6NB - Round 2 Preview
Many eyes will focus on Germany's visit to Tbilisi to take on the mighty Lelos. Georgia won in Brussels in Round 1 but Germany, for the very first time ever, beat Romania in Offenbach.
The Six Nations B doubles as qualification for the World Cup in Japan in 2019. Georgia have already qualified by virtue of their third place in their pool in 2015. Should they win to Six Nations B, the team coming second will automatically qualify for Japan and the team coming third will have a further chance through répechage.
Results, Round 1
Spain vs Russia, 16-6
Georgia vs Belgium, 31-6
Germany vs Romania, 41-38
Log after Round 1
1. Georgia (5 pts)
2. Spain (4 pts)
3. Germany (4 pts)
4. Romania (1 pt)
5. Russia (0 pts)
6. Belgium (0 pts)
Fixtures, Round 2
Romania vs Spain
Belgium vs Russia
Georgia vs Germany
Previews
Romania vs Spain
This could be the closest game of the weekend in cold Bucharest.
Spain has made three changes to the team that beat Russia in Madrid. Wing Sébastien Ascaret is replaced from the bench by Javier Llorens. In side centre Daniel Snee and tighthead Jesus Rodriguez are replaced from the bench.
Romania has made just two changes from the team which lost to Germany. Jody Rose goes to the bench with the 28-year-old New Zealander Luke Samoa starting at flyhalf. There also a swap at No.8 where Diron Iazar comes up from the bench and Andrei Gorcioaia goes onto it.
Teams
Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Ionut Dumitru, 13 Jack Umaga, 12 Florin Viaicu, 11 Stephen Shennan, 10 Luke Samoa, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Dorin Iazar, 7 Vlad Nistor, 6 Viorel Lucaci, 5 Johan van Heerden, 4 Valentin Poparlan, 3 Andrei Ursache, 2 Otar Turashvili, 1 Mihaita Lazar (Capt)
Replacements: 16 Marian Capatina, 17 Constantin Pristavita, 18 Alexandru Tarus, 19 Ionut Muresan, 20 Andrei Gorcioaia, 21 Valentin Calafeteanu, 22 Madalin Lemnaru, 23 Jody Rose
Coach: Lynn Howells
Spain: 15 Bradley Linklater, 14 Javier Llorens, 13 Fabien Perrin, 12 Thibaut Álvarez, 11 Jordi Jorba, 10 Mathieu Belié, 9 Guillaume Rouet, 8 Jaime Nava De Olano (captain), 7 Gautier Fontana, 6 Pierre Barthere, 5 David Howarth, 4 Ignacio Martín, 3 Jonathan García, 2 Benat Auzqui, 1 Fernando Perez
Replacements: 16 Francisco Alonso, 17 Stephen Barnes, 18 Alberto Alonso, 19 David Gonzales, 20 Victor Borrego, 21 Sébastien Rouet, 22 Daniel Snee, 23 Silvio Algorritz
Coach: Santiago Santos
Date: Saturday, 18 February 2017
Kick-off: 13.00
Venue: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
Assistant referees: Filippo Bertelli (Italy), Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Belgium vs Russia
Belgium have made five changes to the team that played Georgia. Out go right wing Craig Dowsett, outside centre Guillaume Piron, flank Paul-Edouard Van Laer, lock Brieuc Corradi and loosehead Lucas Sotteau.
Russia who lost to Spain have just two changes to their starting team. Inside centre Sergei Trishin is out and tighthead Azamat Bitiev changes places with Evgeni Provenko
Teams
Belgium: 15 Nicolas Meeus, 14 Ervin Muric, 13 Jens Torfs, 12 Guillaume Brébant, 11 Charles Reynaert, 10 Kevin Williams (captain), 9 Julien Berger, 8 Thomas De Molder, 7 Baptiste Lescarboura, 6 Tom Coupé, 5 Thomas Vervoort, T Moelants, 3 Jean-Baptiste De Clercq, 2 Thomas Dienst, 1 Martin Bonnel
Replacements: 16 Max Dubois, 17 Sep De Backer, 18 Bertrand Billi, 19 Gillian Benoy, 20 Nathan Bontems, 21 Tom Cocqu, 22 Alan Williams, 23 Christophe Debaty
Coach: Guillaume Ajac
Russia: 15 Ramil Gaisin, 14 Vasily Artemyev (captain), 13 Dmitry Gerasimov, 12 Sergei Sugrobov, 11 Igor Galinovskiy, 10 Yuri Kushnarev, 9 Alexei Shcherban, 8 Anton Rudoi, 7 Pavel Butenko, 6 Victor Gresev, 5 Evgeny Elgin, 4 Andrei Garbuzov, 3 Evgeni Pronenko, 2 Valery Tsnobiladze, 1 Andrei Polivalov
Replacements: 16 Nazir Gasanov, 17 Vladimir Podresov, 18 Azamat Bitiev, 19 Dimitri Krotov, 20 Tagir Gadzhiev, 21 Anton Riabov, 22 A Mikhaltsov, 23 Igor Kurashov
Coach: Alexandre Pervukhin
Date: Saturday, 18 February 2017
Kick-off: 15.00
Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Referee: Salem Attalah (France)
Assistant referees: Nicolas Datas (France), Bruno Gabaldon (France)
Georgia vs Germany
Captain Michael Poppmeier, who used to play for False Bay in Cape town, is a big loss for Germany. The bearded lock was helped from the field against Romania with damage to a knee ligament. His replacement as captain, Australian Sean Armstrong, has captaining experience.
Georgia have made three changes to their starting team – the flyhalf and both props. But they have changed the whole of their bench except for replacement hooker Giorgi Chkoidze. The new flyhalf is 21-year-old Revaz Jinchvelashvili who has been capped just twice.
All four of the Georgian props for this match play their rugby in France for Top 14 clubs.
Germany has made an astonishing number of changes to the team that made history in beating Romania – 10 to the starting team and seven to the bench. They may just have decided that this matches is not really worth going flat out for.
Teams
Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirkashvili, 14 Giorgi Pruidze, 13 Giorgi Koshadze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Revaz Jintchvelashvili, 9 Giorgi Begadze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 6 Lasha Lomidze, 5 Nodar Cheishvili, 4 Giorgi Nemasdze, 3 Soso Bekoshvili, 2 Badri Alkhazashvili, 1 Tornike Matarasze
Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Giorgi Tetrastili, 18 Lasha Tabidze, 19 Giorgi Mchedlishvili, 20 Saba Shubitdze, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Lasha Khmaladze, 23 Lasha Malaguradze
Germany: 15 Harris Aounallah, 14 Oliver Paine, 13 Marcel Coetzee, 12 Jamie Murphy, 11 Alistair Ledingham, 10 Raynor Parkinson, 9 Sean Amstrong (Capt), 8 Timo Vollenkemper, 7 Sebastian Ferreira, 5 Eric Marks, 4 Robert May, 3 Samy Fuchsel, 2 Dash Barber, 1 Julius Nostadt
Replacements: 16 Dale Garner, 17 Jorn Schröder, 18 Antony Dickinson, 19 Sven van Niekerk, 20 Jarrid Els, 21 Mark Sztyndera, 22 Daniel Koch, 23 Mathieu Docau
Coach: Kobus Potgieter
Date: Sunday, 19 February 2017
Kick-off: 15.00
Venuae: Rustavi Stadium, Tbilisi
Referee: Maxime Burlet (Belgium)
Assistant referees: John Catteau (Belgium), Kevin Sulejmani (Belgium)
