Rugby Europe Championship/Trophy

[clydecloggie]

Romania already has a pro (ish) set up, right?

Ish, as I understand it. But this Super Cup thing has 6 newly created teams plus the two best teams from the Russian league.

Spain also has a semi-pro setup, but is not going into this with one of the existing teams as far as I can tell.

[Slick]

First NL try certainly was a good 'un! Georgia's second-half try by the #15 a good solo effort though I guess the Dutch were tiring by that point, think he got the last one too and looks like a handy player.

In fact the #15 scored 3 tries, Niniashvili is only 18 Plays for Lyon.

The Dutch have certainly come on since I played them!

[Paddington Bear]

As good a place as any for this and apologies if RR. Romania gave what looks a reasonable Argentinian side a proper game Saturday, only going down to a late try with 14 men on the pitch. Shame about covid not giving them a chance to have a run at the Scots.

The refurbed stadium looks lovely too.

[tabascoboy]

[clydecloggie]

Strong Portugal team with a number of Top14/ProD2 players and a really great backs line. They'll play the game the Netherlands aspire to. Could be a feast of running rugby this afternoon

If Portugal play like they did against Spain, the Dutch will probably have to wait a bit longer before making an impression on the Championship table.

Portugal have genuine aspirations to qualify for RWC2023, this is a must-win for them - it all could come down to which team slips up against the Dutch.

Speaking of the Dutch, their project is to qualify for RWC2027. I was in Amsterdam last Sunday for NL U16 training (my son is in that squad) and the new RugbyNL Director gave a brief speech about how it is all working towards RWC2027 and that some of you U16 players could be part of that squad in 6 years time. Great bit of bait to dangle

Of course it means staying in the REC for the foreseeable, working their way up to Russia / Romania level which will be a tough but not impossible ask.

[Tichtheid]

Strong Portugal team with a number of Top14/ProD2 players and a really great backs line. They'll play the game the Netherlands aspire to. Could be a feast of running rugby this afternoon

If Portugal play like they did against Spain, the Dutch will probably have to wait a bit longer before making an impression on the Championship table.

Portugal have genuine aspirations to qualify for RWC2023, this is a must-win for them - it all could come down to which team slips up against the Dutch.

Speaking of the Dutch, their project is to qualify for RWC2027. I was in Amsterdam last Sunday for NL U16 training (my son is in that squad) and the new RugbyNL Director gave a brief speech about how it is all working towards RWC2027 and that some of you U16 players could be part of that squad in 6 years time. Great bit of bait to dangle

Of course it means staying in the REC for the foreseeable, working their way up to Russia / Romania level which will be a tough but not impossible ask.

Exciting stuff, good luck to your laddie, CC.

[tabascoboy]

Result: Netherlands 28 - 61 Portugal

[Sundance-Kid]

The Netherlands made too many unforced errors, missed too many tackles and the Portugese 9, 11 and 14 were on fire.

[tabascoboy]

The Netherlands - Spain match due to be played today was cancelled...because of COVID.

However Russia v Portugal is going ahead and being played at the impressive modern stadium in Nizhny Novgorod

[tabascoboy]

Ended Russia 26 - 49 Portugal which means the table looks like

[clydecloggie]

Rugby Europe U18 champs on just now.

Looks like Romania is in trouble with its next generation. Lost 45-8 to Spain and now 34-0 to the Netherlands.

Other notable result is Belgium beating Russia 21-10 on match day 1.

Looks like the focus of European sub-6N rugby might be moving west a bit...(Georgia excepted)

[tabascoboy]

Reminds me that I meant to post the last fixtures of the 2021 Championship

06/11/2021 : NETHERLANDS V RUSSIA
13/11/2021 : ROMANIA V NETHERLANDS
14/11/2021 : SPAIN V RUSSIA
18/12/2021 : NETHERLANDS V SPAIN

That's 3 tough games for Netherlands to avoid losing all the REC games this year

[tabascoboy]

This weekend

[clydecloggie]

Reminds me that I meant to post the last fixtures of the 2021 Championship

06/11/2021 : NETHERLANDS V RUSSIA
13/11/2021 : ROMANIA V NETHERLANDS
14/11/2021 : SPAIN V RUSSIA
18/12/2021 : NETHERLANDS V SPAIN

That's 3 tough games for Netherlands to avoid losing all the REC games this year

I have some hope of a result against Russia this weekend. Romania is an odd one, in that their recent results have been decent but generally their rugby is down in the dumps. Spain should be way too good for this Dutch team but have not fired at all so far in the REC.

[tabascoboy]

Result was Netherlands 8 - 35 Russia ( 0 - 14 at halftime)

[clydecloggie]

Result was Netherlands 8 - 35 Russia ( 0 - 14 at halftime)

Another poor show from the Dutch.

Disorganised in defence, so the Russians found weak shoulders at will and the missed tackle count was off the scale. In possession, the Dutch looked rushed and nervous, too eager to get points, as they did against Portugal.

Fortunately there is no relegation from the REC this year so hopefully this will give them the experience they need to make a fist of it next season. Although that will be a tougher schedule with away trips to Spain, Portugal and Russia plus an unwinnable home game against Georgia, leaving the Romania home game as the best chance of a result.

