6NB: The Russian Bear hunts again
The big fish this time for the Russian Bear is in Madrid where they play Spain on Saturday. Victory would take them very close to New Zealand in 2011 for the top two teams in the European Nations Cup qualify for the World Cup without further ado and the third-placed side has a chance through répechage.
Log
There are the e points for winning, two for drawing and one for playing.
1 Georgia 17 points
2 Russia 16 points
3 Portugal 13 points
4 Romania 9 points
5 Spain 7 points
6 Germany 6 points
Romania and Spain have a match in hand for their match last weekend was frozen off. The others have each played six matches.
Matches for 13 February
Spain vs Russia at Estadio Universitaire in Madrid
Portugal vs Georgia at Estádio Universitário in Lisbon
Romania vs Germany in Bucharest
In the first round Russia beat Spain 42-15 in Moscow.
Georgia will not fund Portugal all that easy in Lisbon, not after the Lobos strong showing in the cold and mud of Sotchi last weekend. In Round 1 Portugal drew with Georgia in Tblissi.
Romania will be expected to win easily – if the game is played – against Germany who have found their first stay in Division 1 an uncomfortable one. In Round 1 Romania won 22-0 in Heidelberg.
Portugal vs Georgia
This is the pick of this weekend’s matches – the experienced Lelos against the desperate Lobos who would like to go to the World Cup again but are running third at present.
There are four changes to the Portuguese squad. Out go Thomas da Costa, Tiago Girão, Cardoso Pinto and David Mate, replaced by South African Conrad Stickling, Australian Joe Gardener, hooker Lionel Campergue and David Mateus.
Seven of the starting Georgian XV are over 30, the oldest being Grigol Labadze at 37. Only Lasha Malaguradze is under 25 – one year under 25.
Wing Malkhaz Urjukashvili is the most capped player with 59 caps, followed by Labadze with 57 and lock Ilia Zedginidze with 56. There are no uncapped players in the squad.
Alexandre Todua is the only player who plays in Georgia. Two play in Romania and the other 19 in France, few for Top 14 clubs, both amongst the Fédérale who are regarded as amateur.
Teams
Portugal: 15 Joe Gardener (Agronomia), 14 Frederico Oliveira (CDUL), 13 Pedro Silva (Belenenses), 12 Diogo Mateus (Belenenses), 11 Antonio Aguilar (Direito), 10 Pedro Cabral (CDUL), 9 José Pinto (Direito), 8 Juan Severino (Agronomia), 7 Salvador Palha (Direito), 6 Vasco Uva (Direito), 5 David Penalva (Auch, France), 4 Conrad Stickling (Cascais), 3 Juan Murre (Auch, France), 2 João Correia (Direito)(captain), 1 Francisco Fernandes (Tyrosse, France)
Replacements: 16 João Junior (CDUL), 17 Lionel Campergue (Pau, France), 18 Gonçalo Uva (Direito), 19 Eduardo Acosta (), 20 Pedro Leal (Direito), 21 David Mateus (Belenenses), 22 Gonçalo Foro (CDUL)
Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirikashvili (Figeac, France), 14 Malkhaz Urjukashvili (Figeac, France), 13 Davit Katcharava (Nice Cote d’Azur, France), 12 Tedo Zibzibadze (Perigueux, France), 11 Irakli Machkhaneli (Saint-Etienne, France), 10 Lasha Malaghuradze (Béziers, France), 9 Irakli Abuseridze (Auxerre, France) (captain), 8 Besarion Udesiani (Saint-Etienne, France), 7 Giorgi Chkhaidze Montpellier, France(), 6 Grigol Labadze (Marseille-Vitrolles, France), 5 Ilia Zedginidze (Carqueiranne Hyeres, France), 4 Giorgi Nemsadze (Massy, France), 3 Davit Zirakashvili (Clermont Auvergne, France), 2 Akvsent Giorgadze (Castres, France), 1 Davit Khinchagishvili (Brive, France)
Replacements: 16 Anton Peikrishvili (Agen, France), 17 Davit Kubriashvili (Toulon, France), 18 Levan Datunashvili (Aurillac, France), 19 Lasha Tavartkiladze (Farul Constanta, Romania), 20 Bidzina Samkharadze (Farul Constanta, Romania), 21 Irakli Giorgadze (Champberry, France), 22 Alexandre Todua (Lelo)
Date: 13 February 2010
Kick-off: 15.00
Venue: Estádio Universitário in Lisbon
Expected weather conditions: In the context of Europe’s miserable winter this is a good day – clear with a high of 11°C and an easterly wind of 18 km/h
Referee : Andrew Small (England)
Assistant referees: Tim Wigglesworth (England), Roger Baileff (England)
Spain vs Russia
Spain still have an outside chance of qualifying, most probably through répechage but then they need to win this one and only twice before have they beaten Russia. The last time was in Krasnodar in 2002 when the Lions won 38-22. But there is only one of that side still playing – Leandro Fernandez-Aramburu.
Russia will again rely on its forwards, notably lock Kiril Kulemin of Castres and loose forward Andrey Ostikov, but they also have a speedy wing, Vasily Artemyev, who plays for University College Dublin.
Spain has three players who could make their debuts on Saturday – David Gugernadze, Matthew Cook and Martín Heredia. Alejandro Onega, Jesús Moreno, Marco Pinto, Jesús Recuerda and Damien Elgoyhen have only eight caps amongst them.
