Preview: Rugby Europe, Round 3
For five of the six teams in what is popularly called the Six Nations B, the competition is growing in importance as at least four of the five eye the possibility of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Georgia, who top the log, are already qualified for the World Cup. The team that comes top of the rest will also go directly to the World Cup while the next ranked team will get another chance through répechage.
So Georgia are sitting pretty while Spain have a great deal to play for. So far in this year's competition Georgia have had easy wins and one would expect the same to happen this weekend, but rugby can be a funny game.
Fixtures, Round 3
Russia vs Romania
Germany vs Belgium
Spain vs Georgia
Results
Round 1
Spain vs Russia, 16-6
Georgia vs Belgium, 31-6
Germany vs Romania, 41-38
Round 2
Georgia vs Germany, 50-6
Russia vs Belgium, 25-18
Romania vs Spain, 13-3
Log after Round 2
1. Georgia (10 pts)
2. Romania (5 pt)
3. Spain (4 pts)
4. Germany (4 pts)
5. Russia (4 pts)
6. Belgium (1 pt)
Russia vs Romania
Russia have made changes from the team that beat Belgium in Brussels. In the backs alone there are six changes, five positional and inside centre Sergei Sugrobov drops out altogether and is replaced by Denis Simplikevich who, more usually a fullback, is on the right wing in the shuffling. Flyhalf and goal-kicker, Yuri Kushnarev, moves to fullback while fullback Ramil Gaisoin moves to flyhalf. Captain Vasily Artemyev, schooled at Blackrock College in Dublin, a former wing for Northampton Saints and a Russian World Cup player, shifts to outside centre while Dmitry Gerasimov moves to inside centre. Only scrumhalf Alexei Shcherban is where he was in the last round.
In the pack Andrei Garbuzov and Evgeni Pronenko are replaced by Innokenty Zykov and Bogdan Fedotko, and Vladimir Podresov, Tagir Gadzhiev and Anton Riabov drop off the bench.
Romania have made fewer changes but still several. Florian Viaicu has moved back to flyhalf and is reunited within Valentin Calafeteanu who comes up from the bench, swapping places with Florin Surugiu. The inside centre now is an interesting one – Sione Fakaosilea, who played rugby league for Tonga.
On the left wing Madalin Lemnaru swaps with Stephen Shennan who goes to the bench.
There are changes in the pack. Most notably captain Mihaita Lazar is not playing. Mihai Macovei, who captained the Oaks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and who plays his club rugby for Colomiers in France, comes on at flank and takes over the captaincy. Andrei Gorcioaia comes off the bench and into No.8 for Dorin Iazar. Ionel Badiu comes into the loosehead and Marius Antonescu is at lock instead of Valentin Poparlan with Alexandru Tarus up from the bench and into tighthead.
Teams
Russia: 15 Yuri Kushnarev, 14 Igor Galinovskiy, 13 Vasily Artemyev (captain), 12 Dmitry Gerasimov, 11 Denis Simplikevich, 10 Ramil Gaisin, 9 Alexei Shcherban, 8 Anton Rudoi, 7 Pavel Butenko, 6 Victor Gresev, 5 Evgeny Elgin, 4 Bogdan Fedotko, 3 Innokenty Zykov, 2 Valery Tsnobiladze, 1 Andrei Polivalov
Replacements: 16 Nazir Gasanov, 17 V. Morozov, 18 Azamat Bitiev, 19 Dimitri Krotov, 20 A. Temnov, 21 K. Uzunov, 22 A Mikhaltsov, 23 Igor Kurashov
Coach: Alexandre Pervukhin
Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Ionut Dumitru, 13 Jack Umaga, 12 Sione Fakaosilea, 11 Madalin Lemnaru, 10 Florin Viaicu, 9 Valentin Calafeteanu, 8 Andrei Gorcioaia, 7 Mihai Macovei, 6 Viorel Lucaci, 5 Johan van Heerden, 4 Marius Antonescu, 3 Andrei Ursache, 2 Otar Turashvili, 1 Ionel Badiu
Replacements: 16 Marian Capatina, 17 Constantin Pristavita, 18 Gordas, 19 Valentin Poparlan, 20 Ionut Muresan, 21 Florin Surugiu, 22 Jody Rose, 23 Stephen Shennan
Coach: Lynn Howells
Date: Saturday, 4 March 2017
Kick-off: 14.00
Venue: Central Stadium, Sochi
Expected weather conditions: Rain with a high of 11°C, dropping to 3°C
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Kieran Barry (Ireland), Karol Collins (Ireland)
Spain vs Georgia
The Spanish starting XV is a mature side, except for teenage wing Jordi Jorba of Perpignan. They have changed captain thus week Gauthier Gibouin of Montauban taking over from Jaime Nava de Olano. In all there are changes to both locks, hooker, No.8, flank and outside centre where 32-year-old New Zealander Dan Snee comes in for his 20th cap.
