TEST RUGBY RESULT: Cyprus 70, Finland 10

Briefly
Cyprus too good for the visiting Finnish side.

Footage from YouTube.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
CYPRUS	3	3	0	0	158	31	127	3	0	15
BULGARIA	3	2	0	1	51	85	-34	0	0	8
LUXEMB.	2	1	0	1	26	28	-2	0	1	5
FINLAND	2	0	0	2	20	88	-68	0	1	1
GREECE	2	0	0	2	35	58	-23	0	1	1

Remaining matches
02.04.2011 Luxembourg v Greece in Athens
07.05.2011 Cyprus v Luxembourg in Luxembourg
14.05.2011 Finland v Bulgaria in Pernik
11.06.2011 Greece v Finland in Helsinki

TEST RUGBY: Finland Travels To Cyprus

26.03.2011
Finland v Cyprus in Pahos (ENC 2D)

Venue: Pafiako Stadium

Referee: A.Cabral (Israel)

Cyprus winning 15-0 v Bosnia Herzegovina, this time last year, and promotion to the new ENC 2D. Plus motivation music.

Preview
Cyprus’ run of wins was extended to eight when they defeated Bulgaria last month. Since their first rugby test match back in 2007, Cyrpus has lost only one of their thirteen test encounters, to Israel 14-23 in a 3C/3D playoff.

Finland has the disadvantage of the away fixture but also not having played as a team since last October. I can’t see them getting anywhere near Cyprus on present form.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
CYPRUS	2	2	0	0	88	21	67	2	0	10
BULGARIA	3	2	0	1	51	85	-34	0	0	8
LUXEMB.	2	1	0	1	26	28	-2	0	1	5
FINLAND	1	0	0	1	10	18	-8	0	1	1
GREECE	2	0	0	2	35	58	-23	0	1	1

Last Five Encounters
This is the first time these two teams have met

Finland Last Five
09.10.2010 v Luxembourg L 10-18 in Helsinki (ENC 2D)
02.10.2010 v Estonia W 55-5 in Helsinki (Friendly)
12.06.2010 v Israel L 6-13 in Helsinki (ENC 3C)
22.05.2010 v Estonia W 22-15 in Viimsi (Friendly)
27.02.2010 v Greece L 10-31 in Patras (ENC 3C)

Cyprus Last Five
12.03.2011 v Bulgaria W 55-8 in Paphos (ENC 2D)
20.11.2010 v Greece W 33-13 in Athens (ENC 2D)
27.03.2010 v Bosnia Herzegovina W 15-0 in Paphos (ENC 3D)
06.03.2010 v Azerbaijan W 59-0 in Paphos (ENC 3D)
14.11.2009 v Monaco W 44-5 in Menton (ENC 3D)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Cyprus 34th, Finland 38th
IRB Rankings do not apply

Prediction: Cyprus by 58 points

Teams

Finland Squad

Forwards:
Marc-Olivier Meunier
Juha Rainvuori (Helsinki Warriors)
Riku Ryynänen (Helsinki Warriors)
Semu Salmivalli (Turku Eagles)
Aaro Katainen
Ari Tikkanen (Jyväskylä Rugby Club)
Jaakko Vilen (Helsinki Warriors)
Stephen Whittaker (Helsinki Rugby Club)
Stuart Reynish (Helsinki Warriors)
Ville Siiskonen (Helsinki Rugby Club)
Mauno Konttila (Tampere Rugby Club)
Jussi Keskinen (Helsinki Warriors)
Olli-Pekka Tuomaala (Vaasa Wolves)

Backs:
Mikko Järvi
Petri Pallari (Helsinki Rugby Club)
Crispin Mäenpää (Tampere Rugby Club)
Joakim Grader
Lasse Sariola (Helsinki Warriors)
Thomas Finell, Capt. (Helsinki Warriors)
Antti Lammi (Jyväskylä Rugby Club)
Ilkka Tuomaala (Turku Eagles)

New Caps( if I read this correctly) Juuso Sirénille and Aaro Kataiselle

Head Coach: Alan Hine

Adapted from http://www.rugby.fi/fi/squad-announced-mens-national-team-face-cyprus

Cyprus squad not available

TEST RUGBY RESULTS: 19 March 2011

19.03.2011
Ireland 24, England 8 in Dublin (6 Nations)
France 28, Wales 9 in Paris (6 Nations)
Scotland 21, Italy 8 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

6 Nations Championship: Final Points Table
Winner-England

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	PT
ENGLAND	5	4	0	1	132	81	51	8
FRANCE	5	3	0	2	117	91	26	6
IRELAND	5	3	0	2	93	81	12	6
WALES	5	3	0	2	95	89	6	6
SCOTLAND	5	1	0	4	82	111	-29	2
ITALY	5	1	0	4	70	117	-47	2

Briefly
Ireland really spoiled England’s day with a fantastic 24-8 drubbing of the team that was eventually expected to take the ‘Grand Slam’. This was Ireland’s best performance for the season to date. For England, well, they didn’t take their opportunities, the goal kicking let them down and the Irish pack were better on the day. On todays results the Northern Hemisphere still do not have a team that looks like they will consistently challenge, Argentina perhaps apart, any of the Southern Hemisphere super powers of rugby; Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Of the above lot England and France (both on a good day) look the most threatening.

