6NB: Two Shocks in Saturday's Round 3

There were two shock results in the third round of Rugby Europe’s International Championship, leaving Georgia out on their own at the top of the log.

The Lelos of Georgia smashed the Black Devils off Belgium while the Russian Bears surprised the previously unbeaten Lobos, winning by a single point after Portugal had scored two tries to one while the Oaks of Romania had a comfortable victory over the Leones of Spain.

Results, Round 3

Russia vs Portugal, 19-18 in Russia
Romania vs Spain, 24-7 in Romania
Georgia vs Brussels, 78-6 in Georgia

Log after Round 3

1. Georgia 14 points (points’ difference 113)
2. Portugal 9 points (points’ difference 16)
3. Spain 5 points (points’ difference -15)
4. Belgium 6 points (points’ difference -52)
5. Romania 4 points (points’ difference -18)
6. Russia 4 points (points’ difference -44)

Results Round 1

Spain vs Russia, 31-12
Georgia vs Romania, 41-13
Portugal vs Belgium, 23-17

Results Round 2

Belgium vs Russia, 38-12
Georgia vs Spain, 23-10
Portugal vs Romania 22-11

Match Details

Russia vs Portugal at Arena Baltika Kaliningrad on Saturday, 22 February 2020

There was big crowd  in Kaliningrad in Eastern Russia to witness this shock result when winless Russia beat unbeaten Portugal.

Portugal scored two tries to one, but Russia kicked 14 points to eight.

Russia kicked off deep and scored almost from the kick-off. Two five-metre scrums later the Russian pack pushed the Portuguese over their goal-line for a try scored by lock Andrey Ostrikov when he fell in the ball.

Two penalties by flyhalf Ramil Gaisin took the score to 13-0 before Portugal scored a splendid try from a line-out near the half-way line. Flyhalf Joao Lima broke and gave to his captain Tomas Appleton who raced on and forced his over for a try near the posts.

Gaisin scored two more penalty goals as the Russians continued-ed to dominate the scrums and at half-time Russia led 19-7.

They did not score in the second half.

Two penalties took the Lobos to 19-13. They attacked and eventually, with 12 minutes to play, fullback Manuel Pinto went over in the left corner after a tapped penalty. But left wing Danny Antunes missed the conversion which could have won the match.

Scorers

For Russia:
Try: Ostrikov
Con: Gaisin
Pens: Gaisin 4

For Portugal:
Tries: Appleton, Pinto
Con: Antunes
Pens: Antunes

Teams

Russia: 15 Artemyev Vasily, 14 German Davydov, 13 Dmitrii Gerasimov, 12 Kirill Golosnitskii, 11 Nikita Churashov, 10 Ramil Gaisin, 9 Konstantin Uzunov, 8 Viktor Gresev, 7 Eme Peki, 6 Roman Khodin, 5 Andrei Garbuzov (captain), 4 Andrey Ostrikov, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 2 Shamil Magomedov, 1 Valeriy Morozov
Replacements: 16 Evgenii Matveev, 17 Evgeny Mishechkin, 18 Vladimir Podrezov, 19 Evgeny Elgin, 20 Vitaly Zhivatov, 21 Stepan Khokhlov, 22 Stanislav Bondarev, 23 German Godliuk
Coach: Lyn Jones

Portugal: 15 Manuel Pinto, 14 Rodrigo Marta, 13 Antonio Vidinha, 12 Tomas Appleton (captain), 11 Danny Antunes, 10 Joao Lima, 9 Duarte Azevedo, 8 Thibault Freitas, 7 David Carvalho, 6 Joao Granate, 5 Duarte Torgal, 4 José Madeira, 3 IV Morais, 2 Lionel Campergue, 1 Francisco Fernandes
Replacements: 16 Costa David, 17 Rodrigo Bento, 18 Luis Batista, 19 Eric Santos, 20 Manuel Eusebio, 21 Pedro Lucas, 22 Joao Freudenthal, 23 Diogo Ferreira
Coach: Patrice Lagisquet

Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)
Assistant referees: Iñaki Munoz Martin (Spain), Aldai Ibisate (Spain)
Citing commissioner: Norbert Li-Marchetti (Switzerland)

Romania vs Spain at Stadionul Municipal in Botosani, a city in Northern Romania, on Saturday, 22 February 2020.

Two penalties – one against Ignacio Contardi for a deliberate knock-on and one against Alvar Gimeno for a high tackle – gave veteran Florian Vlaicu the chance to kick two penalty goals to put his side 6-0 after 12 minutes. That was the half-time score.

Vlaicu opened the scoring in the second half and then the Oaks got their first try.

