RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP: 2C & 2D

24.10.2015
Luxembourg 34, Austria 6 in Vienna (REC 2C)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	PT
LUXEMBOURG	5	5	0	0	115	35	80	2	22
SLOVENIA	4	3	0	1	92	53	49	2	14
AUSTRIA	6	2	0	4	98	143	-45	3	11
SERBIA	4	3	0	2	50	109	-59	0	8
DENMARK	5	0	0	5	89	114	-25	5	5

Review
Luxembourg were too strong for the home side. They led 13-6 at halftime.

"Bonus point secured with a try on the last play of the game. Very proud of all the players and staff. "Jonathan Flynn

‘Tries from Browne, Vert, Rossa and Olsen with 14 points from the boot of Browne’. http://www.rugby.lu/fr/actualites/luxembourg-wins-vs-austria

Bulgaria 34, Finland 15 in Sofia (REC 2D)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	TL
BOSNIA H.	6	6	0	0	174	81	93	2	26
NORWAY	5	3	0	2	99	75	24	2	14
BULGARIA	6	2	0	4	113	180	-67	4	12
FINLAND	6	2	0	4	92	117	-25	2	10
TURKEY	5	1	0	4	105	130	-25	3	7

Review
4 tries and a bonus point to Bulgaria. Finland and Turkey look like they will battle for relegation when they meet in April 2016.

BULGARIA v FINLAND: REC 2D

Venue: Sofia

Referee: Robert Diaconescu (Romania)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	TL
BOSNIA H.	6	6	0	0	174	81	93	2	25
NORWAY	5	3	0	2	99	75	24	2	14
FINLAND	5	2	0	3	77	83	-6	2	10
TURKEY	5	1	0	4	105	130	-25	3	7
BULGARIA	5	1	0	4	79	165	-86	3	7

Preview
Bulgaria had a horrific start to this campaign but improved against Norway at home to lose by only one point. A revamped side and playing at home should see a vast improvement.They need this win to pull themselves away from the relegation zone.

Issac Visser has been named Finnish interim coach who replaces Robert Hussey. No reason has been given for this move.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Finland 35th, Bulgaria 38th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Bulgaria 30.76, Finland 29.15

Prediction: Bulgaria by 14 points. Score 30-16

 

Teams are not available

RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP

17.10.2015
Ukraine 30, Poland 14 in Khmelnytskyi (REC 1B)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	PT
BELGIUM	7	6	0	1	146	112	134	4	28
UKRAINE	7	5	0	2	155	111	44	2	22
MOLDOVA	5	3	0	2	155	83	72	4	16
POLAND	7	3	0	4	146	187	-41	2	15
NETHERLANDS	5	2	0	3	81	74	3	2	10
SWEDEN	7	0	0	7	80	296	-193	0	0

Bosnia Herzegovina 24, Turkey 21 in Zenica (REC 2D)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	TL
BOSNIA H.	6	6	0	0	174	81	93	2	25
NORWAY	5	3	0	2	99	75	24	2	14
FINLAND	5	2	0	3	77	83	-6	2	10
TURKEY	5	1	0	4	105	130	-25	3	7
BULGARIA	5	1	0	4	79	165	-86	3	7

Test match friendly
Gibraltar 29, Malta Barbarians 14 in Valette         

BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA v TURKEY: REC 2D

17.10.2015

Venue: Zenica

Previews

’Well Čelik ('Zenica club') isn't out of shape, just 10 out of first 15 players went to France(and other countries) after winning the RRC last year

It won't be the best possible team, but it'll be the best available one. I'm more concerned with the weather The floods are hitting Bosnia and Herzegovina again, and rain isn't stopping. It's going to be difficult to play fluently, and I think it'll favour the Turks, but I have no doubt about the winner ‘

Comments thanks to ‘delpy’ at http://t2rugby.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=689&sid=d844c25642c9433b22c5ee429a7f5265

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Bosnia Herzegovina 34th, Turkey 36th

World Rugby Rankings do not apply as Turkey is not a full member of that body

Prediction: Bosnia H. by 11 points. Score 27-16

Bosnia squad, thanks to http://zeragbi.blogspot.co.uk

Ajanović Semir, Turčinović Senad, Stanković Zeid, Pojskić Edin, Suljić Ammar, Oruč Haris, Tufekčić Sedad, Durgut Dženan, Zadić Armin, Subašić Sabahudin, Spahić Fadil, Glavaš Selmir, Hamzić Adnan, Topčić Semir, Tuka Elvis, Bašić Adis, Fetić Mirsad, Mrkaljević Muhamed, Ahmić Nejro, Bišić Mahir, Smajlović Samed, Begić Haris & Spahić Elvin.

Turkey squad not available

Also today a friendly ‘test’ match

Malta Barbarians v Gibraltar

Venue: Valetta

The Barbarians is a home-based side whilst Gibraltar is yet to gain affiliation to Rugby Europe due to the protests of Spain.

RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP: Division 2D

03.10.2015
Finland v Bosnia Herzegovina in Helsinki (REC 2D)

Image thanks to http://zeragbi.blogspot.co.uk/

Referee: Mike Hawkins (Denmark)

Preview
Home advantage says a lot at this level of international rugby. B-H never travel well so will find Finland a handful at home.

