6NB: crucial competition gets going
The European Nations Cup – popularly refereed to as the Six Nations B – gets going again this weekend. It is a competition of ecstasy and agony. The carrot before them is a big one.
There is great glory for those who win – and a trip to New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. There the happiness of a free trip for the one who comes second and a chance for the next toto qualify through répechage.
For the one coming last there is relegation.
The competition stretches over three years so that each team plays each other home and away.
The new competition has already started. Because of climatic conditions, especially in Romania, Russia and Georgia, two matches were played last year in this season’s round of matches. They were fortunate because they missed the big freeze at present gripping Europe.
Matches already played:
Russia vs Spain, 42 – 15
Spain vs Germany, 22-11
Germany are newly promoted, having replaced relegated Czech Republic.
This weekend’s matches:
Germany vs Georgia at Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark in Heidelberg, kick-off 14.00
Spain vs Romania at Campo Central, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, kick-off: 16.00
Portugal vs Russia at Estádio Nacional In Lisbon
Germany vs Georgia
The weather will be miserable in old Heidelberg on Saturday – partly cloudy with a chance of rain and even snow, a high of 5°C but a westerly wind of 21 km/h will bring that temperature down to -3°C. The night will be colder.
The cold will not frighten the Georgians because where they come from – Georgia and France largely – it is not beach weather either. And it is a match the Lelos would expect to win as the Germans find their feet in the higher division. It is after all a case of amateurs playing professionals.
Several of the Lelos play their club rugby in France’s Top 14 – Davit Zirakashvili, Goderdzi Shvelidze, Akvsent Giorgadze, Davit Khinchagishvili and Mamuka Gorgodze. They are all forwards, and unsurprisingly Georgia’s strength is its heavy pack. Props abound in Georgia.
In fact only one Georgian of the squad of 22 plays his club rugby in Georgia.
Newcomers to the German side, which is much affected by injuries, are: Damien Tussac, lock Michael Poppmeier and fullback James Reid.
Teams:
Germany: 15 Thorsten Wiedemann (TSV Handschuhsheim), 14 Ben Brierley (Frankfurt 1880), 13 Benjamin Simm (SG 78/08 Hannover), 12 Edmorre Takaendesa (RG Heidelberg), 11 Clemens von Grumbkow (Orléans), 10 Kieron Davies (Bedford, England), 9 Mustafa Güngör (RG Heidelberg), 8 Michael Poppmeier (Lazio, Romania), 7 Alexander Hug (TSV Handschuhsheim), 6 Tim Kasten (Southend, England), 5 Jens Schmidt (TSV Handschuhsheim, 4 Bodo Sieber (University of Cape Town, South Africa), 3 Pierre Faber (RG Heidelberg), 2 Tim Coly (RG Heidelberg), 1 Alexander Widiker (Orléans).
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Krause (SG 78/08 Hannover), 17 Damien Tussac (Toulon, France)berg)berg), 20 Rolf Wacha (Frankfurt 1880), 21 Lars Eckert (Neuenheim), 22 James Reid (Barking, England)
Coaches: Rudolf Finsterer, Mark Kuhlmann, Brono Stolorz
Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirikashvili (Massy, France), 14 Irakli Machkhaneli (Agen, France), 13 Davit Katcharava (Enisei, Russia), 12 Irakli Giorgadze (Dax, France), 11 Irakli Chkhikvadze (Aia), 10 Lasha Malaghuradze (Beziers, France), 9 Irakli Abuseridze (Orléans, France) (captain), 8 Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier, France), 7 Rati Urushadze (Enisei, Russia), 6 Giorgi Chkhaidze (Racing Metro 92, France), 5 Kakhaber Uchava (Farul, Romania), 4 Ilia Zedginidze (Aix-en-Provence, France), 3 Davit Zirakashvili (Clermont, France), 2 Irakli Natriashvili (Farul, Romania), 1 Goderdzi Shvelidze (Montauban, France).
Replacements: 16 Akvsent Giorgadze (Castres, France, 17 Davit Khinchagishvili (Brive, France), 18 Dimitri Basilaia (Morlaas, France), 19 Gia Labadze (Toulon, France), 20 Bidzina Samkharadze (Farul, Romania), 21 Tedore Zibzibadze (Périgueux, France), 22 Otar Barkalaia (Andorra)
Referee: Graham Knox (Scotland)
Touch judges: David Jack (Scotland), Graeme Marsh(Scotland)
Spain vs Romania
Despite their poor record against the physically stronger Oaks, the Leones of Spain believe they have a good chance.
The weather forecast for Madrid for Saturday says there is a chance of snow and freezing cold. The high could be 6°C but -5°C with windchill.
