Rugby Europe Championship/Trophy

[tabascoboy]

Rugby Europe have finally decided how to handle the curtailed competitions of 2020, in a press release:

The Netherlands has today been announced as winners of the 2019/20 Rugby Europe Trophy, the second division of Rugby Europe International Championships. Being crowned champions gives them the chance to contest the play-off match for a shot at promotion to the Rugby Europe Championship, which is the pathway for the qualification to the 2023 Rugby World Cup....

...They will face the country ranked last in the 2020 Rugby Europe Championship to reach the top European competition. Their opponent will be known following the final round of 2020 Rugby Europe Championship competition, which dates will be announced in due course.

Essentially the results of outstanding Trophy games were decided by an equivalent of the old "Pools Panel".

In the Championship, Romania and Belgium will contest a last round game to determine the bottom place and relegation decider. It may be mathematically possible for Russia to finish bottom but very unlikely. As a reminder if needed, Georgia are already confirmed Champions and they play Russia in their final game. The other outstanding match is the Iberian Derby which should decide the 2nd place unless a combo of unlikely results upset that.

[clydecloggie]

After 18 years The Netherlands get a chance to return to the Championship. They are on an upward curve, and both Romania and Belgium appear to be going downhill a bit. I would prefer a play-off against Belgium- nice derby, and probably a better chance of a win than against Romania. It may still be a season or two early for this Dutch team, and the Orange scrum against Georgia would be an embarrassing joke. But they need to make that step up, and judging by Portugal's results, The Netherlands should be able to compete against all the other teams in the Championship.

[tabascoboy]

I think after the Netherlands declined badly post relegation, they made the hard choice to completely rebuild from age grade and grassroots rugby all the way through domestic rugby. It's been a long and hard climb back...

[clydecloggie]

I think after the Netherlands declined badly post relegation, they made the hard choice to completely rebuild from age grade and grassroots rugby all the way through domestic rugby. It's been a long and hard climb back...

I've been involved in Dutch age grade stuff a wee bit for the last few years, after relocating from Scotland. And even in that short time, the development and improvement has been noticeable. I'm currently waiting to see if my son is invited to the U16's trials tournament. They have identified 90 players to play in it and will select next year's U16 squad from that group. Some outstanding talent there.

Let's see what the Dutch U18 and U20 can do over the next few years as they should provide the bulk of the players for hopefully a bit of a golden period for Dutch rugby. No doubt supplemented with eligible Saffers and Kiwis...

[tabascoboy]

Finally, we have some fixture news.

SUN 1st Nov
Georgia - Russia
Romania - Belgium

SUN 15th Nov
Spain - Portugal

[clydecloggie]

Finally, we have some fixture news.

SUN 1st Nov
Georgia - Russia
Romania - Belgium

SUN 15th Nov
Spain - Portugal

That's interesting, The Netherlands are scheduled to play the promotion/relegation match for the Championship on 14 November. Presumably neither Spain nor Portugal are at risk of relegation? Which seems odd - although it is a long shot, with a 5-2 match points result in Roumania-Belgium and Russia beating Georgia, last place would go to Belgium on 9 points. Both Spain and Portugal currently have 9 points, so the loser of that match if they don't get any match points would tie with Belgium.

I'm guessing the play-off will be moved unless Belgium already definitely loses out to both Iberics on the tie breaker criteria?

[tabascoboy]

Well soon after those dates were posted they appear to have been removed again, so who knows what is really going on!

[tabascoboy]

The following games are now postponed:

...
Last round of 2020 Men XV Rugby Europe Championship planned on November 1st (Romania vs Belgium and Georgia vs Russia) and 15th (Spain vs Portugal)

Rugby Europe Championship playoff access game to be played between The Netherlands and the bottom ranked team in the 2020 Rugby Europe Championship
...


https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/rugby-europe ... anned-2020

[clydecloggie]

Fairly amazing decisions made by Rugby Europe today.

The Belgian government has not allowed its national team to travel to Romania for their final REC match. Rugby Europe has now decided that means Belgium forfeit the match, and as a result will finish last in the 2020 REC.

It will now face a play off against The Netherlands, which has to be played before mid-June.

Meanwhile, the 2021 REC will kick off as planned early March, to be completed over the March and July international windows. Whoever wins the play off will play all its matches in the July and November windows, which will conclude the 2021 REC.

