Victories divide 6N B
The European Nations Cup runs over two seasons and is still in the embryo stage but already there seems to be a serious divide between the three Eastern powers and their Western opponents.
The best of the West was Portugal who gave the improving Russians a good go. The Spaniards are disappointed as they felt they could beat Romania for a change and the Germans went down six tries to one against the Georgian professionals
The top two countries go directly to New Zealand and the next two have a chance of getting there via répechage.
Of the six nations taking part, Russia and Germany are the only ones have not been to the World Cup and already Germany have a relegation look about them.
Spain have played three matches, Russia and Germany two each and the rest one each.
The log so far:
For FIRA-AER matches there are three points for a win, two for a draw and one for appearing. Spain beat Germany last year but have now lost to Russia and Romania. They played Russia away, Germany and Romania at home.
1 Russia 6
2 Spain 5
3 Georgia 3
4 Romania 3
5 Germany 2
6 Portugal 1
Results of 7 February
Georgia vs Germany, 38-5
Romania vs Spain, 19-10
Russia vs Portugal, 18-14
Russia vs Portugal, 18-14
At one stage the heavy Russians, in bright blue jerseys and bright blue shorts, looked as if they would overwhelm the Portuguese but then the quicker Portuguese came bat strongly and were just a point behind with 25 minutes to play but the Russians kept the Lobos at bay.
Early the Russians attacked strongly down the right and then spun the ball to the far left where it took the combined strengths of David Mateus and João Uva to force big No.8 Victor Gresev into touch.
The Portuguese cleared badly from the subsequent five-metre line-out, which gave the Russians a five-metre line-out from which they bashed going right till burly hooker Vladislav Korshunov, the captain, burst over near the posts. Veteran Victor Motorin converted.
The second try was a beauty as Mikhail Babaev broke clean through near the half-way line. He drew Pedro Leal and gave Andrey Kuzin an easy 20-metre run to the line. .
Russia came close to scoring again when they went right. Left wing Alexander Gvozdovsky took an inside pass from, Sergey Trishin and cut clean through. The Portuguese defence held out but conceded a penalty which Motorin goaled. 15-0 after 28 minutes.
Russia did not score again till more than 40 minutes had passed.
They came close just before half-time. They bashed with every man trying to score. Eventually they had a five-metre scrum and bashed again but the Lobos held firm and the half-time whistle went.
Portugal scored first in the second half. They were attacking on the left and then went right. Suddenly left wing Gonçalo Foro rook and inside pass from Diogo Mateus and cut clean through and raced untouched to the posts. Leal converted.
Portugal ran again and then down the left experienced José Pinto slid a grubber kick ahead. The bounce was kind for Diogo Mateus who drew Igor Kluchnikov to send Pedro Silva in for a try far out. Leal converted and the score was 15-14 after 55 minutes.
The Russians then used their bulk, picking and driving till in front of the Portuguese posts big prop Ruben Spachuk was penalised for not rolling away. Motorin's kick made it 18-14 with 11 minutes to play.
The defeat is a severe blow to Portuguese hopes of getting to a second World Cup.
Scorers:
For Russia:
Tries: Korshunov, Kuzin
Con: Motorin
Pens: Motorin 2
For Portugal:
Tries: Foro, Silva
Cons: Leal 2
Teams:
Russia: 15 Igor Kluchnikov, 14 Andrey Kuzin, 13 Mikhail Babaev, 12 Sergey Trishin, 11 Alexander Gvozdovsky, 10 Yuri Kushnarev, 9 Victor Motorin, 8 Victor Gresev, 7 Evgeny Matveev, 6 Andrey Ostrikov, 5 Kirill Kulemin, 4 Alexander Voitov, 3 Evgeny Pronenko, 2 Vladislav Korshunov (captain), 1 Alexander Khrokin
Replacements: 16 Vladimir Botvinnikov, 17 Andrey Garbuzov, 18 Alexey Travkin, 19 Artem Fatakhov, 20 Alexander Yanushkin, 21 Dmitry Gerasimov -), 22 Vasily Artemyev
Portugal: 15 Pedro Leal, 14 David Mateus, 13 Pedro Silva, 12 Diogo Mateus, 11 Gonçalo Foro, 10 Duarte Pinto, 9 José Pinto, 8 Eduardo Acosta, 7 João Uva, 6 Vasco Uva, 5 Gonçalo Uva, 4 David Penalva, 3 Ruben Spachuk, 2 João Correia (captain), 1 Jorge Segurado
Replacements: 16 Juan Murre, 17 João Junior, 18 Juan Severino, 19 Tiago Girão, 20 Salvador Palha, 21 Pedro Cabral, 22 Francisco Mira
Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Touch judges: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Mark Hermin (Ireland)
Romania vs Spain, 19-10
After an early shock, Spain got more and more into the game but eventually they succumbed to the greater physical power of the Oaks. The defat is a massive blow to Spanish hopes for they went into the match with high expectations.
It was freezing cold in Madrid and the crowd of 9 000 had barely sat down when they felt the cold even more as veteran scrumhalf Petre Mitu dashed through a gap in the Spanish defence to score a try. 5-0.
