REC 2B: ANDORRA v LATVIA

02.05.2015

Image thanks to https://www.facebook.com/RugbiAndorra

Venue: Daugavas Stadium, Riga

Referee: Sergey Poplavski (Ukraine)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	TL
LITHUANIA	3	3	0	0	118	55	63	3	15
LATVIA	3	2	0	1	66	81	-15	1	9
CYPRUS	3	2	0	1	67	64	3	0	8
ANDORRA	3	1	0	2	48	82	-34	0	4
HUNGARY	4	0	0	4	76	94	-18	4	4

Preview
Previously undefeated Latvia went down away to competition leaders Lithuania last weekend. Playing at home against the traveling Andorrans I’d expect them to perform better.

Andorra has the advantage of winning here in October 2013 so winning away is not foreign to the rugby players from the Pyrenees.

Previous Encounters
26.10.2013 Andorra 22-19 in Riga (REC 2B)
30.03.2013 Latvia 22-11 in Andorra La Vela (WCQ Europe R2; ENC 2B)
24.11.2007 Latvia 20-9 in Riga (ENC 2B)
04.11.2006 Latvia 31-24 in Andorra La Vela (ENC 2B)

In the last two tests these sides have played they have gone against the trend of test rugby at this level by winning away.

Andorra Last Five P 5, W 2, L 3
04.04.2015 v Hungary W 23-18 in Andorra La Vela (REC 2B)
01.11.2014 v Cyprus L 10-30 in Paphos (REC 2B)
18.10.2014 v Lithuania L 15-34 in Andorra La Vela (REC 2B)
12.04.2014 v Israel L 16-20 in Netanya (ENC 2B)
29.03.2014 v Serbia W 23-13 in Andorra La vela (ENC 2B)

Latvia Last Five P 5, W 3, L 2
25.04.2015 v Lithuania L 11-46 in Siaulai (REC 2B)
15.11.2014 v Cyprus W 39-20 in Riga (REC 2B)
02.11.2014 v Hungary W 16-14 in Ezstergom (REC 2B)
21,06,2014 v Croatia L 10-16 in Riga (ENC 2A-2B Playoff)
03.05.2014 v Denmark W 16-9 in Odense (ENC 2B)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Latvia 25th, Andorra 27th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Latvia 42.73, Andorra 41.70

Prediction: Latvia by 4 points. Score 15-11

TEAMS

Latvia Squad

Sandris Jauntēvs (1964) 13 spēles izlasē (test caps)
Elmārs Imbrass (1964) 12
Kārlis Dzenis (Miesnieki) 4
Jānis Šveds (Eži) 4
Ingus Aivars (Eži) 12
Guntis Cirša (Miesnieki) 39
Santis Podāns (Ovāls) 14
Emīls Balodis (Miesnieki) 5
Māris Streikišs (Eži) 16
Viktors Silvoniks (Miesnieki) 26
Leno Bramanis (Miesnieki) 29
Artūrs Kisle (Livonia) 1
Ainārs Bērziņš (Livonia) 3
Andrejs Borisovs (Ovāls) 9
Norberts Bekmanis (Livonia) 7
Vigo Valdavs (Livonia) 10
Ruslans Kotļevs (Eži) 32
Andris Andersons (Miesnieki) 10
Matīss Zalcmanis (Ovāls) 14
Kristaps Bērziņš (Livonia) 28
Valters Raņķis (Livonia) 47
Raivis Kokins (Miesnieki) 2
Mikus Ozols (Sigulda) 7
Gundars Grieķis (Livonia) 0
Mārtiņš Rundāns (Livonia) 4
Dāvis Gauja (Livonia) 1
Mārtiņš Bokišs (Eži) 0
Kārlis Garokalns (Miesnieki) 3
Toms Asējevs (Miesnieki) 0

Head Coach: Sergey Liska

http://rugbylatvia.com/?p=9179

Andorra Squad not available