Also known as fuck you, Belgium.

[tabascoboy]

Forgot that these games had resumed, results this month

Russia 18 - 13 Romania
Portugal 16 - 29 Georgia
Portugal 27 - 28 Romania
Spain 19 - 25 Georgia


Whether other nations are improving or Romania going a bit backwards, I don't know - hard to tell if varied COVID restrictions are affecting the ability to train and play together.

[clydecloggie]

Forgot that these games had resumed, results this month

Russia 18 - 13 Romania
Portugal 16 - 29 Georgia
Portugal 27 - 28 Romania
Spain 19 - 25 Georgia


Whether other nations are improving or Romania going a bit backwards, I don't know - hard to tell if varied COVID restrictions are affecting the ability to train and play together.

Romania haven't been at their best for a few years now, and were in fact very close to having to play the relegation games. Got saved by the Belgian government's refusal to allow the Belgium team to travel to Romania for the deciding game.

What is also interesting is how close the Georgia results have been. They're still winning, but not by huge margins.

Spain looking good, odds-on favourites to qualify for RWC2023 as Europe 2, imo.

No dates as yet for the Belgium - Netherlands play off to see who the 6th team in the comp will be. Dutch players are back training with a special exemption from the 9PM curfew, top league to restart in April to run until end of May. So I'd assume RugbyNL are aiming for early June play-offs with Belgium.

[Paddington Bear]

Not so sure Georgia's results are a massive surprise given what we saw in the Autumn. Their pack isn't what it's cracked up to be anymore and they offer very little out wide (that try vs Ireland the exception).

[sockwithaticket]

Forgot that these games had resumed, results this month

Russia 18 - 13 Romania
Portugal 16 - 29 Georgia
Portugal 27 - 28 Romania
Spain 19 - 25 Georgia


Whether other nations are improving or Romania going a bit backwards, I don't know - hard to tell if varied COVID restrictions are affecting the ability to train and play together.

Romania finished 4th in the last tournament (2019) and 3rd in the two before that. They may have historically been one of the stronger tier 2s, but, much like Canada, it seems they're not matching the progress of others or even going backwards.

[sockwithaticket]

Not so sure Georgia's results are a massive surprise given what we saw in the Autumn. Their pack isn't what it's cracked up to be anymore and they offer very little out wide (that try vs Ireland the exception).

I hate that cliche being lazily deployed by pundits. Argentina also went through a period of having a shit scrum and for years people kept talking about their traditional strength there and expressing surprise in game that it wasn't faring well.

[Paddington Bear]

Not so sure Georgia's results are a massive surprise given what we saw in the Autumn. Their pack isn't what it's cracked up to be anymore and they offer very little out wide (that try vs Ireland the exception).

I hate that cliche being lazily deployed by pundits. Argentina also went through a period of having a shit scrum and for years people kept talking about their traditional strength there and expressing surprise in game that it wasn't faring well.

Yeah exactly. It started to grate by week 3 as we'd had two weeks by then in which they'd been comprehensively taken apart up front. Big lads with lots of passion, but nothing for a proper side to get worried about.

[tabascoboy]

Bit late posting these results from Saturday

Romania 22 - 16 Spain
Russia 6 - 23 Georgia

Spain had a brainfart with 3 yellow cards and 1 red, against 1 yellow card to Romania; having led 13 - 12 on the hour mark in the second half - for a 10 minute spell playing with only 12 on the pitch. That just makes it surprising that Romania couldn't put more points on the board and just one unconverted try to show for it despite a 15 v 12 man advantage for 5 mins and 14 v 12 for the other 5 mins.

[clydecloggie]

Bit late posting these results from Saturday

Romania 22 - 16 Spain
Russia 6 - 23 Georgia

Spain had a brainfart with 3 yellow cards and 1 red, against 1 yellow card to Romania; having led 13 - 12 on the hour mark in the second half - for a 10 minute spell playing with only 12 on the pitch. That just makes it surprising that Romania couldn't put more points on the board and just one unconverted try to show for it despite a 15 v 12 man advantage for 5 mins and 14 v 12 for the other 5 mins.

Could be a critical result in the hunt for the Europe 2 RWC spot. But still a fair distance to go on that one.

