Test Rugby: Germany v Spain

15.11.2008
Germany v Spain in Madrid (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 1)

Preview
A German team, without a number of their top players, lost 14-27 to A Welsh Clubs XV in Berlin last weekend. The team for this week's game will be much stronger including a number of top players from French clubs, including outstanding player Robert Mohr. This match will be Germany's first test match in the top division of European rugby and will go a long way to test whether the Germans are up to this level of international rugby.

Spain lost 15-42 away to Russia last weekend and will be looking to recover with a sound win at home. They have left out 4 of the players who travelled to Russia, replacing htem with 3 new caps and experienced back Jamie Nava

Previous Encounters
27.05.2006 Spain 36-10 in Madrid (WCQ Euro. R3, Playoff 2nd leg)
13.05.2006 Germany 18-6 in Heidelberg (WCQ Euro. R3, Playoff 1st leg)
26.04.1998 Spain 24-9 in Hannover (WCQ Euro.Pool 3, Rd B)
24.11.1996 Spain 25-17 in Heidelberg (FIRA, Pool A)
13.11.1994 Spain 29-10 in Hannover 9Friendly?)

The last time these two teams met is was for a place in the next round of World Cup 2007 qualifiers. Germany suprised the rugby world with their win in Heidelberg but Spain ran away with the return game in Madrid. You have to go back 12 years before you'll find a European competition between these two teams.

GWC Rugby Rankings: Europe Table-Spain 10th, Germany 12th

Prediction: Spain by 14 points

Teams

Germany
15 Edemoore Takendesa (RG Heidelberg)
14 Matthieu Franke (RC Orleans, France)
13 Kieron Davies (Luton RFC, England)
12 Colin Grzanna (Berliner RC)
11 Clemens von Grumbkow (RC Orleans, France)
10 Thorsten Wiedemann (TSV Handschuhsheim)
9 Mustafa Güngör (RG Heidelberg)
8 Robert Mohr (La Rochelle, France)
7 Gerrit van Look (Berliner RC )
6 Timothy Kasten (Southend RFC, England)
5 Jens Schmidt, Capt. (TSV Handschuhsheim)
4 Bodo Sieber (Univ. of Capetown RFC, Sth. Africa)
3 Alexander Widiker (RC Orleans, France)
2 Timothy Coly (RG Heidelberg)
1 Benjamin Krause (Hannover 78 / 08 Ricklingen)
Replacements
16 Christian Baracat (SC Neuenheim)
17 Marcus Trick (SC Neuenheim)
18 Benjamin Danso (DRC Hannover )
19 Manuel Wilhelm (RG Heidelberg)
20 Lars Eckert (SC Neuenheim)
21 Marten Strauch (SC Neuenheim)
22 Markus Walger (RK Heusenstamm)
Head Coach: Rudolf Finsterer

http://www.totalrugby.de/
http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2909

Spain squad
César Bernasconi (CRC Madrid) Age 32, 16 tests
José Mª Bohorquez (CR Ciencias) 32, 22
Rafael Camacho (CR Ciencias) 30, 25
Juan Cano (CRC Madrid) 23, 17
Javier Canosa (CRC Madrid) 25, 28
Iván Criado (Cetransa El Salvador) 28, 50
Pablo Feijoo (CRC Madrid) 26, 43
Leandro Fernández-Aramburu (CR Ciencias) 28, 7
Juan González (CRC Madrid) 26, 24
Sergio Guerrero (UE Santboiana) New Cap*
Sebastián Hattori (CR Ciencias) 26, New Cap
Ion Insausti (Cetransa El Salvador) 24, 21
Juan Gónzalez Marruecos (CR Ciencias) 22, 2
Ignacio Martín (Gran Parma RC, Italy) 24, 23
Manuel Mazo (CR Ciencias) 23, 11
Igor Mirones (Getxo Artea RT) New Cap*
David Mota (CRC Madrid) 22, 19 *
Jaime Nava (Centransa El Salvador) 25, 24*
Marco Pinto (Clermont Auvergne, France) 20, 1
Camille Riu (UE Santboiana) New Cap*
Javier Salazar (CRC Madrid) 31, 54
César Sempere (CRC Madrid) 23, 31
Sergio Souto (Cetransa El Salvador) 31, 43
Matías Tudela (CRC Madrid) 24, 2
Head Coach: Ged Glynn
* Did not travel to Russia
http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2909

For lists of all international rugby tests played by Germany, and by Spain, go to http://www.rugbyinternational.net/