THIS WEEKEND  24 NOVEMBER

 

24.11.2007

South Africa 34, Wales 12 in Cardiff

South Africa won by 22 points. I predicted South Africa by 18

 

Reviews

An easy win for the World Cup winning team.

http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,18259,3557_2918297,00.html

 

Previews

The top tier of rugby nations had their time during the Rugby World Cup back in September and October. South Africa, the tournament winner, returns to Europe to play a test against Wales and an international against the famous Barbarians Rugby club.

 

The match in Cardiff sees a South African side minus a few of its World Cup stars and a Welsh side under new leadership and also with a few changes.

 

GWC Rugby Rankings: World Table-South Africa 1st, Wales 9th

 

Teams

 

Wales

15 Morgan Stoddart, 14 Mark Jones, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Gavin Henson, 11 Tom Shanklin, 10 James Hook, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Jonathan Thomas, 7 Robin Sowden-Taylor, 6 Colin Charvis, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Ian Evans, 3 Rhys Thomas, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins (captain).

Replacements: 16 T Rhys Thomas, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Luke Charteris, 19 Alix Popham, 20 Mike Phillips, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Tom James.

Coach: Warren Gatland

 

South Africa

15 Ruan Pienaar, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 André Pretorius, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Johann Muller, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 CJ van der Linde.

Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Wynand Olivier, 21 Akona Ndungane, 22 Conrad Jantjes.

Coach: Jake White

 

Iron Fist Data

 

Germany 34, Moldova 5 in Heidelberg (ENC 2A)

Germany won by 31 points. I predicted Germany by 5

 

Reviews

Germany bounced right back into contention for the title in this division with a very convincing win at home. Moldova may well afford such a loss but with Belgium’s win against Ukraine the leading pack is beginning to bunch up.

 

Moldova has the easiest run home of all the teams with two home matches to play. The first hurdle will be an ever improving Belgium who needs to win in Chisnau to keep their hopes alive. That will be a daunting task.

 

Previews

Germany’s shock loss to Belgium last weekend means that Moldova must win on Saturday to ensure they take this Division and enter the ranks of Division 1 for 2008-2010. A loss would mean Moldova having to face a resurgent Belgium at home a prospect that must favour the Eastern Europeans. Whatever happens Moldova look set to join Division 1 next season.

 

Germany, without a number of top players, looked well out of sorts in Brussels and will need a victory today to give them any chance of promotion. Moldova won 26-24 at home against Germany in the first round.

 

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Germany 14th, Moldova 15th

 

POINTS TABLE UPDATED

FIRA-AER CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 2A  Updated 25.11.2007

SEEDINGS: UKRAINE, GERMANY, MOLDOVA, BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS

04.11.2006

BELGIUM

24

UKRAINE

11

BRUSSELS

 

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

 

PT

11.04.2006

MOLDOVA

26

GERMANY

24

CHISINAU

MOLDOVA

6

5

0

1

135

118

+17

16

18.11.2006

UKRAINE

29

NETHERLANDS

18

AMSTERDAM

GERMANY

6

4

0

2

148

102

+46

14

18.11.2006

GERMANY

32

BELGIUM

13

HEIDELBERG

BELGIUM

6

4

0

2

147

125

+22

14

25.11.2006

MOLDOVA

43

NETHERLANDS

7

CHISINAU

UKRAINE

6

2

0

4

98

106

-8

10

21.04.2007

MOLDOVA

29

BELGIUM

27

BRUSSELS

NETHERLANDS

6

0

0

6

77

158

-71

6

21.04.2007

GERMANY

22

UKRAINE

14

KIEV

The European Nations Cup is now played for bi-annually.
Points for the first year of competition carries over to the next season.
Winner promoted to Div.1. Last placed team will be relegated to Division 2B in 2008.