[clydecloggie]

The single-game play-off for the 6th spot in the REC will take place on 29 May, when Belgium will host the Netherlands.

[laurent]

Bit late posting these results from Saturday

Romania 22 - 16 Spain
Russia 6 - 23 Georgia

Spain had a brainfart with 3 yellow cards and 1 red, against 1 yellow card to Romania; having led 13 - 12 on the hour mark in the second half - for a 10 minute spell playing with only 12 on the pitch. That just makes it surprising that Romania couldn't put more points on the board and just one unconverted try to show for it despite a 15 v 12 man advantage for 5 mins and 14 v 12 for the other 5 mins.

Could be a critical result in the hunt for the Europe 2 RWC spot. But still a fair distance to go on that one.

Spain reverted to the Belgium "STOOPID" moment apparently. Romania are poor and not really able to improve AFAIK

[tabascoboy]

Weekend results and from bad to worse for Spain who now have 3 defeats from 3.

Georgia 28 - 17 Romania ( Georgia one man down for much of the game, another red card!)
Portugal 43 - 28 Spain

GEO 4 games 18 pts
ROM 4 - 9
POR 3 - 5
RUS 2 - 4
ESP 3 - 2
TBC BEL or NED

[clydecloggie]

Weekend results and from bad to worse for Spain who now have 3 defeats from 3.

Georgia 28 - 17 Romania ( Georgia one man down for much of the game, another red card!)
Portugal 43 - 28 Spain

GEO 4 games 18 pts
ROM 4 - 9
POR 3 - 5
RUS 2 - 4
ESP 3 - 2
TBC BEL or NED

Spain making an absolute mess of this, and will be nowhere near RWC qualification unless they sort themselves out sharpish. The race for the Europe 2 qualifying spot could become quite tasty. But Romania appear to have turned a corner and are posting consistent results again.

[tabascoboy]

Rather old news but I've not been paying attention...

Rugby Europe has confirmed the date for the Rugby Europe Championship play-off, which will be contested between Belgium and Netherlands.
The game will take place on 29 May at 2pm in Belgium (venue TBC) with a place at the top table of Rugby Europe’s XV competitions at stake.

Also

After the first successful round of matches that took place in March, a number of fixture details have been released for the up-coming games in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021.
These encounters will take place in during the summer months of June and July.

These fixtures double up as the Rugby World Cup European Qualifier that will take place in France during 2023. The top two positions will result in direct qualification to the tournament, while the third-place finisher will compete in the global repechage event.

Georgia vs Belgium or Netherlands : Saturday June 26th at 4.00pm (local time) venue TBC.
Spain vs Russia : Saturday July 3rd at 9.00pm (local time) in Alicante, Estadio El Pantano in Villajoyosa.
Russia vs Portugal : Saturday July 17th at 6.00pm (local time), Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

[clydecloggie]

The play-off between Belgium and The Netherlands will be on national television in both countries - paywall channel in NL but free-to-air in both language parts of Belgium.

Quite amazing at a time of year when a lot of other sport is going on.

[clydecloggie]

To add, this would also benefit Belgium.

And would lead to the spicy situation in which the players that led to Belgium and Spain effectively being banned from RWC2019 would once again be eligible to play for them.

[tabascoboy]

The play-off between Belgium and The Netherlands will be on national television in both countries - paywall channel in NL but free-to-air in both language parts of Belgium.

Quite amazing at a time of year when a lot of other sport is going on.

I don't know if any spectators will be allowed, but the venue is ASUB Rugby Field, Waterloo, Belgium; with KO at 14.00 local time.

[tabascoboy]

Half-time: Belgium 0 - 10 Netherlands.

Not watching as I have stuff to do, but livestream at https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions ... therlands/ ( have to register first )

[Sundance-Kid]

Final score:
Belgium 21 - Netherlands 23

[clydecloggie]

Final score:
Belgium 21 - Netherlands 23

Worth watching back - real see-saw battle with the lead changing hands again and again in the last quarter.

Brilliant result for the Dutch. Next assignment: Georgia away

[tabascoboy]

1st Belgium try



2nd Belgium try



2nd Netherlands try

[clydecloggie]

Also, if someone is interested in knowing the importance of this game - check the post-match interviews (which are still included in the match feed at rugbyeurope.tv from 2.04). A breath of fresh air in the age of sanitised media-trained professional blandness.