Previous Encounters
25.04.2015 Bosnia H. 29-7 in Zenica (REC 2D)
31.05.2014 Finland 29-24 in Turku (ENC 2D)
20.04.2013 Bosnia H. 19-15 in Sarajevo (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 2D)
17.05.2008 Drawn 3-3 in Helsinki (ENC 3C)
07.10.2006 Finland 14-7 in Zenica (ENC 3C)

The above are all the games played between these two teams

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Bosnia Herzegovina 34th, Finland 35th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Bosnia Herzegovina 35.43, Finland 29.89

Prediction: Bosnia Herzegovina by 1 point. Score 17-16

TEAMS

Bosnia Herzegovina Squad

Subašić Sabahudin, Oruč Haris, Alić Edib, Hamzić Adnan, Spahić Fadil, Gojković Dario, Zadić Armin, Suljić Ammar, Garanović Vedad, Topčić Semir, Keserović Danijel, Tuka Elvis, Mrkaljević Muhamed, Begić Haris, Ahmić Nejro, Turčinović Senad, Glavaš Selmir, Jovanović Damir, Petrušić Darijo, Stanković Zeid, Tufekčić Sedad, Pašanbegović Nusret i Ajanović Semir.

http://zeragbi.blogspot.co.uk/

Finland Squad not available

Bulgaria v Norway in Burgas (REC 2D)

Venue: Stadium Chernomorets

Referee: Norbert Mátrai (Hungary)

Preview
Bulgaria were simply awful and undermanned in their last away game against Norway. However at home they are usually too much for the opposition and I’d expect them to come un trumps.

Last Five Encounters
23.05.2015 Norway 43-0 in Bergan (REC 2D, 2nd leg)
10.05.2008 Norway 44-21 in Stavanger (ENC 3B)
19.05.2007 Bulgaria 25-10 in Sofia (ENC 3B)
26.10.2002 Bulgaria 21-12 in Sofia (ENC 3C)
04.05.2002 Bulgaria 11-3 in Sofia (FIRA Div. B, Pool C)

These two teams first met in 1997.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Norway 37th, Bulgaria 38th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Norway 32.78, Bulgaria 31.98

Prediction: Bulgaria by 16 points. Score 28-12

TEAMS

Norway

Image thanks to http://www.rugby.no/bulgaria-norge-3-oktober/

  

Bulgaria team not available

RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE

30.05.2015
Netherlands 24, Sweden 14 in Amsterdam (REC 1B)

23.05.2015
Ukraine 18, Netherlands 10 in Odessa (REC1B)
Finland 20, Turkey 12 in Helsinki (REC 2D)
Norway 43, Bulgaria 0 in Bergen (REC 2D)

NORWAY v BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA: REC 2D

09.05.2015

Venue: Kamberovic Polje, Zenica

Referee:Csaba Priskin (Hungary)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	TL
BOSNIA H.	3	3	0	0	122	44	78	2	14
FINLAND	2	1	0	1	39	39	0	1	5
BULGARIA	2	1	0	1	38	78	-40	1	5
TURKEY	2	0	0	2	44	60	-16	2	2
NORWAY	1	0	0	1	10	32	-22	0	0

Preview
Bosnia Herzegovina are firmly in place at the top of the table and Norway at the bottom. I don’t see that situation changing at the end of this rugby test match.

When these two teams last met in 2014 the visitors were put to the sword. Even with the withdrawl of two players Bosnia Herzegovina is a team going places and I can’t see Norway getting anywhere near close.

Previous Encounters
19.04.2014 Bosnia Herzegovina 43-0 in Zenica (ENC 2D)
03.11.2012 Norway 11-9 in Bergen (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 2D)

Norway Last Five P 5, W 2, L 3
18.10.2014 v Finland W 20-12 in Oslo (REC 2D, Round 2)
04.10.2014 v Finland L 10-32 in Helsinki (REC 2D, Round 1)
10.05.2014 v Greece W 45-23 in Bergen (ENC 2D)
19.04.2014 v Bosnia Herzegovina L 0-43 in Zenica (ENC 2D)
19.10.2013 v Luxembourg L 7-9 in Oslo (ENC 2D)

Bosnia Herzegovina Last Five P 5, W 3, L 2
25.04.2015 v Finland W 29-7 in Zeniva (REC 2D)
25.10.2014 v Turkey W 34-25 in Edrine (REC 2D)
04.10.2014 v Bulgaria W 59-12 in Zenica (REC 2D)
07.06.2014 v Austria L 12-26 in Tesanj (ENC 2C-2D Playoff)
31.05.2014 v Finland L 24-29 in Turku (ENC 2D)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table: Bosnia Herzegovina 34th, Norway 37th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Bosnia Herzegovina 35.05, Norway 31.82

Prediction: Bosnia Herzegovina by 38 points. Score 45-7

TEAMS

Bosnia Herzegovina

15- Sabahudin Subašić Age 29
14- Adnan Hamzić 23
13- Selmir Glavaš 24
12- Sedad Tufekčić 30
11- Fadil Spahić 21
10- Armin Vehabović 29
09- Armin Zadić 26
08- Senad Turčinović 25
07- Danijel Keserović 33
06- Haris Oruč 21
05- Alem Haračić 24
04- Edin Pojskić 16-Born 19.12.1998!
03- Nermin Selimbegović 30
02- Mirsad Fetić 35
01- Semir Ajanović 29
Replacements
16- Adis Bašić 36
17- Emir Čerim 20
18-Muhamed Mrkaljević 17-Another young player
19- Nejro Ahmić 22
20- Semir Topčić 18-And another
21- Elvis Tuka 25
22- Sandro Mrgić 23
23-Haris Begić 17-yet another!
Head Coach: Kenan Uzunović

Adapted from http://www.zeragbi.blogspot.fr/ and from email from RAGBI SAVEZ BiH

Two players are missing from original line up. Not sure which one but withdrawl due to death in the family.

Pojskić. If his DOB is correct at 16 years of age he would have to be one of the youngest test players in 2015. And he is a lock! I don’t have his measurements. We had a 67 year old Curacao player last weekend.

Norway squad not available