This year’s Rugby European Championship has been one of the most interesting and closest in recent times. This series also was part of the 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifying process.
The outcome of the Rugby Europe Cup came down to the final game between Romania and Georgia with a ‘winner take all’ situation. Romania surprised everyone with a well-deserved 8-7 victory in front of 5,500 home crowd.
It was the Oaks’ first win for seven years and also regained the Antim Cup for games between the two nations. Both teams had 19 points on the table but the winner goes to whichever team wins the head-to-head.
Georgia had a better for and against and this confused officials who presented the Cup to Georgia at the ground but later that evening, Georgia handed over the Cup to Romania.
Oscars much?
Georgia, despite this loss, goes from strength to strength and rugby has replaced football as the national game.
It attracts huge crowds when internationals are played in the capital, Tbilisi. Whether the Lelos could beat, say Italy, remains to be seen as these two sides have been kept well apart.
The last international between the two was in 2003, won by Italy. Clashes after this date have been “A” or “Emerging” sides with the honours shared.
Overall, both Georgia and Romania are streets ahead of the other four nations in terms of playing standard and infrastructure.
Portugal was relegated last year and replaced by Belgium which has been in the top division before but is the revolving door of the competition. All games were lost but not by big margins, 6-31 to Georgia, 18-25 to Russia, 29-34 to Germany and 17-33 to Romania but suffered a bad final round loss 0-30 to Spain.
Germany, usually, the other part of the “revolving door” had maintained its spot at Portugal’s expense, was an eye-opener. The team attracted home crowds of 8,000 and in the opening match beat Romania, 41-38, with each side scoring five tries. This was the first time that a united German team had beaten Romania since 1938.
How Romania must rue this loss. A second round 50-6 drubbing at the hands of Georgia soon brought them back to earth.
The home game against Spain was crucial for Rugby World Cup qualifications, Spain had a comfortable, 32-15 win, scoring four tries to two. Georgia is already in the finals to be held in Japan and looks likely to be joined by Romania with Spain to contest the repecharges.
The great enigma is Russia. It has so much potential but can’t produce the goods at the right time. Playing the home games in Sochi, near the Georgian border is nowhere near its rugby heartland and must be one of the reasons.
Russia lost to Spain, 16-6, in the opening round , then beat Belgium but then lost 30-10 to Romania. In front of 55,000 people in Tbilisi, Russia gave its best performance of the season before going down to Georgia, four ties to two, in a 28-14 scoreline.
In the final round, against Germany, Russia gave another good display but led by only led 26-20 at the 60 minute mark. Germany then tired badly in the last quarter as Russia ran in four tries in this last 20 minutes for an eight try to three victory of 52-25.
The final 2017 European Championship ladder is as follows:
Georgia 19
Romania 19
Spain 13
Germany 9
Russia 8
Belgium 2
The reverse round will be played in 2018 after which promotion and relegation will apply.
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