Dutch captain Mark Wokke answered the first question with "ah, we were fucking good".

The Belgian captain looked an spoke as if Armageddon had just happened, could barely string two words together.

The Dutch coach had to cry first before being able to answer a question.

Then the Belgian coach sounded more deflated than last year's party balloons as he said pretty much all the ills in the world should be blamed on him.

Definitely a match for the ages. A shame rugby doesn't really do inclusion and very few people will ever know about it.

[clydecloggie]

Netherlands line-up for the match against Georgia on Saturday.

11 graduates from the Rugby Academies (secondary-school programme) and 14 players who attended the National Training Centre (post-secondary school performance centre). Plus a few 'passport finds', including Ealing Trailfinders hooker Mike Mbaud.

Georgia will win at a canter but I have some hopes for the next few matches, at home to Portugal and Spain.

Good to see the Dutch are sticking to their guns and following through on the investments made in the rugby academies and NTC.

[tabascoboy]

The Georgia squad, not surprisingly is almost completely made up of pro or semi-pro players with 12 based in France. Not as much experience on the bench as with the starting XV but still a very strong squad. Only one uncapped player and 5 with 50+ caps.

Spectator restrictions may well apply, and the venue is just a small provincial stadium at Telavi

[clydecloggie]

The Georgia squad, not surprisingly is almost completely made up of pro or semi-pro players with 12 based in France. Not as much experience on the bench as with the starting XV but still a very strong squad. Only one uncapped player and 5 with 50+ caps.

Spectator restrictions may well apply, and the venue is just a small provincial stadium at Telavi

I assume it's the same squad that will go to South Africa?

The Dutch are in for a pasting, but I think they will know that and will not be too downhearted afterwards. It's all about the games against the other teams in the Championship.

[Sundance-Kid]

The Georgia squad, not surprisingly is almost completely made up of pro or semi-pro players with 12 based in France. Not as much experience on the bench as with the starting XV but still a very strong squad. Only one uncapped player and 5 with 50+ caps.

Spectator restrictions may well apply, and the venue is just a small provincial stadium at Telavi

I assume it's the same squad that will go to South Africa?

The Dutch are in for a pasting, but I think they will know that and will not be too downhearted afterwards. It's all about the games against the other teams in the Championship.

At half time Georgia are in front, 15-8

[tabascoboy]

Georgia starting to stretch the lead in the 2nd half, now 34 - 8. I haven't been watching but I heard the Dutch try was a good one

[Sundance-Kid]

The Georgia squad, not surprisingly is almost completely made up of pro or semi-pro players with 12 based in France. Not as much experience on the bench as with the starting XV but still a very strong squad. Only one uncapped player and 5 with 50+ caps.

Spectator restrictions may well apply, and the venue is just a small provincial stadium at Telavi

I assume it's the same squad that will go to South Africa?

The Dutch are in for a pasting, but I think they will know that and will not be too downhearted afterwards. It's all about the games against the other teams in the Championship.

At half time Georgia are in front, 15-8

Final score
Georgia 48 - The Netherlands 15

The Netherlands were competitive for large parts of the game, final score isn't a real reflection of the match. Last 20 minutes Georgia made the difference.

[clydecloggie]

I assume it's the same squad that will go to South Africa?

The Dutch are in for a pasting, but I think they will know that and will not be too downhearted afterwards. It's all about the games against the other teams in the Championship.

At half time Georgia are in front, 15-8

Final score
Georgia 48 - The Netherlands 15

The Netherlands were competitive for large parts of the game, final score isn't a real reflection of the match. Last 20 minutes Georgia made the difference.

Lots of encouraging signs for the Dutch. Ran out of gas after about 55 minutes, need to learn how to deal with exceptional individual talent and be wise to the speed of play at Championship level. But they showed their confidence and ability to learn from previous games.

[tabascoboy]

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.

[clydecloggie]

Interesting new development:



Two conferences, an Eastern with 2 Russian, 1 georgian and 1 Israelian (!) team (nothing from Romania, surprisingly) and a Western with one each from Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands. Round robin format with a final between the two Conference winners, presumably.

A pathway towards (semi-)pro rugby for the Portuguese, Dutch and Belgian players in particular.

And no, I have no idea where that Israel thing comes from all of a sudden.

[Paddington Bear]

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