Test Rugby

24.10.2009
Poland v Czech Republic in Varsovie (WCQ Europe R4; ENC 2A)

Venue: Stadion Osir Polonia

Referee: Petrescu (Romania)

Preview
The result of this game is crucial for both teams. Both have two loses although the Czech Republic has a game in hand. The winner would be the only team to seriously challenge the Ukraine in this competition. The Ukraine would have to drop one of their remainder games for either of these teams to catch up.

The winner of this Division gains promotion to the top level of the European Nations Cup for 2010-2012. The winner will also play, in 2010, the winner of World Cup Qualifying, Europe, Round 3. That winner goes on to playoff against ENC 1 3rd place for the final finals place at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Poland defeated Czech Republic 13-7 away in the first round match. The Poles are turning more and more to France-based players, following the trend of Georgia and Romania.

The Czech team played a warm up game against the French Army side last month (06.09.2009) and won 20-10.

Poland's last game was a 12-19 loss to Ukraine. Image thanks to www.juvenia.info

Last Five Encounters
15.11.2008 Poland 13-7 in Ostrava (WCQ Europe R4; ENC 2A)
04.11.2000 Poland 34-15 in Gydnia (FIRA B)
20.05.2000 Czech Republic 13-39 in Prague (FIRA C)
24.10.1998 Drawn 18-18 in ? (FIRA Pool E)
14.03.1998 Poland 28-27 in Lodz (WCQ Europe Pool 1, Rnd B)

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Poland 14th, Czech Republic 15th

Prediction: Poland by 12 points

Teams

Czech Republic Squad
Jan Benda (RC Sparta Praha) Age 29, 11 tests
Jiří Buryánek (RC Dragon Brno) 31, 27
Petr Čížek (RC Praga Praha) ?, 4
Radim Fajkus (RC Havířov) ?, 5
Tomáš Forst (RC Praga Praha) ?, 3
Hayden
Pavel Hocke (RC Tatra Smíchov) 30, 5
Tomáš Holovský (St. Raphael, France) ?, 6
Michal Jirman (RC Slavia Praha) 21, 4
Václav Jursík (Strasbourg, France) 25, 17
Roman Kodera (RC Říčany) 32, 9
Ondřej Kutil (Oyonnax, France) ?, 9
Patrik Leroch (RC Havířov) 34, 8
Vlastimil Madry (Juwenia Krakov, Poland) 29, 12
Vojtěch Mára (RC Tatra Smíchov) ?, 2
Martin
Nešpor
Petr Okleštěk (RC Auxerre, France) 26, 2
Martin Pešek (RC Slavia Praha)
Jakub Procházka (RC Tatra Smíchov)
Michal Průša (RC Tatra Smíchov) ?, 3
Jan Rohlík (RC Říčany) 28, 30
Jan Rudolf (RC Tatra Smíchov) 25, 11
Schütz
Šmolka
Roman Šuster (Rouen, France) 31, 28
Svoboda
Vesel
Pavel Vokrouhlík (RC Sparta Praha) 28, 17
Robert Voves (Narbonne, France) 28, 23
Martin Wognitsch (US Oyonnax, France) ?, 4
Head Coach: Martin Kafka

Players without details are new to my records and are probably new caps.

No Martin Jagr (Toulon, France), Jíří Skall (RC Sparta Praha) -Retired?, Miroslav Němeček (US Oyonnax, France), Lukáš Rapant (US Oyonnax, France) Martin Pekárek (Říčany) Jan Macháček (Slavia Praha)-retired

Data www.rugbyinternational.net

Poland Squad

Forwards

Ławski Kacper - Budowlani Łódź
Raszpunda Kazimierz – Arka Gdynia
Falk Grzegorz – Juvenia Kraków
Wilczuk Marcin – Ogniwo Sopot
Janiec Grzegorz – Lechia Gdańsk
Brażuk Maciej - Orkan Sochaczew
Lewandowski Yann - Cahors
Krzesinski Stanislas - Mazamet
Siepielski Bastien - Marmand
Barbier Olivier - Maisons Laffite
Piorkowski Eric - Castres
Bobryk Kamil - Epernay
Krużycki Michal - LOU
Bartoszek Mateusz - Albi

Backs
Psuj Piotr - AZS AWF Warszawa
Rokicki Tomasz – Lechia Gdańsk
Jurkowski Piotr – Lechia Gdańsk
Pabiańczyk Maciej - Budowlani Łódź
Gargasson Donald - Toulon
Berthe Romuald - Bobigny
Chartiere David - Bayonne
Popławski Dawid - Albi
Vaissier Cedric - Albi
Banaszek Dawid - Villeurbane
Hotowski Krzysztof - Poitiers

Also on standby
Nowak Paweł – Arka Gdynia
Andrzejczuk Robert – Arka Gdynia
Niedźwiecki Stanisław – Budowlani Lublin
Stepień Tomasz - Budowlani Łódź
Bukhalo Jurij – Lechia Gdańsk
Płonka Marek – Lechia Gdansk
Jarosz Konrad – Juvenia Kraków
Żórawski Łukasz - Budowlani Łódź
Bartoszewicz Aleksander - Orkan Sochaczew
Królikowski Michał - Budowlani Łódź
Kałdunski Dawid – Arka Gdynia
Dudkowski Kamil – Orkan Sochaczew
Narwojsz Patryk – Lechia Gdańsk
Doroszkiewicz Łukasz – Lechia Gdańsk
Dułka Grzegorz - Budowlani Łódź Tomasz Nowak – Posnania Poznań
Head Coach: Tomas Putra

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3243