France proved correct the theory that they do not play two poor games in a row. Wales found that out in Paris going down 9-28 slumping from 2nd to 4th on the points table as a result and spoiling what was looking like a promising record.

Scotland spoiled Italy’s day by handing them the ‘Wooden Spoon’ for the tournament. Sadly Italy could not rise to the occasion.

Georgia 15, Russia 9 in Sotchi (ENC 1A)
Romania 64, Spain 8 in Bucharest (ENC 1A)
Portugal 46, Ukraine 24 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)

No date given for Ukraine-Romania test yet to be played.

European Nations Cup Division 1A Point Table
Winner-Georgia

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	5	5	0	0	168	35	133	2	0	22
PORTUGAL	5	3	0	2	113	98	15	1	1	14
ROMANIA	4	2	0	2	125	53	72	2	2	12
RUSSIA	5	2	0	3	100	98	2	1	2	11
SPAIN	5	2	0	3	90	175	-85	1	1	10
UKRAINE	4	0	0	4	45	184	-139	0	0	0

Briefly
Georgia overcame all sorts of difficulties to defeat Russia 15-9 in Sotchi, the first time in two years this game has not been played on neutral soil. Romania overwhelmed Spain 64-8 and with a game in hand (if it is to be played) should be placed second in the competition. Spain paid the price for sending a below strength side to Bucharest. Portugal defeated the Ukraine as expected. The surprise was the the Ukraine scored more points in the match than in all their other games in the competition.

 
Images from Georgia v Russia. Special thanks to  Ms Tamar Qulumbegashvili http://msy.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=156&album_id=359&info_id=#seegal
(via ‘FLIDTA RISXVA’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3731&start=90 )

And some video footage, all in Georgian, but I’m sure you’ll get the general idea,
Georgians are super happy!

‘Excelent day to play rugby, it was a pitty some of the portuguese players decided to begin hollydays sooner...
Ukraine:
Good spirit, phisically strong, but technicaly weak...
They tried to play a simple game, but some basic skills were missing...
Portugal:
Not better than in Madrid, but the opposition was much weaker.
One good move (1st try second half by n.15 Pedro Leal) and not much more.
Very poor in defense - and that was a surprise to me has they did a good job against Romania and Georgia.
I am not sure, but after 47 years of rugby at all levels, it seems to me that something is happening in doors...There is no justification for the difference in attitude from the three first games and the remaining two.
Joe Gardener missed 4 in 5 kicks to goal confirming his bad moment, and he was lucky for not being under pressure this time.
Lineout was a misery, scrum was allright until substitutions come at mid second time.
Portugal made 9 substitutions - one for the yellow card to prop n.17, number 3 come back from the bench for n.14, and another for medical reasons n.3 come back again for n.1
I believe in gamesheet its missing at 10 minutes second half 14 by 3, you only see when 3 went out again, at 20 minutes.
At the end of the day, Fernando Almeida has played, not Tiago Girão, and the speaker at the stadium said n.13 would be Frederico Oliveira, but that is wrong and Pedro Silva had the shirt.
António Aguilar, Vasco Uva, José Pinto e Pedro Leal were the best portuguese players and I was quite impressed with Ukraine n.4, 16 cm higher than Gonçalo Uva...
Ukraine has a lot of room to get better, and Portugal a lot of problems to solve...’

From ‘mestre’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3734

FIRA-AER European Nations Cup, Division 1B Results

Belgium 28, Germany 25 in Brussels/Vise (ENC 1B)
Moldova 24, Czech Republic 16 in Chisinau (ENC 1B)

Briefly
The topsy-turvy nature of the ENC at this level was shown again as Moldova upset Czech Republic. Germany again slumped but are picking up bonus points for losing by 7 or less and this may well count next season when we get down to the promotion-relegation end of the competition.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
BELGIUM	4	3	0	1	93	70	23	0	1	13
CZECH R.	5	3	0	2	102	99	3	0	1	13
MOLDOVA	3	2	0	1	65	61	4	1	0	9
POLAND	4	2	0	2	90	94	-4	0	1	9
GERMANY	5	1	0	4	115	117	-2	0	4	8
NETH.	2	0	0	2	23	54	-31	0	0	0

Games still to play

02.04.2011 Germany-Moldova in Chisinau
16.04.2011 Netherlands-Poland in Cracovie
23.04.2011 Belgium-Netherlands in Amsterdam
30.04.2011 Netherlands-Moldova in Chisinau

FIRA-AER European Nations Cup, Division 2B Result
Switzerland 21, Andorra 9 in Nyon

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
ANDORRA	4	2	0	2	85	68	17	1	1	10
SWITZ.	3	2	0	1	66	54	11	0	1	9
ARMENIA	2	1	0	1	52	42	10	0	1	5
SLOVENIA	2	1	0	1	40	25	15	0	0	4
SERBIA	3	1	0	2	46	90	-44	0	0	4

Realistically, this result puts Andorra out of the competition. Switzerland, Armenia and Slovenia should provide the first round winner

Games Still To Play
30.04.2011 Switzerland-Slovenia in Ljubliana
07.05.2011 Armenia-Serbia in Belgrade
01.06.2011 Slovenia-Armenia in Abovian