A teams victorious
On Friday three A teams were in action and all three won - Ireland A, Italy A and Georgia A. These three victories indicate the widening gulf there is between haves and havenots in rugby.
Italy A beat Romania 33-6, Georgia A beat Ukraine 26-10 and Ireland A beat Tonga 48-19. Romania and Tonga are teams that have been to the World Cup in tournaments past. At one stage Romania were a more powerful side than Italy - the full Italy, not just their second team.
Italy A vs Romania 33-6 at Stadio Walter Beltrametti in Piacenza.
Romania actually scored first through a penalty by Vlaicu but a try by Buso and two penalties by Bocchino gave Italy an 11-6 lead at half-time.
The second half belonged to Italy's, thanks to great perfomances by the loose trio and lock Valerio Bernabò.
Scorers:
For Italy A:
Tries: Buso, Derbyshire, Sepe, Quartaroli
Cons: Bocchino 2
Pens: Bocchino 3
For Romania:
Pens: Vlaicu 2
Teams:
Italy A: 15 Buso, 14 Benvenuti, 13 Roberto Quartaroli, Andrea Pratichetti, Michele Sepe, Riccardo Bocchino, Fabio Semenzato, 8 Manoa Vosawai, 7 Paul Derbyshire, 6 Francesco Minto, 5 Valerio Bernabò, 4 Antonio Pavanello, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Michele Rizzo
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D’Apice, 17 Massimiliano Ravalle, 18 Plinio Sciamanna, 19 Manyvydas Tveraga, 20 Tommaso Reato, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Enrico Patrizio
Romania: 15 Florin Vlaicu, 14 George Catuna, 13 Robert Dascalu, 12 Dan Dumitru, 11 Ionut Botezatu, 10 Iulian Dumitras, 9 Lucian Sirbu , 8 Ovidiu Tonita, 7 Mihai Macovei, 6 Stelian Burcea, 5 Cristian Petre, 4 Valentin Ursache, 3 Paulica Ion, 2 Marius Tincu, Petrisor Toderasc
Replacements: 16 Dragos Dima, 17 Andrei Radoi, 18 Augustin Petrichei, 19 Sergiu Ursache, 20 Valentin Calafeteanu, 21 Catalin Fercu, 22 Csaba Gal
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Ireland A vs Tonga, 48-19 at Ravenhill in Belfast
It was wet at Ravenhill but that did not stop Ireland A from scoring seven tries, the first - by prop Brett Wilkinson - after just three minutes. The Irish pack was the stronger but at halft-ime they led only 21-14.
Tongan prop Toma Toke was stretchered off with an injury, replaced by Po'alo'i Taula. Early in the second half their tighthead prop Mosese Moala was yellow carded.
Scorers:
For Ireland A:
Tries: Wilkinson, Cave 2, Trimble, Darren Cave 2, Best, Duffy, Keatley
Cons: Humphreys, Keatley
Pens: Humphreys 3
For Tonga:
Tries: Lilo, Hufanga, Hafu
Cons: Morath 2
Teams:
Ireland A: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Shane Horgan (capt), 13 Darren Cave, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Sean O'Brien, 7 Neil Best, 6 Chris Henry, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Denis Fogarty, 1 Mike Ross.
Replacements: 16 Andy Kyriacou, 17 Bryan Young, 18 Dan Tuohy, 19 Kevin McLaughlin, 20 Isaac Boss, 21 Ian Keatley, 22 Johne Murphy
Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Filimone Lilo, 14 Latu Nagashima Alipate Fatafehi, 13 Sukanaivalu Hufanga, 12 Joseph Vaka, 11 Poakikaifano Vakaloa, 10 Kurt Morath, 9 Kilifi Fangupo, 8 Samiu Vahafolau, 7 Uelenitoni Fono, 6 Seti Filo, 5 Emosi Kauhenga, 4 Kelekolio Paino Hehea (capt), 3 Mosese Moala, 2 Semisi Telefoni, 1 Toma Toke
Replacements: 16 Willam Mosaati Hafu, 17 Po'alo'i Taula, 18 Penisimani Fakalelu, 19 Lisiate Faaoso, 20 Rodney Mahe, 21 Mahe Fangupo, 22 Pierre Hola, 23 Manu Ahota'e'iloa.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Colin Stanley (Ireland), Jonathan Peak (Ireland)
Georgia A vs Ukriane, 20-16 at National Stadium in Tblissi
This match was a part of the 50th Ainniversary celebrations of the Georgian Rugby Unionm.
Georgia scored a try on the stroke of half-time to lead 16-3 at the break.
More if we can get it.
Teams:
Ukraine squad: Sergei Garkavy, Nikolai Kirsanov, Vadim Kolyshkin, Oleg Kosarev, Vyacheslav Kraslynyk, Maksym Kravchenko, Oleksandr Lomakin, Oleg Lytvynenko, Jaba Malaguradze, Andrei Melnikov, Dmytro Mukhin, Vadym Mysyk, Oleksandr Myshynev, Igor Snisarenko, Serhiy Sukhykh, Oleksandr Tsapenko, Serhiy Tserkovny, Maksym Tyurikov, Oleg Vasyuchenko, Sergei Yanchiy, Nazar Zozulya, Alexander Zyablov
Georgia: We shall publish it if we can get it.
Referee: Gia Amirkhanashvili (Georgia)