Teams
Spain squad: José-Maria Bohorquez (Ciencias Sevilla), David Gurgenadze (CRC Madrid), Alejandro Onega (CRC Madrid), José Moreno (Bordeaux-Bègles, France), Marco Pinto (Clermont Espoirs, France), Mathieu Cidre (Carcassonne, France), Leandro Fernandez-Aramburu (Ciencias Sevilla), Jesus Recuerda (Ciencias Sevilla), Sergio Souto (Cetransa El Salvador), Rafael Camacho (Ciencias Sevilla), Martin Aceña (La Vila), Matthew Cook (La Vila), Julien Tourtoulou (Colomiers, France), Damien Elgohyen (St Jean de Luz Olympique, France), Pablo Feijóo (CRC Madrid), Mathieu Lopez (Mont-de-Marsan, France), Cesar Sempere (Montpellier, France), Mathieu Gratton (Graulhet, France), Martín Heredia (Costa del Sol), Benjamin Pardo (Valladolid RAC), Jaime Nava (Alcombendas), Javier Canosa (CRC Madrid), Pedro Martín (Bayonne Espoirs, France), Ignacio Martín (Overmach Parma, Italy).
Russia: 15 Igor Kluchnikov (VVA-Podmoskovje), 14 Vasily Artemiev (University College Dublin, Ireland), 13 Mikhail Babaev (VVA-Podmoskovje), 12 Sergey Trishin (VVA-Podmoskovje), 11 Alexander Gvozdovskiy (Krasny Yar-Krasnoyarsk), 10 Yuriy Kushnarev (VVA-Podmoskovje), 9 Alexander Yanushkin (VVA-Podmoskovje), 8 Andrey Temnov (Enisey-Stm-Krasnoyarsk), 7 Andrey Ostrikov (Aurillac, France), 6 Victor Gresev (VVA-Podmoskovje), 5 Kiril Kulemin (Castres, France), 4 Alexander Voytov (VVA-Podmoskovje), 3 Evgeny Pronenko (Enisey-Stm-Krasnoyarsk), 2 Vladislav Korshunov (VVA Podmoskovje) (captain), 1 Carlo Maglakelidze (),
Replacements: 16 Evgeny Matveev (VVA-Podmoskovje), 17 Khrokin Alexander (VVA-Podmoskovje), 18 Alexey Travkin (VVA-Podmoskovje), 19 Artem Fatakhov (Enisey-Stm-Krasnoyarsk), 20 Alexander Shakirov (VVA-Podmoskovje), 21 Alexey Korobeynikov (Enisey-Stm Krasnoyarsk), 22 Andrey Kuzin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
Date: 13 February 2010
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid
Expected weather conditions: 20% chance of rain with a high: 8°C, dropping to -3°C and a northeaster of 21 km/h to make things colder still.
Referee : Tim Hayes (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Greg Morgan (Wales)
Romania vs Germany
It’s hard to see Germany coming even close to the Oaks on Saturday – if this match is played, that is. Last week’s match in Bucharest was postponed and little has happened to suggest that things will be much better this weekend. As a result the match was moved to Constanta. Snow is again forecast for Bucharest and low temperatures.
Romanian squad: Cezar Popescu (Saint Medard en Jalles), Dragos Dima (Oloron), Silviu Florea (US Montauban), Paulica Ion (London Irish), Mihai Lazar (Saint Etienne Caserugby), Marius Tincu (Perpignan), Andrei Radoi (Baia Mare), Sorin Socol (Oloron), Augustin Petrichei (Marmande Castaeljaloux), Cristian Petre (Beziers), Valentin Ursache (Baia Mare), Stelian Burcea (Arad), Daniel Carpo (Farul), Mihai Macovei (Baia Mare), Ovidiu Tonita (Perpignan), Alexandru Manta (Lyon), Sergiu Ursache (Casion di Venezia), Lucian Sirbu (Somillau), Valentin Calafeteanu (Arad), Iulian Dumitras (Albi), Dan Dumbrava (Steaua Bucuresti), Ionut Dimofte (Baia Mare), Csaba Gal (Baia Mare), Robert Dascalu (Steaua Bucuresti), ConstantinGheara (Farul),Ionel Cazan (Steaua Bucuresti), Catalin Fercu (Arad), Stefan Ciuntu (Baia Mare), Nicolae Catalin (Farul), Florin Vlaicu (Steaua Bucuresti), Ionut Botezatu (Baia Mare)
German squad: Rob Elloway (Cornish Pirates), Benjamin Krause (78), Robert Mohr (La Rochelle), Alexander Widiker (RC Orléans), Tim Coly (RGH), Manuel Wilhelm (RGH), Kehoma Brenner (RGH), Lukas Hinds-Johnson (RK 03), Alexander Hauck (SC Frankfurt 80), Jamie Houston (SC Frankfurt 80), Marcus Trick (SC Neuenheim), Alexander Metz (TSV Handschuhsheim), Kieron Davies (Ampthill RUFC), Raphael Hackl (BRC), Rafael Pyrasch (78), Benjamin Simm (78), Christopher Liebig (HRK), Steffen Liebig (HRK), Clemens von Grumbkow (I Cavalieri), Mustafa Güngör(RGH), Edmoore Takaendesa (RGH), Mark Sztyndera (SC Frankfurt 80)
Date: 13 February 2010
Kick-off:
Venue: Stadionul Constructorul-Cleopatra, Constanta
Exopected weather conditions: Saturday
Chance of Rain. Partly cloudy with a high of 8°C, dropping to -3°C and a southerly of 28 km/h
Referee : Claudio Passacantando (Italy)
Assistant referees: Domenico Sironi (Italy), Francesco Commone (Italy)
