Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition: what's going on?

[Croket66]

Now official

Italian representatives, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo and Cammi Rugby Calvisano, along with Bucharest Wolves and Tbilisi Caucasians, will compete in Qualification Play-offs over two legs on 20 and 27 September with the two successful clubs securing spots in Pool 1 and Pool 3 respectively of the Challenge Cup.

The winners of the play-off between Rovigo and Tbilisi Caucasians will take the 19th spot in the new tournament and qualify for Pool 1 where they will join the 2010 Challenge Cup champions, Cardiff Blues, as well as London Irish and Grenoble.

The winners of the play-off between Calvisano and Bucharest Wolves will take the 20th place and compete in Pool 3 along with Stade Francais Paris, Newport Gwent Dragons and Newcastle Falcons.

European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualification Play-offs

Saturday, 20 September
Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo v Tbilisi Caucasians, Stadio Mario Battaglini; Bucharest Wolves v Cammi Rugby Calvisano, Stadium Arcul de Triumf.

Saturday, 27 September
Tbilisi Caucasians v Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo, venue TBC; Cammi Rugby Calvisano v Bucharest Wolves, Peroni Stadium.

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo or Tbilisi Caucasians

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3: Stade Francais Paris, Newport Gwent Dragons, Newcastle Falcons, Cammi Rugby Calvisano or Bucharest Wolves

http://www.epcrugby.com/eng/news/28916.php

 

[MauriSca7]

The third european cup (who was planned with italian,spanish,russian,portuguese,romanian and georgian team and maybe also with belgian and german teams) was cancelled because lack of money.
Rugby Europe said to don't want to fund the competition directly because there aren't teams from main unions involved and wanted to find money elsewhere,so now there will be the qualification play-off for Challenge Cup among italian,romanian and georgian teams.
World Rugby (or Irb ) said that with the rebrand they would have changed also the way to manage rugby but looking at what Europe Rugby (or FIRA-AER) did to the "3rd European Cup" they remained in the same old "you're not important enough" attitude

 

[Croket66]

Rovigo - Tbilisi Caucasians teams for the first leg

Rovigo
1. Guillermo Roan
2. Luke Mahoney (cap)
3. Gheorge Gajion
4. Matteo Maran
5. Jean-François Montauriol
6. Emiliano Caffini
7. Andrea De Marchi
8. Matteo Ferro
9. Marco Frati
10. Luciano Rodriguez
11. Steven Bortolussi
12. Francesco Menon
13. Denis Majstorovic
14. Billy Ngawani
15. Stefan Basson

replacements : Enrico Ceccato, Nicola Quaglio, Massiliano Ravalle, Giuseppe Boggiani, Guiglielmo Zanini,
Giorgio Bronzini, Davide Farolini, Peter Pavanello.

Tbilissi Caucasians (26-men squad)
1. Bachana Gogishvili (Khochebi) - prop
2. Georgi Sanikidze ( Lelo Saracens) - prop
3. Badri Alkhazashvili (Lelo Saracens) - hooker
4. Irakli Chomakhashvili(Armazi) - hooker/prop
5. David Gurgenadze (Armia) - prop
6. Omar Baliashvili (Lokomotivi) - prop
7. Sandro Koiava (Lelo Saracens) - lock
8. Beka Bitadze (Lokomotivi) - lock/n8
9. Mikheil Archuashvili (Khochebi) - lock
10. Elguja Surguladze (Lelo Saracens) - flanker
11. Georgi Tkhilaishvili (Batumi) - flanker/n8
12. Bachana Kolelishvili (Lelo Saracens) - flanker
13. Georgi Mchedlishvili (Jiki) - flanker/n8
14. Zviad Maisuradze (Lelo Saracens) - n8
15. Georgi Kacharava (Lelo Saracens) - scrumhalf
16. Georgi Begadze (Khochebi) - scrumhalf
17. Lasha Khmaladze (Lelo Saracens) - flyhalf/centre
18. Georgi Talakhadze (Lelo Saracens) - centre
19. Sandro Todua (Lelo Saracens) -winger/fullback/centre
20. Georgi Shkinini (Lokomotivi) - winger/fullback
21. Irakli Khiasashvili (Lelo Saracens) - fullback
22. Beka Tiklauri (Lokomotivi) - fullback/winger
23. Georgi Aptsiauri (AIA) - fullback/flyhalf
24. Irakli Chkhikvadze Armia) - centre/winger
25. Tornike Tsertsvadze (Lelo Saracens) - centre
26. Temur Sokhadze (Khochebi) - flyhalf/fullback

