EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP: Division 1A

10.03.2012
Ukraine v Russia in Sochi (ENC 1A)

Venue: FGUP "South Sport",

Referee:

Preview

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	7	6	0	1	208	67	141	2	1	27
ROMANIA	7	5	0	2	206	76	130	3	2	25
SPAIN	7	4	0	3	156	199	-53	2	1	19
PORTUGAL	8	3	0	5	159	168	-9	2	2	16
RUSSIA	7	3	0	4	133	155	-22	1	2	14
UKRAINE	6	0	0	6	67	266	-199	0	0	0

Both teams are at the bottom of the ENC 1A points table but realistically only Ukraine can be relegated. Russia has done enough to survive but they have struggled.

The Russians are using this competition, like Georgia, to blood new players. For this match they are blooding a host of new players leaving out the likes of Victor Gresev, Andrew Garbuzov and Evgeny Matveev (last minute replacement-injured). This is very much a new-look side.

If ever the Ukraine has a chance to topple their more fancied neighbours this is their chance.

The ground conditions are reported to be ‘sticky’ which means not a lot better than when Russia played Romania here a month ago.

Last Five Encounters
12.03.2011 Russia 41-5 in Odessa (ENC 1A)
30.09.2006 Russia 37-17 in Moscow (WCQ Europe R4, Playoff 2nd leg)
23.09.2006 Russia 25-11 in Odessa (WCQ Europe R4, Playoff 1st leg)
27.05.2006 Russia 53-12 in Kiev (ENC 1)
11.06.2005 Russia 72-0 in Moscow (ENC 1)

Ukraine has never defeated Russia.

Russia Last Five
25.02.2012 v Romania L 0-25 in Sochi (ENC 1A)
11.02.2012 v Portugal W 33-32 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)
01.10.2011 v Australia L 22-68 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)
25.09.2011 v Ireland L 12-62 in Rotorua (World Cup, Pool C)
20.09.2011 v Italy L 17-53 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)

Ukraine Last Five
25.02.2012 v Spain L 6-41 in Alushta (ENC 1A)
19.03.2011 v Portugal L 24-46 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)
12.03.2011 v Russia L 5-41 in Odessa (ENC 1B)
26.02.2011 v Spain L 13-35 in Madrid (ENC 1A)
05.02.2011 v Georgia L 3-62 in Tblissi (ENC 1A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Russia 10th, Ukraine 17th

IRB Ranking Points
Russia 60.12, Ukraine 52.60

Prediction
It will be closer than most would expect. Russia will gradually wear the Ukrainians down in the second half and win by 12 points.

Teams

Ukraine Squad

Nicolas Deliergiev (RC Kredo-63)
Dmitri Fedyshyn (RC Kredo-63)
Sergueï Garkavy (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Zourab Kikacheishvili (RC Kredo-63)
Nikolaï Kirsanov (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleg Kosarev (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Vyacheslav Krasil'nik (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Vitaliy Kramarenko (RC Kredo-63)
Vitaly Krasnodemsky (RC Kredo-63)
Maxim Kravchenko (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Artem Kulik (Eger Kiev)
Alexander Lomakin (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Jaba Malaguradze (Kochebi, Georgia)
Taras Marchenko (RC Kredo-63)
Dennis Masyukovy (RC Kredo-63)
Andrei Melnikov (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Denis Milov (RC Kredo-63)
Sergius Monastiryov (RC Kredo-63)
Aleksander Polanski (RC Kredo-63)
Yuri Pidganyak (RC Kredo-63)
Rusalan Radchuk (RC Kredo-63)
Sergei Sukhik (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Miroslav Shulyak (Obolon-University RC)
Eugène Tchaïka (RC Kredo-63)
Alexander Tsapenko (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Sergey Tserkovniy (Olmyp-RSC KhTZ)
Edward Vertiletsky (RC Kredo-63)

Head Coach: Zaza Lezhava
Adapted from http://rugby.org.ua/news/763

Russia

15		Yuri Kushnarev	VVA-Podmoskovye
14		Mikhail Babaev	VVA-Podmoskovye
13		Sergey Trishin	VVA-Podmoskovye
12		Alexander Makovetsky	Krasny Yar
11		Denis Simplikevich	Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk
10		Anton Ryabov	Krasny Yar
9		Alexander Shakirov	VVA-Podmoskovye
8		Anton Sinitsyn	Spartak-GM
7		Paul Kvernadze	Spartak GM
6		Artem Fatahkov	VVA-Podmoskovye
5		Kirill Kulemin	Castres, France
4		Denis Antonov (Capt.)	Slava Moscow
3		Innokenty Zykov	Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk
2		Nazir Hasanov	Krasny Yar
1		Alexey Volkov	VVA-Podmoskovye
16		Vladimir Boltenkov	Imperia Penza
17		Kirill Kopeshkin	Imperia Penza
18		Maxim Sturza	Krasny Yar
19		Pavel Butenko	Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk
20		German Godyluk	Slava Moscow
21		Andrey Otrokov	Krasny Yar
22		Yevgeniy Titov	Novokuznetsk
		COACH: Kingsley Jones