Georgia, too, have many changes. In fact only two players are left on the bench – Lasha Tabidze and Saba Shubitidze. Both halfbacks are changed as well as right wing and outside centre. Loosehead, lock and the loose forwards are also changed.
Of the 23 players, eight play in Georgia, three more than the Spanish players who play in Spain.
Teams
Spain: 15 Brad Linklater, 14 Silvio Algorritz, 13 Dan Snee, 12 Thibaut Álvarez, 11 Jordi Jorba, 10 Mathieu Belié, 9 Guillaume Rouet, 8 Gauthier Gibouin (captain), 7 Javier Schack, 6 Ignacio Martín, 5 Victor Borrego, 4 Ilaitia Gavidi, 3 Alberto Alonso, 2 Unai Arratibel, 1 Fernando Perez
Replacements: 16 Francisco Alonso, 17 Stephen Barnes, 18 Jon Arrieta, 19 Javier Roldan, 20 Mathew Foulds, 21 Juan Ramos, 22 Alvar Gimeno, 23 Gauthier Minguillon
Coach: Santiago Santos
Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirkashvili, 14 Soso Matiashvili, 13 Davit Kacharava, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Lasha Lomidze, 7 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 6 Otar Giorgadze, 5 Konstantin Mikautadze, 4 Giorgi Nemasdze, 3 Soso Bekoshvili, 2 Giorgi Tetrashvili, 1 Shalva Mamukashvili
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Tornike Mataradze, 18 Lasha Tabidze, 19 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 20 Saba Shubitdze, 21 Giorgi Begadze, 22 Badri Liparteliani, 23 Beka Tsiklauri
Coach: Milton Haig
Date: Saturday, 4 March 2017
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Estádio Municipal, Medina del Campo
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of 10°C, dropping to 3°C
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mark Davis (Wales), Justin Williams (Wales)
Germany vs Belgium
Germany started the competition with a surprise victory, beating Romania for the very first time. Belgium's Black Devils, new at this level, have started off with two defeats
Teams
Germany: Germany: 15 Harris Aounallah, 14 Steffen Liebig, 13 Marcel Coetzee, 12 Clemens Von Grumbkow, 11 Pierre Mathurin, 10 Raynor Parkinson, 9 Sean Amstrong (captain), 8 Jarrid Els, 7 Jaco Otto, 6 Sebastian Ferreira, 5 Robert May, 4 Eric Marks, 3 Samy Füchsel, 2 Dash Barber, 1 Julius Nostadt
Replacements: 16 Mika Tyumenev, 17 Jorn Schröder, 18 Chris Howells, 19 Timo Vollenkemper, 20 Kehoma Brenner, 21 Tim Menzel, 22 Oliver Paine, 23 Jamie Murphy
Coach: Kobus Potgieter
Belgium: 15 Charles Reynaert, 14 Louis Debatty, 13 Jens Torfs, 12 Nathan Bontems, 11 Ervin Muric, 10 Alan Williams, 9 Julien Berger (captain), 8 Thomas De Molder, 7 Baptiste Lescarboura, 6 Gillian Benoy, 5 Thomas Vervoort, Tuur Moelants, 3 Jean-Baptiste De Clercq, 2 Max Dubois, 1 Sep De Backer
Replacements: 16 Thomas Diensté, 17 Christophe Debaty, 18 Bertrand Billi, 19 Paul-Edouard Van Laer, 20 Guillaume Brébant, 21 Tom Cocqu, 22 Kevin Williams, 23 J Pearce
Coach: Guillaume Ajac
Date: Saturday, 4 March 2017
Kick-off: 16.15
Venue: Sparda-Bank-Hessen-Stadion, Offenbach
Expected weather conditions: Rain with a high of 13°C, dropping to 2°C
Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)
Assistant referees: Jorge Molpeceres (Spain), Marc Riera (Spain)
