GERMANY v PORTUGAL. Rugby Europe Championship

28.02.2015

Venue: Lisbon

Referee:Giuseppe Vivarini (Italy)

Preview

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	PT
ROMANIA	2	2	0	0	66	18	48	2	10
GEORGIA	2	2	0	0	84	23	61	1	9
SPAIN	2	1	0	1	51	49	2	1	5
RUSSIA	2	1	0	1	66	65	1	1	5
PORTUGAL	2	0	0	2	25	57	-32	1	1
GERMANY	2	0	0	2	30	110	-80	0	0

Germany and Portugal hold up the bottom of the ladder in this competition. On present form both look to be the contenders for relegation in 2016. That is a long way off but this encounter today could well give some indication as to where these two teams sit.

Germany travels to Lisbon without some keys players. Robert Mohr and Alan Kessen are out injured. Damien Tussas (US Montauban, France) and Matthias Schösser (Aberdeen, Scotland) are not available. Some players do return. Samy Füchsel (Heidelberger RK) Umberto Pilla (Rugby San Dona, Italy), Captain Sean Armstrong, back Anjo Buckman (Heidelberger RK), Phil Szczesny (Hannover 78) and Kieron Manawatu (SC 1880 Frankfurt).

Portugal stumbled at home to Romania in the first round but gave Georgia a hell of a fright in Tbilisi two weeks ago. They showed excellent defence and constantly put Georgia off their game. If they continue to improve Germany may well find them a handful.

Last Five Encounters
27.02.2010 Portugal 69-0 in Heusenstamm (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
12.02.2009 Portugal 44-6 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
04.04.1998 Portugal 30-6 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe Pool 3, Round B)
13.05.1995 Portugal 26-16 in Heidelberg (FIRA A2)
17.04.1994 Germany 20-18 in Lisbon (FIRA A2)

Germany Last Five P 5, W 1, L 4
14.02.2015 v Russia L 22-46 in Pforzheim (REC 1A)
07.02.2015 v Georgia L 8-64 in Tbilisi (REC 1A)
29.10.2014 v Namibia L 20-58 in Windhoek
24.05.2014 v Russia L 20-31 in Hamburg (WCQ Europe R5 Playoff)
10.05.2014 v Netherlands W 17-7 in Amsterdam (WCQ Europe R4 Playoff)

Portugal Last Five P 5, W 1, L 4
14.02.2015 v Georgia L 15-20 in Tbilisi (REC 1A)
07.02.2015 v Romania L 10-37 in Lisbon (REC 1A)
22.11.2014 v Namibia W 29-20 in Lisbon
15.03.2014 v Spain L 24-28 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
08.03.2014 v Russia L 18-34 in Sochi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: Portugal 22nd, Germany 27th
Europe Table-Portugal 11th, Germany 15th

Rugby World Ranking Points
Portugal 57.94, Germany 55.30

Prediction: Portugal by 28 points

Teams

Portugal Squad
1 Afonso Sousa GDS Cascais
2 Bruno Medeiros CDUL
3 Diogo Toorn CDUL
4 Duarte Marques AEIS Técnico
5 Francisco Fernandes Béziers
6 Francisco Sousa GDS Cascais
7 Francisco Appleton CDUL
8 Francisco Pinto de Magalhães CDUL
9 Gonçalo Foro CDUL
10 Julien Bardy ASM Clermont
11 João Almeida CDUL
12 João Bernardo Afonso GDS Cascais
13 João Travassos GD Direito
14 Maxime Tonieta US Oynnax
15 Miguel Vilaça CDUL
16 Mike Tadjer RC Massy
17 Nuno Penha e Costa CDUL
18 Nuno Taful GDS Cascais
19 Pedro Ávila AS Clermont
20 Salvador Vassalo GDS Cascais
21 Tomás Appleton CDUL
22 Tony Martins Limoges
23 Vasco Uva GD Direito
24 José Almeida RC Lousã

Head Coach:João Pinto

Adapted from http://www.fpr.pt/ficheiros_site_fpr/imagens/noticias/Convocatória%20nº.16%20Preparação%20-Portugal%20vs%20Alemanha-%20treino%20dia%2026%20Fev.pdf

Germany Squad

Heidelberger RK: Arthur Zeiler, Alexander Widiker, Samy Füchsel, Kehoma Brenner, Sean Armstrong, Hendrik van der Merwe, Clemens von Grumbkow, Steffen Liebig, Robert Hittel, Anjo Buckman

TV Pforzheim: Rob May, Jeremy Te Huia
Hannover 78: Phil Szczesny
Heidelberger TV: Benedikt Scherrer
SC 1880 Frankfurt: Kieron Manawatu
False Bay (SA): Michael Poppmeier
M-Three Rugby San Dona (I): Umberto Pilla
US Colmiers (F): Chris Hilsenbeck
USA Perpignan (F): Tim Menzel
SO Chambéry (F): Julius Nostadt
CA St. Etienne (F): Chris Howells
USON Rugby Plus SASP (F): Paul Bosch
Stourbridge RFC (ENG): Dale Garner

Head Coach: Kobus Potgieter