6NB: Portugal's giantkillers take on Lelos
The Lobos of Portugal play the Lelos of Georgia in Lisbon on Saturday, the only two unbeaten teams in the European Nations Cup, sometimes referred to as the Six Nations B.
Portugal have beaten both Russia and Romania this season – two teams who are going to the World Cup when they are not. Now they play the Georgians with their powerful pack but it is in Lisbon, not Tblisi.
Georgia have played two matches, won both, scored 122 points and coincided just three. But then they have played the weakest teams in the six-team competition.
Portugal will seek to run the massive Lelos around. The last time the two teams met in Lisbon, Georgia won 16-10.
Not that that is the only match of interest indenters. There is always intense rivalry between the Oaks and the Bears and then there is the Madrid match between two sides which would rather not end last. For Spain it is an occasion of special importance as it is part of the celebration of the centenary of the Spanish Federation.
Previous Results
Week 1
Russia vs Spain, 28-24
Portugal vs Romania, 24-17
Georgia vs Ukraine, 62-3
Week 2
Georgia vs Spain, 60-0
Portugal vs Russia, 21-19
Ukraine vs Romania, postponed because of the freezing weather.
Log after Round 2
Romania and Ukraine have a match in hand after the Kiev postponement.
1 Georgia 10
2 Portugal 8
3 Russia 5
4 Romania 1
5 Spain 1
6 Ukraine 0
The points are four for a win, two for a draw, one for four tries or more, one for losing by fewer than eight. Georgia have two bonus points from tries, Portugal none.
Match Details
Portugal vs Georgia
Georgia, under their new coach Richie Dixon, are putting out their strongest team of the competition and the Portuguese front row is going to have to produce all their power to stay alive.
Georgia: 15 Beka Urjukashvili, 14 Irakli Machkhaneli, 13 Davit Kacharava, 12 Tedore Zibzibadze, 11 Lekso Gugava, 10 Lasha Malaguradze, 9 Irakli Abuseridze, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Shalva Sutiashvili, 6 Simon Maisuradze, 5 Vakhtang Maisuradze, 4 Levan Datunashvili, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Akvsenti Giorgadze, 1 Davit Khinchigashvili
Replacements: 16 Iuri Natriashvili, 17 Goderdzi Shvelidze, 18 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 19 Viktor Kolelishvili, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Irakli Chkhikvadze, 22 Merab Kvirikashvili
Date: Saturday, 26 February 2011
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Estádio Universitário de Lisboa
Referee: Claudio Passacantando (Italy)
Romania vs Russia
It is probably not the strongest team Romania could pick. They may well battle against the well-prepared Russians.
Romania: 15 Dumitras Iulian, 14 Lemnaru Madalin, 13 Cazan Ionel, 12 Dascalu Robert, 11 Fercu Catalin, 10 Vlaicu Florin, 9 Sirbu Lucian, 8 Tonita Ovidiu, 7 Ianus Daniel, 6 Burcea Stelian, 5 Petre Cristian, 4 Socol Sorin (captain), 3 Lazar Mihaita, 2 Zebega Bogdan, 1 Popescu Cezar
Replacements: 16 Mariscariu Vasile, 17 Nere Nicolae, 18 Popirlan Valentin, 19 Carpo Daniel, 20 Surugiu Florin, 21 Dumbrava Danut, 22 Gheara Constantin
Russia: 15 Vasily Artemyev, 14 Andrey Kuzin, 13 Mikhail Babaev, 12 Igor Galinovskiy, 11 Vladimir Ostroushko, 10 Yury Kushnarev, 9 Alexander Yanyushkin, 8 Artem Fatakhov, 7 Kirill Kushnarev, 6 Victor Gresev, 5 Andrey Ostrikov, 4 Alexander Voytov, 3 Evgeny Pronenko, 2 Vladislav Korshunov (captain), 1 Ivan Prishchepenko
Replacements: 16 Karlo Maglakelidze, 17 Alexey Travkin, 18 Andrey Garbuzov, 19 Evgeny Matveev, 20 Alexander Shakirov, 21 Konstantin Rachkov, 22 Igor Klyuchnikov
Date: Saturday, 26 February 2011
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Llyr Apgeraint-Roberts (England), tba
Spain vs Ukraine
Spain: 15 Sergi Aubanell, 14 Matias Tudela, 13 Juan Cano, 12 Javier Canosa, 11 Pierre Belzunce, 10 Martín redia, Adrien Ayestaran, 8 Federico Negrillo, 7 Matt Cook, 6 Gauthier Gibouin, 5 Sergio Souto, 4 Jesús Recuerda, 3 Mattin Auzqui, 2 Fabien Rofes, 1 Victor Acevedo
Replacements from: Rodrigo Martinez, Jesús Moreno, Juan Gonzalez Marruecos, Mathieu Roca, Victor Gomez Farto, Pablo Feijoo, Andoni Jorajuria, Carlos Jose Smith, Pedro Martin
Ukraine squad: Ieugen Chaika, Dmytro Kirsanov, Oleksandr Polianskyi, Ruslan Radchuk, Roman Kulakivskyi, Oleksii Novokreshchenov, Zurab Kikacheishvili, Denys Masiukov, George egidze, Sergii Monastyrov, Sergii Sukhikh, Mykola Kirsanov, Ivan Zaliznyak , Viacheslav Krasilnik, Oleksandr Lomakin, Oleksandr Tsapenko, Sergii Ianchiy, Sergii Tserkovnyi, Sergii Garkavyi, Oleg Kosariev, Viacheslav Ponamorenko
Date: 26 February 2011
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Estadio Universidad Complutense, Madrid
Referee: Cammy Rudkin (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Iain Heard (Scotland), Iain Bruce (Scotland)