Spain squad: José Maria Bohorquez Gómez-Millan (Cajasol Rugby Ciencias), Leandro Fernández-Aramburu (Cajasol Rugby Ciencias), Sebastián Hattori (Cajasol Rugby Ciencias), Jaime Nava De Olano (Cetransa El Salvador), Sergio Souto Vidal (Cetransa El Salvador), Diego Zarzosa Peña (Cetransa El Salvador), Aníbal Bonan (Vrac Valladolid), César Bernasconi Rivera (Madrid), Juan Cano Rodriguez-Arias (Madrid), Javier Canosa Schack (Madrid), Pablo Feijoo Ugalde (Madrid), Juan González Goicoechea (Madrid), Ion Insausti Jiménez (Madrid), David Mota Sierra (Madrid), Javier Salazar Lizarraga (Madrid), César Sempere Padilla (Madrid), Juan Rafael Álvarez Prieto (Pégamo Bera Bera), David Hernández Abad (Getxo Artea), Igor Mirones Truan (Getxo Artea), Jeremías Palumbo (Getxo Artea), Martín Damien Elgoyhen (Bayonne, France), Julien Tourtoulou Castillon (Colomiers, France), Romain Roques (Stade Dijonnais, France), Martín Goenaga (Gran Parma, Italy)
Romania: 15 Florin Vlaicu (Steaua Bucuresti), 14 Catalin Fercu (Steaua Bucuresti), 13 Adrian Barbuliceanu (Dinamo Bucuresti), 12 Catalin Dascalu (Steaua Bucuresti), 11 Madalin Lemnaru (Arad), 10 Ionut Dimofte (Steaua Bucuresti), 9 Petre Mitu (Montauban, France), 8 Daniel Carpo (RCJ Farul Constanta), 7 Stelian Burcea (Dinamo Bucuresti) (captain), 6 Florin Corodeanu (Grenoble, France), 5 Alin Coste (Narbonne, France), 4 Laurent Giucal (Perpignan, France), 3 Paulica Ion (Bath, England), 2 Florin Tasca (Dinamo Bucuresti), 1 Nicolae Nere (Steaua Bucuresti)
Replacements: 16 Catalin Beca (Steaua Bucuresti), 17 Silviu Florea (Montauban, France), 18 Valentin Poparlan (Dinamo Bucuresti), 19 Daniel Ianus (Steaua Bucuresti), 20 Valentin Calafeteanu (Dinamo Bucuresti), 21 Dorin Manole (U Cluj), 22 Stefan Ciuntu (Dinamo Bucuresti
Referee: Mauro Dordolo (Italy)
Touch judges: Alessandro Cason (Italy), Stefano Rebuschi (Italy)
Portugal vs Russia
Expect Russia to win this one. They have been improving and are returning from their excursion to warm South Africa to prepare for the match.
Weatherwise Lisbon is the best of the three venues. Even there it’s not great – a chance of rain, a high of 13°C ,dropping to 7°C, a northwester of 39 km/h .
Russia: 15 Igor Kluchnikov (VVA), 14 Andrey Kuzin (VVA), 13 Mikhail Babaev (VVA), 12 Sergey Trishin (VVA), 11 Alexander Gvozdovsky (Krasny Yar), 10 Yuri Kushnarev (VVA), 9 Victor Motorin (VVA), 8 Victor Gresev (VVA), 7 Evgeny Matveev (VVA), 6 Andrey Ostrikov (Agen, France), 5 Kirill Kulemin (Castres, France), 4 Alexander Voitov (VVA), 3 Evgeny Pronenko (Enisei), 2 Vladislav Korshunov (VVA) (captain), 1 Alexander Khrokin (VVA)
Replacements: 16 Vladimir Botvinnikov (Enisei), 17 Andrey Garbuzov (Krasny Yar), 18 Alexey Travkin (VVA), 19 Artem Fatakhov (Enisei), 20 Alexander Yanushkin (Slava), 21 Dmitry Gerasimov -Enisei), 22 Vasily Artemyev (UCD, Ireland)
Portugal: 15 Pedro Leal (Direito), 14 David Mateus (Belenenses), 13 Pedro Silva (Belenenses), 12 Diogo Mateus (Belenenses), 11 Gonçalo Foro (CDUL), 10 Duarte Pinto (Agronomia), 9 José Pinto (Roma Olimpic, Italy), 8 Eduardo Acosta (Direito), 7 João Uva (Belenenses), 6 Vasco Uva (Direito), 5 Gonçalo Uva (Montpellier, France), 4 David Penalva (Auch, France), 3 Ruben Spachuk (Auch, France), 2 João Correia (Direito) (captain), 1 Jorge Segurado (Direito)
Replacements: 16 Juan Murre (Saint-Nazairien, France), 17 João Junior (CDUL), 18 Juan Severino (Agronomia), 19 Tiago Girão (Madrid, Spain), 20 Salvador Palha (Direito), 21 Pedro Cabral (Madrid, Spain), 22 Francisco Mira (Agronomia)
Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Touch judges: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Mark Hermin (Ireland)