Near touch and his own 10-metre line, scrumhalf Florin Surugiu darted down the blind side and played to Ionel Melinte who scored. Vlaicu converted. 16-0 which another penalty made into 19-0.

Spain scored an excellent try from a Romanian knock-on well inside their own half John Bell ran hard and eventually gave to Richard Stewart who scored in the left corner. Brad Linklater converted. There were just about two minutes to play , time enough for Romania to tap a penalty and scored a try when Melinte went over for his second in the left corner.

Scorers:

For Romania:
Tries: Melinte 2
Con: Vlaicu
Pens: Vlaicu 4

For Spain:
Try: Stewart
Con: Linklater

Teams

Romania: 15 Ionel Melinte, 14 Marius Simionescu, 13 Catalin Fercu, 12 Florian Vlaicu, 11 Nicolas Onutu, 10 Daniel Plai, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Cristi Chirica, 7 Dragos Ser, 6 Mihai Macovei (captain), 5 Adrian Motoc, 4 Johan van Heerden, 3 Alexandru Savin, 2 Eugen Capatina, 1 Horatiu Pungea
Replacements: 16 Ovidiu Cojocaru, 17 Constantin Pristavita, 18 Valentin Poparlan, 19 Adrian Ion, 20 Tudorel Bratu, 21 Vladut Popa , 22 Moa Maliepo, 23 Costel Burtila
Coach: Andy Robinson

Spain: 15 John-Wessel Bell, 14 Julen Goia, 13 Richard Stewart, 12 Alvar Gimeno, 11 Ignacio Contardi, 10 Bradley Linklater, 9 Guillame Rouet, 8 Lionel-Afase Tauli, 7 Gauthier Gibouin (captain), 6 Fred Quercy, 5 Joshua Peters, 4 Lucas Guillame, 3 Albert Blanco, 2 Marco Pinto, 1 Thierry Futeu
Replacements: 16 Thierry Futeu, 17 Vicente Del-Hoyo, 18 Jon Zabala, 19 Nathan Paila, 20 , 21 Tomas Munilla, 22 Pierre Nueno, 23 Martin Alonso
Coach: Santiago Santos

Referee: Nika Amashkeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Tornike Gvirjishvili (Georgia), Shota Tsagareishvili (Georgia)

Georgia vs Belgium at Aia Arena, Kutaisi on Saturday, 22 February 2020.

This was a thrashing – 12 tries to none.

By half-time the score was already 33-6.

The strangest try was the first of the second half. Belgium were deep in their own 22 when scrumhalf Tom Cocqu decided to chip for his right wing. But Georgi Begadze caught the ball and raced over for the Lelos’ sixth try

Scorers

For Georgia:
Tries (in order): Tabutsadze 4, Karkadze, Matiashvili, Dzneladze 2, Penalty Try, Begadze, Gorgadze, Tkhilaishvili
Cons: Abzhandadze 9

For Belgium:
Pens: De-Moffarts 2

Teams

Georgia: 15 Ioseb Matiashvili, 14 Zurab Dzneladze, 13 Demur Tabladze, 12 Lasha Malaguradze, 11 Akaki Tabutsadze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 8 Beka Gorgadze captain), 7 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Nodar Cheishvili, 4 Lasha Jaiani, 3 Giorgi Melikidze, 2 Vano Karkadze, 1 Guram Gogichashvili
Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Giorgi Tetrashvili, 18 Lasha Tabidze, 19 Davit Gigauri, 20 Beka Saginadze, 21 Giorgi Begadze, 22 Lasha Khmaladze, 23 Tamaz Mchedlidze
Coach: Levan Maisashvili

Belgium: 15 Cédric Wieme, 14 Gaspard Lalli, 13 Louis De-Moffarts, 12 Guillaume Piron, 11 Thomas Wallraf, 10 Antoine Vassart, 9 Tom Cocqu, 8 Amin Hamzaoui, 7 Romain Honhon, 6 Dazzy Cornez, 5 Salay Baudry, 4 Bertrand Billi, 3 Bruno Vliegen, 2 Thomas Dienst (captain), 1 Romain Pinte
Replacements: 16 Martin Jessen, 17 Remi De-Wolf, 18 Maximilien Hendrickx, 19 Karel De-Paepe, 20 Gauthier Petit, 21 Florian Piron, 22 Ryan Godsmark, 23 Ayrton Stainer
Coach: Guillaume Ajac

Referee: Cristian Serban (Romania)
Assistant referees: Radu Petrescu (Romania), M Vacaru (Romania)
Citing commissioner: Philippe Marguin (France)