 

[MauriSca7]

Where did you find Rovigo's squad ? Rovigo didn't say who they'll use yet

 

[Croket66]

Where did you find Rovigo's squad ? Rovigo didn't say who they'll use yet

http://www.rugbyrovigodelta.it/area...ione-rossoblu-che-affrontera-i-georgiani.html

 

[MauriSca7]

Oh ok,I rarely visit clubs' sites,I look mainly on italian rugby media,but in last periods they look behind everything

 

[Croket66]

Tbilisi Caucasians XV :
1. Bachana Gogishvili (Khochebi)
2. Badri Alkhazashvili (Lelo Saracens)
3. Davit Gurgenadze (Armia)
4. Beka Bitadze (Lokomotivi)
5. Mikheil Archuashvili (Kochebi)
6. Georgi Tkhilaishvili (Batumi)
7. Elguja Surguladze (Lelo Saracens)
8. Zviad Maisuradze (Lelo Saracens)
9. Georgi Kacharava (Lelo saracens) Cap.
10. Lasha Khmaladze (Lelo Saracens)
11. Georgi Shkinini (Lokomotivi)
12. Georgi Talakhadze (Lelo Saracens)
13. Sandro Todua (Lelo Saracens)
14. Beka Tiklauri (Lokomotivi)
15. Irakli Khiasashvili (Lelo Saracens)

Replacements: 16. Irakli Chomakhashvili (Armazi), 17. Sandro Koiava (Lelo Saracens), 18. Georgi Sanikidze (Lelo Saracens), 19. Georgi Mchedlishvili (Jiki), 20. Bachana Kolelishvili (Lelo Saracens),
21. Georgi Begadze (Kochebi), 22. Temur Sokhadze (Kochebi), 23. Tornike Tsertsvadze (Lelo Saracens).

 

[Croket66]

BUCHAREST WOLVES
1. Constantin Pristavita (CSM Baia Mare)
2. Otar Turashvili (RCJ Farul Constanta)
3. Vald Badalicescu (RCJ Farul Constanta)
4. Cornel Tatu (Steaua Bucuresti)
5. Johan van Heerden (CSM Baia Mare)
6. Viorel Lucaci (Steaua Bucuresti)
7. Sean Morrell (CSM Baia Mare)
8. Cosmin Ratiu (CSM Bucuresti)
9. Grigoras Diaconescu (Steaua Bucuresti)
10. Florin Vlaicu (RCJ Farul Constanta)
11. Ionut Botezatu (CSM Baia Mare)
12. Csaba Gal (CSM Baia Mare)
13. Catalin Dascalu (Steaua Bucuresti)
14. Florin Ionita (Steaua Bucuresti)
15. Luke Samoa (CSM Baia Mare)
replacements : 16. Alexandru Oancea (CSM Baia Mare) 17. Mihai Dico (CSM Baia Mare) 18. Paul Rusu (CSM Baia Mare) 19. Petre Neacsu (RCJ Farul Constanta) 20. Constantin Ene (CSM Baia Mare)
21. Florin Surugiu (CSM Bucuresti) 22. Filip Lazar (Steaua Bucuresti) 23. Robert Neagu (RCJ Farul Constanta)


CAMMI RUGBY CALVISANO
1. Luca Scarsini
2. Luigi Ferraro
3. Salvatore Costanzo
4. Agustin Cavalieri
5. Luca Beccaris
6. Seko Kalou
7. Maxime Mata Esuite Mbanda
8. Braam Steyn
9. Marcelo Violi
10. Ben Seymour
11. Alberto Bergamo
12. Tommaso Castello (cap)
13. Alex Rokobaro
14. Gabriele Di Giulio
15. Benjamin De Jager
replacements : 16.Gabriele Morelli, 17.Sami Panico, 18.Elia Violi, 19.Stefano Scanferla, 20.Jacopo Salvetti, 21.Rodolfo Ambrosio, 22.Alberto Chiesa, 23.Pablo Canavosio

 

[Croket66]

results of the first leg :
Rovigo 22-18 Tbilisi Caucasians
Bucharest Wolves 18-13 Calvisano

 

[Noodle]

results of the first leg :
Rovigo 22-18 Tbilisi Caucasians
Bucharest Wolves 18-13 Calvisano

2 close games. Maybe we will get one side in, maybe both.

