6NB: Romania come back

Now that it has been decided that Georgia and Russia will be going to the 2011 World Cup the battle to keep hopes alive is for third spot on the European Nations Cup.

The contest for third place is between Romania and Portugal, both of whom were at the 2007 World Cup. In fact Romania have been to every World Cup since the first in 1987. The team that comes third will have a chance through répechage.

At the moment Portugal are ahead of Romania on the log but the Oaks have a game in hand – against Spain on 27 March, a match postponed because of Bucharest’s big freeze.

Georgia would like to retain the European Nations Cup but their defeat in Soicthi means that they are level with the Russians. That means that Saturday’s match in Tblissi is a crunch match.

So Round 10 has a lot going for it.

For Spain there is now no hope of qualifying and for Germany there is no hope of avoiding relegation.

Results of Round 9

Romania vs Georgia, 22-10
Portugal vs Spain, 33-15
Russia vs Germany, 48-11

Log after Round 9

Georgia remain on top by virtue of their better points’ difference – 166 to 144. It does not matter as this weekend’s match will decide but if that is a draw Georgia will win again.

Romania and Spain have a match in hand The Oaks would probably beat Spain which would bring them level with Portugal but the Lobos have a superior points’ difference – 117 to 90, which means that a draw this weekend would send Portugal into répechage and kill off Romania’s chances.

The FIRA-AER competitions give 3 points for a win, 2 for a draw and one for taking part

1 Georgia 24
2 Russia 24
3 Portugal 20
4 Romania 17
5 Spain 10
6 Germany 99

Spain vs Portugal

This match was played in chilly Madrid and for a while Spain led when Javier Canosa’s try made it 5-3 after just four minutes. That lead lasted for 16 minutes till, Antonio Aguilar scored. But by half-time the Lobos were well in charge, leading 27-8.

The win, apart from improving Portugal’s chances of getting to the World Cup, also means that they are the kings of Iberia.

Scorers:

For Portugal:
Tries: Aguilar, Correia, Oliveira
Cons: Cabral 3
Pens: Cabral 3, Gardener

For Spain:
Tries: Canosa, Martín
Con: Nava
Pen: Nava

Teams:

Spain: 15 Pedro Martín, 14 Juan Cano, 13 Javier Canosa, 12 Jaime Nava, 11 Ignacio Martín, 10 Mathieu Gratton, 9 Igor Mirones, 8 Matthew Cook, 7 Martín Aceña, 5 Jesús Recuerda, 6 Federico Negrillo, 4 Leandro Fernández-Aramburu (captain), 3 David Gurgernadze, 2 Mathieu Cidre, 1 Pradalie Anthony
Replacements: 16 José María Bohórquez, 17 Víctor Acevedo, 18 César Bernasconi, 19 Rafael Camacho, 20 Carlos Arenas, 21 Gautier Guibouin, 22 Manuel Mazo

Portugal: 15 Joe Gardner, 14 Frederico Oliveira, 13 Pedro Silva, 12 Diego Mateus, 11 Antonio Aguilar, 10 Pedro Cabral, 9 José Pinto, 8 Juan Severino, 7 Vasco Uva, 6 Eduardo Acosta, 5 Gonçalo Uva, 4 Conrad Stickling, 3 Tomaz Da Costa, 2 João Correia, 1 Francisco Fernandes
Replacements: 16 João Junior, 17 Bernardo Duarte, 18 Tiago Girão, 19 Salvador Palha, 20 Pedro Leal, 21 Duarte Pinto, 22 Miguel Portela

Referee: Stefano Pennè (Italy)
Assistant referees: Emiliano Roscini (Italy), Luigi Sorrentino (Italy)

Romania vs Georgia

This win has kept Romanian hopes alive. By half-time the Oaks led 10-7 after the forwards drove over for their try after just three minutes of the match. Georgia’s try was also forward generated. Dan Dumbrava’s big boot made the difference.

Romania won the St Antim Cup, played for between the two countries.

Scorers:

For Romania:
Try: Tincu
Con: Dumbrava
Pens: Dumbrava 4
Drop: Dumbrava

For Georgia:
Try: Abusseridze
Con: Malaghuradze
Pen: Malaghuradze

Teams

Romania: 15 Iulian Dumitras, 14 Catalin Fercu, 13 Ionut Dimofte, 12 Robert Dascalu, 11 Stefan Ciuntu , 10 Dan Dumbrava, 9  Lucian Sirbu,  8 Daniel Carpo, 7 Ovidiu Tonita, 6 Stelian Burcea, 5 Valentin Ursache, 4 Sorin Socol (captain), 3 Paulica Ion, 2 Marius Tincu, 1 Dragos Dima,
Replacements: 16 Cezar Popescu, 17 Mihaita Lazar, 18 Cristian Petre, 19 Mikhail Macovei, 20 Valentin Ivan, 21 Csaba Gal, 22 Florin Vlaicu

Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirikashvili, 14 Irakli Machkhaneli, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Tedo Zibzibadze, 11 Malkhaz Urjukashvili, 10 Lasha Malaghuradze, 9 Irakli Abusseridze, 8 Besarion Udesiani, 7 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 6 Grigol Labadze, 5 Giorgi Nemsadze, 4 Ilia Zedginidze, 3 Anton Peikrishvili, 2 Irakli Natriashvili, 1 David Khinchagishvili
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Goderdzi Shvelidze, 18 Levan Datunashvili, 19 Lasha Tavartkiladze, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Irakli Giorgadze, 22 Alexander Todua

Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Assistant referees: David Keane (Ireland), John Carvill (Ireland)

Russia vs Germany

This was actually Germany’s best performance this year when the teams met at the Metreveli Stadium in the resort town of Sotchi in Southern Russia.

Scorers:

For Russia:
Tries: penalty try, Ostroushko, Khrokin, Artemiev, Matveev, Minadze
Con: Kushnarev, Kluchnikov
Pens: Kushnarev 2, Kluchnikov

For Germany:
Try: Krause
Pens: Güngör

Teams:

Russia: 15 Igor Kluchnikov, 14 Vasily Artemiev, 13 Andrey Kuzin, 12 Alexey Makovetskiy, 11 Vladimir Ostroushko,  10 Yuriy Kushnarev, 9 Alexander Shakirov, 8 Alexey Panasenko, 7 Artem Fatakhov, 6 Kiril Kushnarev, 5 Georgy Minadze, 4 Alexander Voytov (captain), 3 Evgeny Pronenko, 2 Evgeny Matveev, 1 Alexander Khrokin
Replacements: 16 Vladislav Korshunov, 17 Vladimir Botvinnikov, 18 Alexey Travkin, 19 Nikita Medkov, 20 Alexander Yanushkin, 21 Alexey Korobeynikov, 22 Mikhail Babaev

Germany: 15 Raphael Hackl, 14 Benjamin Simh, 13 Clemens Von Grumbkow, 12 Gilles Pagnon, 11 Christopher Weselek , 10 Mustafa Güngör (captain), 9 Raphael Pyrasch, 8 Kehoma Brenner, 7 Alexander Hauck, 6 Jamie Houston, 5 Rolf Wacha, 4 Manuel Wilhelm, 3 Benjamin Krause, 2 Tim Coly, 1 Alexander Widiker
Replacements: 16 Patrick Schliwa,  17 Alexander Metz, 18 Lukas Rosenthal, 19 Lukas Hinds-Johnson, 20 Mark Sztyndera, 21 Steffen Liebig, 22 Anjo Buckmann

Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant referees: Philippe Bonhoure (France), Jean-Marie Piraveau (France)