TEST RUGBY: ENC Division 2C. Norway v Hungary

04.06.2011
Norway v Hungary in Budapest (ENC 2C)

Venue: Széktói-stadionban, Kecskemét,

Referee:

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
ISRAEL	4	3	0	1	77	55	22	0	0	12
DENMARK	4	2	1	1	78	76	2	0	1	11
AUSTRIA	4	2	0	2	65	67	-2	0	1	9
HUNGARY	3	1	0	2	56	60	-4	0	2	6
NORWAY	3	0	1	2	26	44	-18	0	1	3

 

Preview
Relegation is a not a word to be used yet for the likes of Hungary and Norway, both of whom hold up the bottom of the ENC 2C competition table. However, they will be aware that round two is only a summer away and they’d better start improving their lot or else relegation will see them in ENC 2D for 2012-14 seasons.

This division has been a very even competition, with all teams losing at least one game in this round. A win to Hungary would place it in third, a position from which, in round two, they could go either way.

Hungary is slightly disadvantaged in that they haven’t played a competition game since last December although the did fairly well against higher-seeded Croatia in a friendly in April.

Norway, although at the bottom of the ladder, has given all its competition rivals a torrid time, only Israel slipped away, winning by 12 points!

I’d expect this to be a close game.

Previous Encounters
01.05.2010 Hungary 34-17 in Estzergom (ENC 3B)
27.09.2008 Hungary 26-15 in Oslo (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 3B)
27.10.2007 Hungary 5-3 in Szekefsfhervan (ENC 3B)
07.10.2006 Hungary 13-8 in Stavanger (ENC 3B)

Hungary Last Five
23.04.2011 V Croatia L 12-31 (Friendly)
06.11.2010 v Denmark L 20-21 in Odense (ENC 2C)
30.10.2010 v Israel L 14-23 in Netanya (ENC 2C)
16.10.2010 v Austria W 22-16 in Budapest (ENC 2C)
15.05.2010 v Austria  L 17-19 in Vienna (ENC 3B)

Norway Last Five
14.05.2011 v Israel L 3-15 in Oslo (ENC 2C)
15.12.2010 v Hong Kong L 17-59 (Friendly)
06.11.2010 v Austria L 9-15 in Vienna (ENC 2C)
16.10.2010 v Denmark D 14-14 in Oslo (ENC 2C)
22.05.2010 v Slovenia L 13-16 in Oslo (ENC 3B)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Norway 32nd, Hungary 33rd

IRB Ranking Points
Hungary 39.68, Norway 35.43

Prediction: Hungary by 6 points

Teams

Norway Squad
Kristoffer Borsheim - Stavanger RK
James Buncle - London Scottish RFC, England
Knut Martin Bårnes - Stavanger RK
Wesley Chibaya - Tønsberg RK
Shelton Davis - Tønsberg RK
Even Ellingsen - Blindern RK
Karl Frisch - Bergen RK
Tim Greer - Blindern RK
Andrei Hanger - Cheltenham Saracens RFC, England
Sam Hedger - Sunnmøre RK
David Hume - Bergen RK
Francis Hunt - Oslo RK
Stein Ove Kristensen - Trondheim RK
Erlend Meldalen - Blindern RK
Pascal Raclin - Oslo RK
Ollie Rogers - Tunbridge Wells RFC
Fredrik Skovly - Oslo RK
Andre Slaatta - Bergen RK
Kim Robin Peterson - Tønsberg Rugby Klubb
Michal Urbanski - Bergen RK
Trym Vindal - Blindern RK
Axel Wilhelmsen - Durham University
( http://www.norgesrugby.no/national-team ... ne-hungary )

Hungary Squad not available