28.04.2007

GERMANY

21

NETHERLANDS

12

HANNOVER

05.05.2007

MOLDOVA

17

UKRAINE

16

KIEV

05.05.2007

BELGIUM

27

NETHERLANDS

20

AMSTERDAM

10.11.2007

UKRAINE

13

NETHERLANDS

7

KIEV

10.11.2007

BELGIUM

32

GERMANY

18

BRUSSELS

17.11.2007

MOLDOVA

15

NETHERLANDS

13

AMSTERDAM

24.11.2007

GERMANY

31

MOLDOVA

5

HEIDELBERG

24.11.2007

BELGIUM

18

UKRAINE

15

FEODOSIA

12.04.2008

MOLDOVA

 

BELGIUM

 

CHISINAU

19.04.2008

GERMANY

 

UKRAINE

 

HANNOVER

26.04.2008

NETHERLANDS

 

GERMANY

 

AMSTERDAM

03.05.2008

MOLDOVA

 

UKRAINE

 

CHISINAU

03.05.2008

BELGIUM

 

NETHERLANDS

 

BRUSSELS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belgium 18, Ukraine 15 in Feodosia (ENC 2A)

Belgium won by 3 points. I predicted Belgium by 7.

 

Reviews

Belgium’s narrow win keeps their hopes of taking this division alive. They need to win away against Moldova next April.

 

Previews

Belgium caused an upset last weekend with a convincing win against Germany. They will need to reproduce that form away against Ukraine if they are going to catch the Moldovans. Belgium won their first round clash comfortably at home but will find the Ukrainians a handful on their home soil.

 

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Belgium 13th, Ukraine 16th

 

Teams

 

Belgium Squad

Julien Berger (Kituro)

Bertrand Billi (Soignies)

Thibaut Andre (Lille, France)

Thomas Dienst (Le Loup, France)

Denis Eppe (Rugby Ottignies Club)

Carlos Fierro (Lille, France)

Damien Godefroy (Lille, France)

Sébastien Guns (Rugby Ottignies Club)

Dirk Haghedooren (Beziers, France)

Sébastien Henry (Massy, France)

Mathew Hocken (Brussels Barbarians RFC)

Julien Massimi (Arras, France)

Alain Miriallakis (Villeurbanne, France)

Cyrille Nana (Lille, France)

Andrew Neill (Valence d'Agen, France)

Daniel Nkwasina (Kituro)

Pierre Plasman (Boitsfort)

Mathieu Verschelden (ASUB Rugby Waterloo)

Norman Wende (Vannes, France)

Jérôme Wey (La Seyne, France)

Alan Williams (Castres, France)

Kevin Williams (Seapoint RFC, Ireland)

 

Latvia 20, Andorra 9 in Riga (ENC 2B)

Latvia won by 11 points. I predicted Latvia by 15.

 

Reviews

 

 

Previews

Latvia’s bid to chase down this Division’s leaders Croatia and Poland fell apart against Malta last weekend. The home team pounced upon the visitors and won 16-13. Latvia is expected to win against the Andorrans at home but their task to stay with the leaders looks forlorn. To make matters more difficult they have to face, next April, competition leaders Poland away. Andorra on the other have to win at least two of their last three matches to avoid relegation, a prospect that won’t be easy on Saturday away against Latvia.

 

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Latvia 20th, Andorra 21st

 

POINTS TABLE UPDATED

 

FIRA-AER CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 2B Updated 25.11.2007

SEEDINGS: LATVIA, POLAND, CROATIA, MALTA, ANDORRA

07.10.2006

POLAND

54

ANDORRA

8

CRACOVIE

 

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

 

PT

28.10.2006

LATVIA

27

MALTA

16

RIGA

POLAND

6

5

0

1

182

51

+131

16

28.10.2006

POLAND

12

CROATIA

11

MAKARSKA

LATVIA

6

4

0

2

130

102

+28

14

04.11.2006

CROATIA

40

MALTA

18

MARSA

CROATIA

6

3

0

3

110

104

+6

12

04.11.2006

LATVIA

34

ANDORRA

21

ANDORRA LA VELA

MALTA

6

2

0

4

93

164

-71

10

31.03.2007

LATVIA

27

CROATIA

7

MAKARSKA

ANDORRA

6

1

0

5

91

185

-94

8

07.04.2007

ANDORRA

24

CROATIA

13

ANDORRA LA VELA

The European Nations Cup is now played for bi-annually.
Points for the first year of competition carries over to the next season.
Winner promoted to Div.2A. Last placed team will be relegated to Division 3A in 2008.

