Madrid Spain beat Russia and Belgium newly promoted to this division did well against Georgia, the title-holders and regular winners.

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For the winners there is the carrot of World Cup participation in Japan in 1919. The team that wins this competition has automatic entry and the team that comes second has a chance via répechage. Of the teams in the tournament, Georgia (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015), who are already qualified for the 2019 World Cup by finishing third in their pool, Romania (1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011), Spain (1999) and Russia (2011) have been to previous World Cups.

Spain vs Russia, 16-6

It was sunny and cold at the University ground with 8 000 spectators watching. It was a match that Spain dominated from the start and at half-time they led 13-3. In the second half each side scored a penalty.

Brad Linklater opened the scoring for the Leones with a penalty in the fourth minute of the match and two minutes later Spanish flyhalf Mathieu Belié charged down Yuri Kushnarev's kick and scored the only try of the match.

The Spanish pack was on top in the set pieces, did well in the mauls and won the past-tackle phases. Behind the pack Belié and scrumhalf Guillaume Rouet dictated play. Further more the Spanish defence kept the Russian Bears at bay.

Spain came with in an ace of scoring a second try early in the second half when right wing Sébastien Ascaret was stopped just two metres from the Russian line.

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This is only the fourth times in 27 matches that Spain has beaten Russia but coach Santiago Santos, who in his day played for  Architectura, Spain and the Jaguars of the 1980s on a tour of South Africa, was happy that his team has taken a step close to the World Cup in 2019.

Scorers:

For Spain:

Try: Belié

Con: Linklater

Pens: Linklater 3

For Russia:

Pens: Kushnarev 2

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Teams

Spain: 15 Bradley Linklater, 14 Sébastien Ascaret, 13 Fabien Perrin, 12 Daniel Snee, 11 Jordi Jorba, 10 Mathieu Belié, 9 Guillaume Rouet, 8 Jaime Nava De Olano (captain), 7 Gautier Fontana, 6 Pierre Barthere, 5 David Howarth, 4 Ignacio Martín, 3 Jesus Rodriguez, 2 Benat Auzqui, 1 Fernando Lopez Perez

Replacements: 16 Francisco Alonso, 17 Unia Arratibel, 18 Jonathan García, 19 Anibal Bonan, 20 Victor Borrego, 21 Sébastien Rouet, 22 Thibaut Alvarez, 23 Javier Llorens

Russia: 15 Ramil Gaisin, 14 Vasily Artemyev (captain), 13 Dmitry Gerasimov, 12 Sergei Trishin, 11 Igor Galinovskiy, 10 Yuri  Kushnarev, 9 Alexei Shcherban, 8 Anton Rudoi, 7 Pavel Butenko, 6 Victor Gresev, 5 Evgeny Elgin, 4 Andrei Garbuzov, 3 Azamat Bitiev, 2 Valery Tsnobiladze, 1 Andrei Polivalov

Replacements: 16 Nazir Gasanov, 17 Vladimir Podresov, 18 Evgeni Pronenko, 19 Dimitri  Krotov, 20 Tagir Gadzhiev, 21 Anton Riabov, 22 Sergei Sugrobov, 23 Igor Kurashov

Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Nigel Correll (Ireland), Richard Kerr (Ireland)

Germany vs Romania, 41-38

This was a huge feat for Germany in chilly Offenbach on Saturday. They first played Romanian 70 years ago and this was their very first victory over the Oaks. In last year's Rugby Europe Competition Romania beat Germany 61-7.

Already Germany have hopeful sights on 2019 but Sean Armstrong warned of more matches to come.  Australian Armstrong took over from the South African captain of Germany, Michael Poppmeier, who went off with a suspected ligament injury.

The German side, coached by South Africans, Kobus Potgieter and Pieter Jordaan, has a distinctly international flavour. In fact all their points were scored by South Africans.

