RUGBY TEST MATCH: The Russians Travel to Spain

13.02.2010
Russia v Spain in Madrid (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)

Referee: Timothy Hayes (Wales)

Venue: Madrid University Stadium

Preview
So what is the situation with the ENC 1 teams re qualifying for the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals? Says 'nils' from FIRA-AER forum, "In a nutshell, if Russia win and Portugal lose, basically it will leave Portugal and Romania fighting for the repechage spot while Georgia and Russia will be a daylight ahead of them".

ENC 1 Points Table 2008-10

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	PT
GEORGIA	6	5	1	0	253	83	170	17
RUSSIA	6	5	0	1	176	87	89	16
PORTUGAL	6	3	1	2	134	98	36	13
ROMANIA	5	2	0	3	104	88	16	9
SPAIN	5	1	0	4	77	151	-74	7
GERMANY	6	0	0	6	25	246	-221	6

Table from http://www.rugbyinternational.net/

Russia struggled against Portugal last weekend whilst Spain had the day off due to heavy snowfall in Bucharest. Russia easily defeated Spain in their first round encounter and will have the advantage of more test play since the two teams last met. With the same squad as played Portugal, two additions have been made to the squad.

Spain has enlisted a number of players who play for French clubs. This is a move by the Spanish Rugby Federation to lift the standard of their first team.

Last Five Encounters
08.11.2008 Russia 42-15 in Moscow (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
08.03.2008 Russia 42-16 in Krasnodar (ENC 1)
10.02.2007 Russia 39-14 in Madrid (ENC 1)
14.02.2004 Russia 36-6 in Krasnodar (ENC 1)
15.02.2003 Russia 52-19 in Madrid (ENC 1)

Data from http://www.rugbyinternational.net/

Spain last defeated Russia 38-22 in an amazing game in Krasnodar in 2002. Spain had just lost to Russia 36-3 a month before and were expected to be slaughtered by the Russians. What a turnaround!

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Russia 8th, Spain 11th

Prediction: The Russians will not find the Spanish an easy team anymore. Russian to win by 6 points.

Teams

Spain Squad
Martin Aceña (CR La Vila)
Leandro Fernandez Aramburu (Ciencias Sevilla)
José Bohorquez (Ciencias Sevilla)
Rafael Camacho (Ciencias Sevilla)
Javier Canosa (CRC Madrid)
Mathieu Cidre (US Carcassonne, France)
Matthew Cook (CR La Vila)
Damien Elgoyhen (St Jean de Luz, France)
Pablo Feijoo (CRC Madrid)
Marco Pinto Ferrer (ASM Clermont Espoirs, France)
Mathieu Gratton (SC Graulhet, France)
David Gurgenadze (CRC Madrid)
Martin Heredia (Costa del Sol)
Mathieu Lopez (Stade Montois, France)
Ignacio Martin (Parma, Italy)
Pedro Martin (Aviron Bayonnais Espoirs, France)
Jesus Moreno (Union Bordeaux-Begles, France)
Jaime Nava (Alcombendas Rugby)
Alejandro Onega (CRC Madrid)
Benjamin Pardo (Valladolid RAC)
Jesus Recuerda (Ciencias Sevilla)
Cesar Sempere (Montpellier HRC, France)
Sergio Souto (El Salvador)
Julien Tourtoulou (US Colomiers, France)
Head Coach: Geoff Glynn

Adapted from http://www.ferugby.com/documento_index.php?volver=si&titulo=null&fichero=/noticias/2009-2010/02-febrero/CONVOCATORIA_Esp_Rus.pdf

Russia
Possible lineup-same as v Portugal?
15. Igor Kluchnikov (VVA-Podmoskovje)
14. Vasily Artemiev (VVA-Podmoskovje)
13. Mikhail Babaev (VVA-Podmoskovje)
12. Sergey Trishin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
11. Alexander Gvozdovskiy (Krasny Yar)
10. Yuriy Kushnarev (VVA-Podmoskovje)
9. Alexander Yanushkin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
8. Andrey Temnov (Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk)
7. Andrey Ostrikov (Stade Aurillacois, France)
6. Victor Gresev (VVA-Podmoskovje)
5. Kirill Kulemin (Castres, France)
4. Alexander Voytov (VVA-Podmoskovje)
3. Evgeny Pronenko (Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk)
2. Vladislav Korshunov, Capt. (VVA-Podmoskovje)
1. Carlo Maglakelidze (Impera Penza)
Replacements
16. Evgeny Matveev (VVA-Podmoskovje)
17. Alexander Khrokin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
18. Alexey Travkin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
19. Artem Fatakhov (VVA-Podmoskovje)
20. Alexander Shakirov (VVA-Podmoskovje)
21. Alexey Korobeynikov (Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk)
22. Andrey Kuzin (VVA-Podmoskovje)
Head Coach: Nicolay Neyrush

Added to squad from that v Portugal
Andrey Garbuzov flanker Krasny Yar
Alexey Makovetskiy center Krasny Yar

Adapted from http://rugby.ru/news/id_1217/