TEST RUGBY: Israel on a High

17.04.2010
Greece v Israel in Netanya (ENC 3C)

Venue: Wingate Institute Stadium

Referee: Stefano Traversi (Italy)

Preview

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	PT
GREECE	6	5	0	1	128	86	42	16
ISRAEL	5	5	0	0	186	36	150	15
BULGARIA	7	4	0	3	144	147	-3	15
LUXEMBOURG	7	2	0	5	81	129	-48	11
FINLAND	7	0	0	7	73	224	-120	7

Realistically Greece and Israel are the only two teams in contention for promotion to ENC 3B for 2010-12.

Israel will be a hard team to defeat at home. Last week's 50-10 win over Bulgaria showed that this team is capable of winning its way through to promotion to ENC 3B for 2010-12. They are regarding this game as even bigger than the World Cup qualifying clashes last season against Slovenia and Lithuania. 'It's the biggest game in the history of the National team', said vice-captain Stas Gurtovoy. Forward Oren Broadhurst is expected back from injury. This is the only change from last week's squad that defeated Bulgaria.

Israel were too strong for Bulgaria last weekend. Image thanks to http://sports.walla.co.il/?w=//1664117/646409/5/@@/media

Greek coach, former French test prop Olivier Magne, has brought back South African-based prop Mikele Jorgo to boost the forwards for this important clash.

Fiotakis, Sotiriadis and Pelekanos remain from the very first Greek international rugby team that played an Austrian XV in October 2005.

Previous Encounter
22.11.2008 Israel 25-10 in Kfissia (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 3C)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Israel 28th, Greece 34th

Prediction: Israel by 24 points

Teams

Greece
15-Kostas Makrikostas (Athens Rugby)
14-Christos Fiotakis (Nice Cote d'Azur, France)
13-Thomas Mamakopoulos (Massy, France)
12-Romain Huet (Athens Rugby)
11-Krgyris Saliarelis (Spartans)
10-Georgos Tsatsaronis (Athens Rugby)
9-Vassilis Katsakos (Athens Rugby)
8-Pantelis Arfaras (Rhodes Kolossoi )
7-Nikos Mavreas (Athens Rugby)
6-Philip Sotiriadis, Capt. (Athens Rugby)
5-Kostas Karandreas (Athens Rugby)
4-Michalis Pelekanos (Athens Rugby)
3-Stathis Papadopoulos (Iraklis)
2-Dimitris Katsafrakis (Athens Rugby)
1-Mikele Jorgo (Wits University, South Africa)
Replacements
16-Vangelis Nastas (Athens Rugby)
17- Pantazis Kontakis (Athens Rugby)
18-Nikos Chadtzinikolaou (Rhodes Kolossoi )
19-Dimitris Roussos (Rhodes Kolossoi )
20-Beka Bekaouri (Iraklis)
21-Jineuk Yi (Attica Springboks)
22-Giannis Rizos (Athens Rugby)

Head Coach: Olivier Magne

http://www.sportingreece.com/kb/article.asp?fIndex=4145

Israel
Nessi Abarbanel (Raanana) born 1987, age 22
Oren Alt (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1971, age 38
Roi Alterlevi (Kibbutz Yizreel) born 1982, age 27
Nathan Amos (Rainey OBRFC, Northern Ireland) born 1978, age 31
Amir Beautler (Kibbutz Yizreel) born 1982, age 27
Oren Brodhurst (Kibbutz Yizreel) born 1984, age 25
Matan Brosh (Barnes RFC, England) born 1981, age 28
Michael Eli (Ashkelon RC) born 1989, age 20
Gilad Goldstein (Raanana) born 1985, age 24
Stav Gurtovoy, V.Capt.(ASATel Aviv) born 1981, age 28
Oz Hayman (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1985, age 24
Amit Kakoun (Kibbutz Yizreel) born 1990, age 19
Nimrod Kaplan, Capt. (London Scottish, England) born 1985, age 24
Omri Lotan (ASA Tel Aviv) born1984, age 25
Julien Maffi (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1982, age 27
Guy Matisis (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1987, age 22
Omer Halfi Mendelson (Raanana) born 1985, age 24
Alon Okon (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1985, age 24
Mordechai Radashkovich (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1984, age 25
Yonatan Radashkovich (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1988, age 21
Adrienne Rainstein (Haifa Technion) born 1989, age 20
Yonatan Shaki (Haifa Technion) born 1983, age 26
Miron Shtiglitz (ASA Tel Aviv) born 1977, age 32
Coach Raanan Penn

Special thanks to Julian Shapiro, Israel RU, and to Matan Brosh.