[tabascoboy]

Saturday: Spain 49 - 12 Russia
Yesterday: Romania 56 - 15 Netherlands

So with one game of the 2021 series to go, the table:

[tabascoboy]

Spanish rugby international Kawa Leauma, 32, dies after an accidental fall

Spanish international Kawa Leauma has died following an accident in which he fell from a building in the Netherlands. The 32-year-old lock reportedly fell "six to eight metres", suffering severe head injuries. The New Zealand-born forward underwent two emergency operations, but died in hospital in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

Leauma had travelled to the Netherlands for Spain's Six Nations B match, but did not play in the game. "We regret to announce the death of Kawa Leauma," said Spain's Rugby Federation.

The Federation declined to give more information "at the express wish of his wife", after her husband's "freak accident". Leauma played for Samoa Under-20s, several Auckland clubs and Sydney Rays before moving to Spain, where he joined first division club Ordizia.

He made one unofficial appearance for Spain but was left out of the 52-7 victory in Amsterdam, which also served as a World Cup qualifier, because of questions over his eligibility.

"Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Spain international Kawa Leauma," tweeted former England captain and World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.

"My thoughts are with his team-mates and family at this difficult time."

[tabascoboy]

The 2022 tournament starts


Result from today, Romania 34 - 25 Russia ( 24 - 7 at halftime )

Spain currently lead Netherlands 36 - 0 at in last quarter of the game.....ended 43 - 0

Georgia and Portugal play tomorrow

[tabascoboy]

Halftime score: Georgia 15 - 11 Portugal

[Mr Tim Buktoo]

Caught the last 10mins of it. 25-25.
Thought poite had retired.

[tabascoboy]

[laurent]

Caught the last 10mins of it. 25-25.
Thought poite had retired.

He was retired (but then there is not enough refs).

[sockwithaticket]

Is this one hell of a result for Portugal, about par for a coming force or Georgia on the slide?

[tabascoboy]

Is this one hell of a result for Portugal, about par for a coming force or Georgia on the slide?

A bit of both, a very good effort away from home for Portugal and Georgia missing a couple of players and not playing well enough.

So as for RWC finals qualification Georgia still look set for Europe 1; while Europe 2 now looks to be between Romania, Portugal and Spain. Russia left with depending on unlikely results now but could still get the repechage place.

[tabascoboy]

Weekend 2 - Georgia should add another win this round to get closer to the Europe 1 RWC qualification spot but the other two games look wide open and are both vital in the contest for Europe 2 and the repechage slot.
Can Portugal repeat their excellent away performance of last week in Bucharest this time?

[tabascoboy]

Halftime score: Russia 17 - 25 Spain

[Biffer]

Halftime score: Russia 17 - 25 Spain

Entertaining game this one. Spain might kick on after the half with the yellow card just before HT.

[tabascoboy]

Very tight now, Spain just kicked a penalty to make their lead a narrow 30 - 34 inside the last 10 mins

Yellow card against Spain...last minute try to Russia! Converted 37 - 34

What a game, now Spain score in stoppage time 37 - 39 edit + conversion 37 - 41 final score

[Biffer]

What a cracking game that was. Great result for Spain.

[tabascoboy]

Both sides scored 4+ tries but don't think there are any bonus points as they use the "French Way" where you have score three tries more than the opponents. Russia get a losing BP but it doesn't help them enough in the RWC qualification and barring freak results I guess they are out of contention now.

Romania v Portugal will hopefully be as much of a cracker...

[Biffer]

Both sides scored 4+ tries but don't think there are any bonus points as they use the "French Way" where you have score three tries more than the opponents. Russia get a losing BP but it doesn't help them enough in the RWC qualification and barring freak results I guess they are out of contention now.

Romania v Portugal will hopefully be as much of a cracker...

I will be otherwise engaged for that game unfortunately.

I have a feeling the Netherlands might get a proper doing from Georgia.

[westport]

Thoroughly enjoyed Russia v Spain a great way to spend the morning. As was mentioned in commentary - more turns than a mountain road.

[tabascoboy]

Well, apparently Russia have been making noises about eligibility doubts over one of the Spain players, a South African who qualified through residence but it's suggested he was away from Spain during the period longer than the allowed time for minimum spend in the country. It might not help Russia now but it would certainly cripple Spain's chances of qualification - as per 2019 - if investigated and upheld as he played from the bench in the win over Netherlands.

[tabascoboy]

Well, Georgia are off to a good start




Halftime: Netherlands 3 - 29 Georgia

Result: Netherlands 10 - 72 Georgia

[PCPhil]

Thoroughly enjoyed Russia v Spain a great way to spend the morning. As was mentioned in commentary - more turns than a mountain road.

How do you get to watch the games?

[tabascoboy]

You can watch them at https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/rugby-europe-tv/ but you need to register. No problems in the UK but they may be geo-blocked for some areas.

[tabascoboy]

Poor start for Romania and Portugal have got a couple of tries before Romania cut their lead back to 13 - 22, 2nd half

27 - 27 with very little time left... and now 30 - 27 to Romania. Portugal struggling now against the pressure from the Romania forwards

[tabascoboy]

And ended Romania 37 - 27 Portugal, so Portugal denied a bonus point. They faced the two toughest opponents away from home in successive weekends and they ran out of gas quite badly near the end of this game

[tabascoboy]