Mitu scored again after 15 minutes when he goaled a penalty but then the Leones struck back as scrumhalf Pablo Feijóo livened up proceedings for the home side, changing the direction of play time and again. First Juan Cano was close and then the referee played advantage at three successive phases till Sergio Souto burst over. The new Spanish flyhalf, Argentinian Jeremías Palumbo, converted. 8-7 after 17 minutes.
Four minutes later Palumbo put his side ahead with a penalty after the Romanian fullback Florin Vlaicu was penalised and sin-binned for a high, dangerous tackle in Feijóo. 10-8 to Spain but just before half-time Mitu goaled a penalty to make the score 11-10 at the break.
The Oaks' forwards dominated the second half, despite the heroic deeds of new cap Romain Roques, and starved the Leones of possession, but the Spanish "no passeron" spirit was there and it was not until the 73rd minute that Romania got a try, credited to replacement Valentin Poparlan, when the Oaks mauled a line-out and shoved Spain aside. Before that Palumbo missed and easy penalty kick and Mitu goaled one.
Scorers:
For Romania:
Tries: Mitu,
Pens: Mitu 3
For Spain:
Try: Souto
Con: Palumbo
Pen: Palumbo
Teams:
Spain: 15 César Sempere, 14 Juan Cano, 13 David Mota, 12 Javier Canosa, 11 Ignacio Martín, 10 Jeremías Palumbo, 9 Pablo Feijóo, 8 César Bernasconi, 7 Julián Tourtoulou, 6 David Hernandez, 5 Sergio Souto, 4 Romaín Roques, 3 Javier Salazar, 2 José Maria Bohorquez, 1 Ion Insausti.
Replacements: 16 Diego Zarzosa, 17 Sebastián Hattori, 18 Leandro F-Aramburu, 19 Damien Elgoyhen, 20 Igor Mirones, 21 Juan González, 22 Jaime Nava
Romania: 15 Florin Vlaicu, 14 Catalin Fercu, 13 Adrian Barbuliceanu, 12 Catalin Dascalu, 11 Madalin Lemnaru, 10 Ionut Dimofte, 9 Petre Mitu, 8 Daniel Carpo, 7 Stelian Burcea (captain), 6 Florin Corodeanu, 5 Alin Coste, 4 Laurent Giucal, 3 Paulica Ion, 2 Florin Tasca, 1 Nicolae Nere
Replacements: 16 Catalin Beca, 17 Silviu Florea, 18 Valentin Poparlan, 19 Daniel Ianus, 20 Valentin Calafeteanu, 21 Dorin Manole, 22 Stefan Ciuntu
Referee: Mauro Dordolo (Italy)
Touch judges: Alessandro Cason (Italy), Stefano Rebuschi (Italy)
Georgia vs Germany, 38-6
For six minutes Germany led. Right wing Benjamin Brierley opened the scoring with a try. But that was the last of German scoring. In 20 minutes flank Giorgi Chkhaidze levelled the score with a try and then on 31 minutes the Lelos went ahead. this time prop Davit Zirakashvili scored to make the score 10-5 at the break.
In the second half, after Germany had come close to levelling the score, Georgian tries were scored by right wing Irakli Machkhaneli, centre Irakli Giorgadze, who got the fourth and the sixth, and outside centre David Kacharava. The forwards scored in the first half, the backs in the second by which time the Germans were subdued.
Scorers:
For Georgia:
Tries: Chkhikvadze, Zirakashvili, Machkhaneli, Gorgodze 2, Kacharava,
Con: Kvirikashvili 4
For Germany:
Try: Brierley
Teams:
Germany: 15 Thorsten Wiedemann, 14 Ben Brierley, 13 Benjamin Simm, 12 Edmorre Takaendesa, 11 Clemens von Grumbkow, 10 Kieron Davies, 9 Mustafa Güngör, 8 Michael Poppmeier, 7 Alexander Hug, 6 Tim Kasten, 5 Jens Schmidt, 4 Bodo Sieber, 3 Pierre Faber, 2 Tim Coly, 1 Alexander Widiker.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Krause, 17 Damien Tussac, 18 Manuel Wilhelm, 19 Kehoma Brenner, 20 Rolf Wacha, 21 Lars Eckert, 22 James Reid
Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirikashvili, 14 Irakli Machkhaneli, 13 Davit Katcharava, 12 Irakli Giorgadze, 11 Irakli Chkhikvadze, 10 Lasha Malaghuradze, 9 Irakli Abuseridze (captain), 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Rati Urushadze, 6 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 5 Kakhaber Uchava, 4 Ilia Zedginidze, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Irakli Natriashvili, 1 Goderdzi Shvelidze.
Replacements: 16 Akvsent Giorgadze, 17 Davit Khinchagishvili, 18 Dimitri Basil, 19 Gia Labadze, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Tedore Zibzibadze, 22 Otar Barkal
Referee: Graham Knox (Scotland)
Touch judges: David Jack (Scotland), Graeme Marsh(Scotland)