05.05.2007

POLAND

33

LATVIA

9

RIGA

12.05.2007

MALTA

31

ANDORRA

24

MARSA

19.05.2007

POLAND

36

MALTA

3

SIEDLCE

29.09.2007

POLAND

33

ANDORRA

5

ANDORRA LA VELA

27.10.2007

CROATIA

15

POLAND

14

GDYNIA

10.11.2007

CROATIA

24

MALTA

9

MAKARSKA

17.11.2007

MALTA

16

LATVIA

13

MARSA

24.11.2007

LATVIA

20

ANDORRA

9

RIGA

19.04.2008

CROATIA

 

ANDORRA

 

 

26.04.2008

POLAND

 

LATVIA

 

 

10.05.2008

MALTA

 

POLAND

 

MARSA

10.05.2008

LATVIA

 

CROATIA

 

RIGA

17.05.2008

MALTA

 

ANDORRA

 

ANDORRA LA VELA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Switzerland 13,Serbia 5 in Belgrade (ENC 3A)

Switzerland won by 8 points. I predicted Serbia by 3.

 

Reviews

 

Previews

Serbia has a game in hand over Switzerland. A win at home, which looks quite possible, would bring the Balkan team away from the dangerous bottom place and make it a race to avoid the wooden spoon. Switzerland still has a mathematical chance to win this division but they will have to start by upending the Serbs on Saturday. That won’t be easy as Serbia looks to be improving after an ordinary first round.

 

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Serbia 26th, Switzerland 27th. CHANGE

 

UPDATED POINTS TABLE

FIRA-AER CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 3A Updated 25.11.2007

SEEDING; SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, SERBIA, DENMARK, ARMENIA

30.09.2006

SWITZERLAND

29

ARMENIA

16

VIENNE

 

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

 

PT

07.10.2006

SWITZERLAND

30

SERBIA

9

NYON

SWEDEN

6

5

0

1

103

47

+56

16

21.10.2006

SWEDEN

24

ARMENIA

0

HELSINGBORG

SWITZERLAND

6

3

0

3

109

88

+21

12

28.10.2006

SWEDEN

23

DENMARK

13

ODENSE

ARMENIA

5

3

0

2

71

83

-12

11

04.11.2006

SERBIA

34

DENMARK

23

BELGRADE

DENMARK

6

1

1

4

86

115

-29

9

31.03.2007

DENMARK

24

SWITZERLAND

22

BALE

SERBIA

5

1

1

3

77

113

-36

8

07.04.2007

ARMENIA

11

DENMARK

3

ODENSE

The European Nations Cup is now played for bi-annually.
Points for the first year of competition carries over to the next season.
Winner promoted to Div.2B. Last placed team will be relegated to Division 3B in 2008.

*Note-The Armenia v Serbia first round match was postponed.

14.04.2007

SWEDEN

30

SERBIA

12

BELGRADE

05.05.2007

SWEDEN

6

SWITZERLAND

0

ESKILSTUNA

01.09.2007

ARMENIA

16

SWEDEN

12

BOURGOIN JALLIEU

06.10.2007

ARMENIA

28

SWITZERLAND

15

NYON

27.10.2007

DENMARK

17

SERBIA

17

ODENSE

03.11.2007

SWEDEN

8

DENMARK

6

HELSINGBORG

24.11.2007

SWITZERLAND

13

SERBIA

5

BELGRADE

05.04.2008

DENMARK

 

SWITZERLAND

 

ODENSE

12.04.2008

ARMENIA

 

DENMARK

 

EREVAN

19.04.2008

SWITZERLAND

 

SWEDEN

 

NYON

26.04.2008

SWEDEN

 

SERBIA

 

STOCKHOLM

10.05.2008

ARMENIA

 

SERBIA

 

EREVAN

25.05.2008

SERBIA

 

ARMENIA

 

BELGRADE