EUROPEAN NATIONS RUGBY TEST MATCH: Division 1B

12.11.2011
Netherlands v Germany in Hannover (ENC 1B)

Venue: Rudolf-Kalweit-Stadion

Referee: Murinello (Portugal)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
BELGIUM	6	5	0	1	178	88	90	2	1	23
MOLDOVA	5	4	0	1	115	91	24	2	0	18
POLAND	6	4	0	2	142	125	17	0	1	17
CZECH R.	7	3	0	4	115	175	-59	0	1	13
GERMANY	5	1	0	4	109	117	-8	0	3	7
NETH.	5	0	0	5	74	138	-64	0	1	1

Preview
This is the first of two test matches in European Nations Cup Division 1B.

The importance of this match is simply that if Netherlands lose they will almost certainly be relegated back to ENC 2A for 2012-14. They have been using only home-based players as policy. Has that worked? Perhaps time will tell.

Germany’s relegation from the top level of ENC can only be described as disastrous. Only the Netherlands stands between them and further relegation.

This is the first game of the season for both teams.

Last Five Encounters
27.11.2010 Germany 29-10 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)
26.04.2008 Germany 27-17 in Amsterdam (ENC 2A)
28.04.2007 Germany 21-12 in Hannover (ENC 2A)
10.04.2004 Netherlands 14-13 in Amsterdam (ENC 2A)
09.03.2003 Germany 15-3 in Hannover (ENC 2A)

These two teams have a long history of rugby tests. The first official test was in 1933, Germany winning 23-0 in Dusseldorf.

Netherlands Last Five
30.04.2011 v Moldova L 15-22 in Chisinau (ENC 1B)
23.04.2011 v Belgium L 18-30 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)
16.04.2011 v Poland L 18-32 in Cracovie (ENC 1B)
27.11.2010 v Germany L 10-29 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)
20.11.2010 v Czech Republic L 13-25 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)

Netherlands has lost its last 6 test matches in a row. They have not won a game since promotion to ENC 1B in April 2010. There last win was v Malta (19-0) in April 2010.

Germany Last Five
02.04.2011 v Moldova L 15-28 in Chisinau (ENC 1B)
19.03.2011 v Belgium L 25-28 in Brussels (ENC 1B)
12.03.2011 v Czech Republic L 23-29 in Heidelberg (ENC 1B)
11.12.2010 v Hong Kong W 34-13 in Heidelberg (Friendly)
27.11.2010 v Netherlands W 29-10 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Germany 15th, Netherlands 22nd

IRB Ranking Points
Germany 51.83, Netherlands 47.71

Prediction: Germany by 15

Teams

Germany
15 Mustafa Güngör (TV Pforzheim)-33 tests
14 Matthieu Franke (RC Orléans, France)-12
13 Olivier Galli (RC Orléans, France)-New cap
12 Pieter Jordaan (Heidelberger RK)-2
11 Bastian Himmer (RG Heidelberg)-2
10 Raynor Parkinson (RC Hilversum)-New cap
9 Sean Armstrong (Heidelberger RK)-New cap
8 Robert May (TSV Handschuhsheim)-New cap
7 Kehoma Brenner (Heidelberger RK)-18
6 Timothy Kasten (Heidelberger RK)-26
5 Daniel Armitage (Heidelberger RK)-3
4 Callum Sauer (TV Pforzheim)-New cap
3 Stéphane Kohler (CA Lannemezan)-New cap
2 Alexander Widiker, Capt. (Heidelberger RK)-42
1 Arthur Zeiler (Heidelberger RK)-4
Replacements:
Mika Tyumenev (Mont de Marsan, France)-New cap
Guillaume Kasdorf (AS Lavaur, France)-New cap
Benjamin Krause (Hannover 78)-Last played 2009-10-18 tests
Benjamin Danso (Heidelberger RK)-Last played 2008-09-11 tests
Alexander Hauck (SC Frankfurt 1880)-10
Timothy Menzel (TSV Handschuhsheim)-6
Rafael Pyrasch (Heidelberger RK)-8

Adapted from http://www.totalrugby.de/content/view/4775/37/

Data from www.rugbyinternational.net

Netherlands squad not available