The Georgian team has a funny name.

 

[Croket66]

Rugby Rovigo - Tbilisi Caucasians highlights

 

[Thingimubob]

Ah kinda sucks that Rovigo won... Seemed like Tbilisi were the better team, but silly defensive mistakes cost them the match really. Would've won had they not missed all those kicks too! Hopefully the Georgians can pull back that 4 point deficit on Friday anyway, would love to see a Georgian team coming to Cardiff.
.

 

[Croket66]

Results :

Tbilisi Caucasians 21-24 Rovigo (first leg : Rovigo won 22-18)
Calvisano 13-10 Bucharest Wolves (first leg : Bucharest won 18-13)

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3: Stade Francais Paris, Newport Gwent Dragons, Newcastle Falcons, Bucharest Wolves

 

[Bluemoon]

Results :

Tbilisi Caucasians 21-24 Rovigo (first leg : Rovigo won 22-18)
Calvisano 13-10 Bucharest Wolves (first leg : Bucharest won 18-13)

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo

European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3: Stade Francais Paris, Newport Gwent Dragons, Newcastle Falcons, Bucharest Wolves

Would have really enjoyed having a Gerogian or Romanian team in the competition and it's a shame their participation couldn't be maximised using this new format. Also, it may have also been a really novel away trip!

Rovigo certainly have a rugby history though. Carwyn James was an ex-coach!

 

[Croket66]

Would have really enjoyed having a Gerogian or Romanian team in the competition and it's a shame their participation couldn't be maximised using this new format. Also, it may have also been a really novel away trip!

Rovigo certainly have a rugby history though. Carwyn James was an ex-coach!

Yeah, a shame for the Caucasians. The crowd was big today

But Caucasians made so many mistakes! 3 knock-ons just before Rovigo's tryline and they lost 4 proper line-outs at 5m of Rovigo's line. The forwards pack, especially the front row was poor considering 31 georgian props are playing in Top14/ProD2/French Academies and 20 in Federale1 (french 3d division). As for centres Aptsiauri-Todua, Aptsiauri is usually a fullback, Todua a winger. Georgia lack of good centres and young Talakhadze was injured during the first leg.

georgian player made a knock-on by linking arms just before scoring

Congratulations to Rovigo and good luck!

 

[dragos03]

This is a bit surprising, I hoped the Georgian team would qualify and didn't expect Rovigo to be able to win in Tbilisi.

This is the last season when select sides like the Caucasians and the Wolves are allowed to play in European competitions, it will be clubs only from next year. Do you think the Georgian champion club can do better?

 

[Croket66]

This is a bit surprising, I hoped the Georgian team would qualify and didn't expect Rovigo to be able to win in Tbilisi.

This is the last season when select sides like the Caucasians and the Wolves are allowed to play in European competitions, it will be clubs only from next year. Do you think the Georgian champion club can do better?

I don't think so... 13 players from Lelo Saracens (current champions) played the first leg, 11 played the second leg. Caucasians's coach is also the coach of Lelo Saracens. But georgian clubs haven't some foreign players to strengthen the team and only 7 players from the georgian championship are current internationals (Bitsadze, Tkhilaishvili, Begadze, Khmaladze, Shkinin, Todua, Tsiklauri), only 2 (Begadze and Khmaladze) are regular starter.

I think the level of the romanian Super Liga is quite superior, considering 70% of the national team plays in this league and each team has an average of 10 foreign players, including former ITM Cup and Currie Cup players and players capped by Fiji, Samoa, Namibia, Tonga and even a former all black