Romania, ranked 16th to Germany's 24th, led 24-20 at half-time and won when left wing Marcel Coetzee went in for a try with a few minutes to go. Romania could have drawn the latch when Germany were penalised after that but they opted instead for a line-out, and the Germany defence held. They won the ball and kicked it out for a famous victory.

At half-time Romania led 24-20 but were not helped by a yellow card for Jody Rose.

Scorers:

For Germany:

Tries: Otto 2, Els, Barber, Coetzee

Cons: Parkinson 5

Drop: Parkinson

Oen: Parkinson

For Romania:

Tries: M Lazar, Umaga, Dumitru 2, Ursache

Cons:Vlaicu 5

Pen: Vlaicu

Teams

Germany: 15 Harris Aounallah, 14 Steffen Liebig, 13 Clemens Von Grumblow, 12 Carlos Soteras-Merz, 11 Marcel Coetzee, 10 Raynor Parkinson, 9 Tim Menzel, 8 Jarrid Els, 7 Sebastian Ferreira, 6 Jacobus Otto, 5 Michael Poppmeier (captain), 4 Eric Marks, 3 Damien Tussac, 2 Michail Tymenev, 1 Julius Nostadt

Replacements: 16 Dasch Barber, 17 Jorn Schröder, 18 Samy Fuchsel, 19 Timo Vollenkemper, 20 Kchoma Brenner, 21 Christopher Hilsenbeck, 22 Sean Amstrong, 23 Jamie Murphy

Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Ionut Dumitru, 13 Jack Umaga, 12 Florin Viaicu, 11 Stephen Shennan, 10 Jody Rose, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Andrei Gorcioaia, 7 Vlad Nistor, 6 Viorel Lucaci, 5 Johan van Heerden, 4 Valentin Poparlan, 3 Andrei Ursache, 2 Omar Turashvili, 1 Mihaita Lazar (captain)

Replacements: 16 Marian Capatina, 17 Constantin Pristavita, 18 Alexandru Tarus, 19 Ionut Muresan, 20 Dorin Lazar, 21 Valentin Calafeteanu, 22 Madalin Lemnaru, 23 Luke Samoa

Referee: Maxime Chalon (France)

Assistant referees: Mathieu Delpy (France), Alexandre Vallon (France)

Georgia vs Belgium

It was always going to be tough for Belgium and they may even have done well to restrict Georgia to four tries.

Scorers:

For Georgia:

Tries: Tkhilaishvili, Koshadze, penalty try, Giorgadze

Cons: Kvirikashvili 4

Pen: Kvirikashvili

For Belgium:

Pens: Williams 2

Teams

Belgium: 15 Nicolas Meeus, 14 Craig Dowsett, 13 Guillaume Piron, 12 Guillaume Brébant, 11 Charles Reynaert, 10 Kevin Williams (captain), 9 Julien Berger, 8 Thomas De Molder, 7 Baptiste Lescarboura, 6 Paul-Edouard Van Laer, 5 Thomas Vervoort, 4 Brieuc Corradi, 3 Clercq De Clercq, 2 Thomas Dienst, 1 Lucas Sotteau

Replacements: 16 Max Dubois, 17 Christophe Debaty, 18 Sep De Backer, 19 Bertrand Billi, 20 Gillian Benoy, 21 Nathan Bontems, 22 Alan Williams, 23 Tom Cocqu

Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirkashvili, 14 Giorgi Pruidze, 13 Giorgi Koshadze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Giorgi Begadze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 6 Lasha Lomidze, 5 Nodar Cheishvili, 4 Giorgi Nemasdze, 3 Giorgi Melikidze, 2 Badri Alkhazashvili, 1 Giorgi Tetrastili

Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Tornike Mataradze, 18 Soso Bekoshvili, 19 Otarie Giorgadze, 20 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 21 Vazha Khutsishvili, 22 Lasha Malaguradze, 23 Beka Tsiklauri

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Assistant referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Stuart Kibble (Wales)

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