2017 Rugby Europe Championship

[dragos03]

As I've feared, Romania will not have the best squad for the Georgia match. Only three additional players will join the team: A. Ursache, Turashvili and Vlad Nistor, while other key ones won't be available (M. Lazar, V. Ursache, etc).

I guess the staff wants to focus on RWC qualification next year.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

As I've feared, Romania will not have the best squad for the Georgia match. Only three additional players will join the team: A. Ursache, Turashvili and Vlad Nistor, while other key ones won't be available (M. Lazar, V. Ursache, etc).

I guess the staff wants to focus on RWC qualification next year.

The unavailable players are not from the Superliga I take it? If so it is a shame, but understandable. If they put out a totally experimental side I'll be baffled. This is the usual once in a year opportunity to test yourselves against higher ranked team and try and pick up ranking points (setting aside the scheduled visit to Japan).

 

[dragos03]

They were not released by the French clubs, there are important Superliga players missing due to injury as well (Burcea, Kinikinilau, Fonovai etc). The squad is understrength but it's not experimental, like the one we sent last year to Tbilisi.

I don't expect a good match, Rom vs Geo are usually close physical battles decided by kickers. The Georgian kicker, very unreliable in other matches, has always been flawless against us Given our current form, I don't think Howells will risk a backline-oriented gameplan.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Romanian Triumph pitch looks quite small and narrow to me. I think that will play to the Georgian strengths up front. I remember reading that upgrades will be made to the stadium. Will they look at widening it to favour the new planned Romanian play style or would that not be an option?

And is there no word on Howells retiring? He said it would be this year.

 

[amz]

The Romanian Triumph pitch looks quite small and narrow to me. I think that will play to the Georgian strengths up front. I remember reading that upgrades will be made to the stadium. Will they look at widening it to favour the new planned Romanian play style or would that not be an option?

And is there no word on Howells retiring? He said it would be this year.

Possible the pitch will be slightly bigger. No news about Howells. He signed in October 2015 for two years so probably we'll know more after June tests. He anyway mentioned back than when signed that he'll stay as a counsel after 2017.

 

[dragos03]

The Arcul de Triumf pitch is narrow but of a a very good quality. Its size favours forward play but it didn't prevent the Oaks from playing fast effective rugby in November. If we decide to fight a battle of the forwards, it will only be because of our lack of form and confidence.

I personally see no reason not to give the ball to our backs. We have nothing to lose since the match doesn't count for qualification. Worst case scenario would be to make a lot of mistakes and lose badly but it's not like we're the favourites to win anyway.

Apparently the tickets are selling very well, despite being quite expensive by Romanian standards.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Tries from the last round of games. Disappointedly not including the Belgian tap and go from well inside their own 22.

https://youtu.be/s9oCz9ZlUYk

 

[Osezno]

Rugby Europe clips have been pretty disappointing so far. But it's better than nothing.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Final weekend upcoming and literally everything to play for in terms of the championship, RWC contention and relegation. Times below confirmed.

Spain vs Belgium
18/03/2017 - 15:00 GMT

Spain should be the big favourites here at home and with a victory key to maintaining their hold on a minimum of a repechage spot for the RWC. But Belgium have impressed and shown real ability to compete against Germany, Russia and Romania. Hopefully fights will be kept to a minimum, with Belgium letting themselves down in that regard in the last two fixtures. If Belgium do pull out a victory here, they stand a change of avoiding the relegation playoff (probably against a recovering Portugal?) if Russia have a bad weekend.


Russia vs Germany
19/03/2017 - 11:00 GMT

Russia simply must win this to stand any realistic chance of keeping their RWC hopes alive next year. Germany need to win to keep any hopes of automatic qualification alive. If Russia play like they did against Georgia last week, then this should be entirely winnable for them. If they play like they did against Romania or Belgium then Germany may have a chance.


Romania vs Georgia
19/03/2017 - 13:00 GMT

The big one! Winner takes all here. Whilst Georgia must be considered favourites, if Romania can find the form of November then they really should be able to mount a challenge, even if Georgia come with a strong lineup. Team selections for this will be very interesting. Will Georgia stick with the younger backs we have seen in recent weeks or opt for more experience?

 

[Toko_11]

I expect us to struggle a lot, I think Romania might be favorites if we don't actually show up with last years form. Our young props are nowhere near the standard of the older ones, beating Belgian/German scrums doesn't mean much. We need to play more experienced lineup against Romania with youngsters on the bench. Also if Lasha Khmaladze is starting at 10 it's going to be a long ugly game for us. We should play a prop at #10 for all I care but not khmaladze. He ruined every ball he touched vs Russia.

 

[amz]

If Romania would have retained the form from autumn I would have thought we're favorite too but it's confusing to see the difference, especially from the stands (LE: meaning that you notice more than you usually notice watching TV, at least for me). It seems that Super Liga pause is an issue bigger than we expected and players have trouble getting back in shape. About Khmaladze , we feel the same about our Calafeteanu...his form is horrible.

 

[dragos03]

No worries Toko, the absence of Lazar will cripple our scrum and we'll also use young props like Pristavita and Gordas. We've been awful in every match so far this year, the fact that Romania and Georgia are both underperforming but still play for the final of the REC says a lot about this competition.

 

[dragos03]

Here is the Romanian team against Georgia. Andrei Ursache is missing as well, so we'll play without our two best props. The absence of Cobden is also surpising, I wonder if he's injured.

The choice of the player in the picture is interesting. Otar Turashvili is a Georgian who initially asked never to play against his home country. He later changed his mind, probably because the Georgians don't actually consider him a traitor. Tura has a Romanian wife and they decided to name their son Antim, for simbolic reasons. Antim of Ivria was a Romanian bishop of Georgian origin who reformed the Wallachian church and published a number of books during the Middle Ages. He is considered a saint by the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Antim Cup awarded in the rugby matches between Romanian and Georgia is named after him.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Nice cultural background Dragos. Cobden did well, but it was against Belgium. Howells is going with his tried and tested wing options. Dumitru missed out due to injury last time I think and he often catches my eye so I am happy to see him reinstated. I'm less convinced by Shennan generally, but he is solid enough. Good to see Surigui at 9. Look out for a box kick from him to Dumitru for a score.

 

[dragos03]

I'm ready.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Enjoy, and good luck! Hopefully playing conditions are better than in the 6N yesterday as I could do with watching an entertaining match after that.

Spain defeated Belgium 30-0 (with three clear tries). So Belgium are confirmed for the relegation playoff against Portugal and Russia are safe.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Very entertaining start to Russia vs Germany. 7-7 after 20 mins. A fair amount of line breaks and backline play (very ordinary lineouts!). Impossible to call a victor.

 

[Welshdragon2000]

Unfortunately Russia have run away with it now though. I was hoping for a Germany win

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A cracking match though, but probably fatal for Germany as they need to play away in Spain and Romania next year and win at least one of those to stand any chance of RWC repechage. Russia so improved in the past two matches despite apparently making huge changes to their lineup in both games. Baffling.

- - - Updated - - -

Romania vs Georgia

https://www.rugbytv.ro/vezi/live

Full blooded test match so far! Romania up 5-0 and just won a scrum (which bodes well for them for the rest of the match).

 

[Toko_11]

Did I call this **** or what? Bekoshvili is weak and his replacement is weaker. GJ on prop selection Milton, that's what you get when you don't call your best guys vs Romanian scrum. And wtf the new Scrum coach is doing I don't even know, he seems to have neutralised all our advantages in record 6 months time. /Rant over