6NB: Romania win Derby
The Romanian win ended Russia's chances of getting to Japan next year for the Rugby World Cup. Romania's chances are still alive.
But Spain have a better chance of qualifying as Europe 1. They have just to win their next two matches, against Belgium and Germany, to go through.
Results
Round 3
Belgium vs Germany, 69-15
Romania vs Russia, 25-15
Georgia vs Spain, 23-10
Round 1
Georgia vs Belgium, 47-0
Romania vs Germany, 85-6
Spain vs Russia, 20-13
Round 2
Spain vs Romania, 22-10
Russia vs Belgium, 48-7
Georgia vs Germany, 64-0
Romania vs Russia in the Cluj Arena
It was literally freezing in Cluj when the Oaks met the Bears. Despite the dominance of the Romanian pack, the Bears made a game of it and, at halftime, the Oaks led just 10-8 and with ten minutes to play, the scores were level after Ramil Gaisin's intercept try.
But the Romanians then took over and scored the two tries that gave them the victory.
Romania, who have been to every World Cup so far, have only one more qualifying match left – against Belgium, while Spain have two qualifiers to come – against Belgium and Germany. Winning those two, even without bonus points, will send Spain on their way to Japan in 2019.
Scorers:
For Romania:
Tries: penalty try, Shennan, Kinikinilau, Capatana
Cons: A penalty try needs no conversion
Pen: Calafeteanu
For Russia:
Tries: Gerasimov, Gaisin
Cons: Kushnarev, Gaisin
Pen: Kushnarev
Teams
Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Fonovai Tangimana, 13 Paula Kinikinilau, 12 Sione Fakaosilea, 11 Ionut Dumitru, 10 Jack Umaga, 9 Valentin Calafeteanu, 8 Stelian Burcea, 7 Andrei Gorcioaia, 6 Vlad Nistor, 5 Valentin Poparlan, 4 Johannes van Heerden, 3 Alexandru Tarus, 2 Andrei Radoi, 1 Mihaita Lazar
Replacements: 16 Marian Capatana, 17 Ionel Badiu, 18 Constantin Pristavita, 19 Marius Antonescu, 20 Moyake Kuselo, 21 Florin Surugiu, 22 Stephen Shennan, 23 Florin Vlaicu
Russia: 15 Ramil Gaisin, 14 Mikhail Babaev, 13 Sergey Trishin, 12 Dmitrii Gerasimov, 11 Evgeny Nepeyvoda, 10 Iurii Kushnarev (captain), 9 Vasily Dorofeev, 8 Dmitrii Krotov, 7 Tagir Gadzhiev, 6 Viktor Gresev, 5 Evgeny Elgin, 4 Andrei Garbuzov, 3 Innokentiy Zykov, 2 Valery Tsnobiladze, 1 Sergey Sekisov
Replacements: 16 Nazir Gasanov, 17 Andrei Polivalov, 18 Magomed Davudov, 19 Bogdan Fedotko, 20 Anton Rudoi, 21 Alexey Shcherban, 22 Alexey Mikhaltsov, 23 Alexander Budychenko
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (France)
Georgia vs Spain at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi
There was an excited crowd of some 30 000 to watch this match, a sign of the great interest in rugby in Georgia and the great interest in this match between the top two teams in the competition.
Spain played top side Georgia in Tbilisi with a weakened side and yet did remarkably well. At half-time the Lelos led 9-3.
In the second half Georgia were first to score though a penalty try following a scrum and each side scored a try after that. First Spain scored just before the end of the match and then Georgia scored right at the end.
Scorers:
For Georgia:
Tries: Penalty try, Melikidze
Con: Matiashvili. A penalty try needs no conversion,
Pens: Matiashvili 3
For Spain:
Try: Tauli
Con: Peluchon
Pen: Peluchon
For Spain
Teams
Georgia: 15 Ioseb Matiashvili, 14 Sichinava Anzor, 13 Davit Katcharava, 12 Giorgi Kveseladze, 11 Sandro Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Lasha Lomidze, 7 Viktor Kolelishvili, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Shalva Sutiashvili, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze (captain), 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili
Replacements: 16 Badri Alkhazashvili, 17 Zurabi Zhvania, 18 Giorgi Melikidze, 19 , 20 Mikheil Gachechiladze, 21 Otar Giorgadze, 22 Lasha Malaghuradze, 23 Giorgi Koshadze
Spain: 15 Mathieu Peluchon, 14 Javier Mario Carrion Llorens, 13 Joan Losada Gifra, 12 Thibaut Alvarez, 11 Silvio Casteglioni Algorriz, 10 Ross Snee Daniel (captain), 9 Sébastien Rouet, 8 Gavidi Ilaitia, 7 Matthew Foulds, 6 Asier Usarraga Latierro, 5 Joshua Peters, 4 David Gonzalez, 3 Jesus Moreno Rodriguez, 2 Quentin García, 1 Fernando Lopez Perez
Replacements: 16 Jean Baptiste Custoja, 17 Stephen Barnes, 18 Manuel Mora Ruiz, 19 Lionel Tauli, 20 Gregory Maiquez, 21 Martín Mateu Spuches, 22 Julen Goia Iriberri, 23 Alberto Blanco Alonso
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant referees: Elgan Williams (Wales), Simon Mills (Wales)
Belgium vs Germany at Petit Heysel, Brussels
In their previous two matches, Belgium had scored just seven points in conceding 95, but this time it was their turn to thrash their opponents, beating the Germans 69-15. Germany this year are not the same strength as the teams of recent years, nowhere nearly as strong as the team that beat Romania last year.
The win means that Belgium could well avoid the promotion-relegation match. And it was a clear-cut win – 11 tries to two. At half-time Belgium led 43-3
Scorers:
For Belgium:
Tries: Reynaert 2, Berger, penalty try, Williams, Jadot, Hart, Piron, D'Hooghe, two scorers unrecorded
Cons: Williams 6
For Germany:
Tries: Listmann, Martel
Con: Cameron-Dow
Pen: Cameron-Dow
Teams
Belgium: 15 Alan Williams, 14 Thomas Wallraf, 13 Jens Torfs (captain), 12 Guillaume Prion, 11 Charles Reynaert, 10 Vincent Hart, 9 Tom Cocqu, 8 Thomas Demolder, 7 Amion Hamzaqui, 6 Tom Herenger, 5 Sven D'Hooghe, 4 Gillian Benoy, 3 Maxime Jadot, 2 Thomas Dienst, 1 Alexis Cuffolo
Replacements: 16 Victor Paquet, 17 Bastien Gallaire, 18 Thomas Vervoort, 19 Vincent Tauzier, 20 Tuur Moelants, 21 Nathan Bontems, 22 Craig Dowsett, 23 Romain Pinte
Germany: 15 Lukas Dieckmann, 14 Pascal Fischer, 13 Sam Harris, 12 Robin Pluempe, 11 Nico Muller, 10 Wynston Cameron-Dow, 9 Oliver Paine, 8 Luker Dyckhoff, 7 Eric Marks (captain), 6 Falk Duwe, 5 Stefan Mau, 4 Jens Listmann, 3 Paul Weiss, 2 Michail Tyumenev, 1 Marcus Bender
Replacements: 16 Sam Ramsay, 17 Senzokuhle Ngubane, 18 Felix Martel, 19 Elias Haase, 20 Carsten Lang, 21 Jan Piosik, 22 Robert Lehmann
23 Mark Sztyndera
Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Paul Haycock (Ireland), Helen O'Reilly (Ireland)
