RUGBY TEST MATCH RESULT

26.02.2012
France 23, Scotland 17 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

Briefly
France struggled but finally overcame a gallant (how often has that phrase been used?) Scotland at Murrayfield. The France-Wales match is looming as the ‘Final’ of this competition. You will have to wait until 17 March for that one, the final round of the competition.

TEST RUGBY RESULTS” Saturday 25 February

25.02.2012
Ireland 42, Italy 10 in Dublin (6 Nations)
Wales 19, England 12 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
Georgia 32, Portugal 7 in Tblisi (ENC 1A)
Romania 25, Russia 0 in Sochi (ENC 1A)
Spain 41, Ukraine 6 in Spain (ENC 1A)
Belgium 58, Netherlands 3 in Brussels (ENC 1B)

Briefly
Regret unable to cover any matches this weekend. Too many other commitments.

Wales took out the Triple Crown, Ireland too good for Italy (Where do Italy go from here?). Tomorrow (Sunday) sees France against Scotland. I don’t hold too much hope for the Scots!). Wales v France game on 17 March looks to be the decider from this distance out.

A stronger Georgian side too good for Portugal, Romania defeat Russia in a sea of mud, Spain outplay Ukraine in the cold whilst Belgium looks to be the promotion team from 1B to 1A after crushing Netherlands.

TEST RUGBY THIS WEEKEND: 25-26 February

25.02.2012
Italy v Ireland in Dublin (6 Nations)
Wales v England at Twickenham (6 Nations)
Portugal v Georgia in Tblisi (ENC 1A)
Romania v Russia in Russia (ENC 1A)
Spain v Ukraine in Spain (ENC 1A)

26.02.2012
France v Scotland at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

I regret I cannot preview Saturday’s test matches due to other commitments.

6 NATIONS TEST RUGBY

12.02.2012
Scotland v Wales in Cardiff

Regret I am unable to cover this match due to family commitments

TEST RUGBY RESULTS SATURDAY 11 February

11.02.2012
England 19, Italy 15 in Rome (6 Nations)
Ireland v France in Paris (6 Nations)-Postponed
Spain 25, Georgia 18 in Madrid (ENC 1A)
Russia 33, Portugal 32 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)
Ukraine v Romania in Bucharest (ENC 1A)- Postponed

Briefly
The cold snap that has gripped Europe had an adverse affect on all European rugby. Two scheduled test matches had to be postponed; the 6 Nations clash between Ireland and France in Paris, and earlier in the week the Ukraine-Romania games was postponed, all due to frozen pitches.

The test rugby that did get played provided viewers with some interesting games.

England continued its winning way against Italy but not before the home side made life extremely difficult for the visitors. A win is a win but England were no more convincing in Rome than they were the week before.

Spain caused a minor upset toppling the top team Georgia in Madrid. Georgia may need to rethink their vision of using the ENC as a blooding ground for new players. The needed a few more experienced older hands in Madrid. Anopther loss and Georgia wont hold top place on the points table.

Russia just piped the home side in Lisbon in what has been recorded as a lively, entertaining, and, in the last twenty minutes, thrilling test match.

Tomorrows rugby test at Murrayfield aside, European test rugby now has a break next weekend.

25.02.2012
Italy v Ireland in Dublin (6 Nations)
Wales v England at Twickenham (6 Nations
Portugal v Georgia in Tblisi (ENC 1A)
Romania v Russia in Russia (ENC 1A)
Spain v Ukraine in Spain (ENC 1A)

26.02.2012
France v Scotland at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

6 NATIONS INTERNATIONAL RUGBY TEST: England face Italy

11.02.2012
England v Italy in Rome

Venue: Stadio Olimpico

Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)

Preview
England has kept to the same 22 that struggled against Scotland last weekend. With such a new-look side that is not surprising. It will take several games for this new English side to gel, if they do gel.

Italy has made two changes to their starting lineup. Veteran of 89 tests Marco Bortolami moves into lock replacing Van Zyl, whilst Canale is in for Scgabi. Coming in onto the bench is another veteran, 88 capped Mauro Bergamasco.

Italy will be out to cause another major upset. They defeated France in Rome last year. Can they ambush a rookie English side and grab their first win against England? I think they might just do it!

Last Five Encounters
12.02.2011 England 59-13 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
14.02.2010 England 17-12 in Rome (6 Nations)
07.02.2009 England 36-11 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
10.02.2008 England 23-19 in Rome (6 Nations)
10.02.2007 England 20-7 at Twickenham (6 Nations)

England Last Five
04.02.2012 v Scotland W 13-6 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)
08.10.2011 v France L 12-19 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarter Final)
01.10.2011 v Scotland W 16-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool B)
24.09.2011 v Romania W 67-3 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool B)
18.09.2011 v Georgia W 41-10 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool B)

Italy Last Five
04.02.2012 v France L 12-30 in Paris (6 Nations)
02.10.2011 v Ireland L 6-36 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool C)
27.09.2011 v United States W 27-10 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)
20.09.2011 v Russia W 53-17 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)
11.09.2011 v Australia L 6-32 in Albany (World Cup, Pool C)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-England 8th, Italy 12th
Europe Table-England 2nd, Italy 6th

IRB Ranking Points
England 82.34, Italy 73.99

Prediction: Italy by 4 points

Teams

England

15		Benjamin Foden	Northampton Saints
14		Christopher Ashton	Northampton Saints
13		Bradley Barritt	Saracens
12		Owen Farrell	Saracens
11		David Strettle	Saracens
10		Charles Hodgson	Saracens
9		Benjamin Youngs	Leicester Tigers
8		Phillip Dowson	Northampton Saints
7		Christopher Robshaw (Capt.)	Harlequins
6		Thomas Croft	Leicester Tigers
5		Thomas Palmer	Stade Francais, France
4		Mouritz Botha	Saracens
3		Daniel Cole	Leicester Tigers
2		Dylan Hartley	Northampton Saints
1		Alexander Corbisiero	London Irish
16		Robert Webber	London Wasps
17		Matthew Stevens	Saracens
18		Geoffrey Parling	Leicester Tigers
19		Benjamin Morgan	Llanelly Scarlets, Wales
20		Lee Dickson	Northampton Saints
21		Jordan Turner-Hall	Harlequins
22		Michael Brown	Harlequins
		HEAD COACH: Stuart Lancaster

Italy

15		Andrea Masi	Aironi
14		Giovanbattista Venditti	Aironi
13		Tommaso Benvenuti	Treviso
12		Gonzalo Canale	Clermont Auvergne, France
11		Luke McLean	Treviso
10		Kristopher Burton	Treviso
9		Edoardo Gori	Treviso
8		Sergio Parisse (Capt.)	Stade Francais, France
7		Robert Barbieri	Treviso
6		Alessandro Zanni	Treviso
5		Quintin Geldenhuys	Aironi
4		Marco Bortolami	Aironi
3		Martin Castrogiovanni	Leicester Tigers, England
2		Leonardo Ghiraldini	Treviso
1		Andrea Lo Cicero	Racing Metro, France
16		Tommaso D'Apice	Aironi
17		Lorenzo Cittadini	Treviso
18		Antonio Pavanello	Treviso
19		Mauro Bergamasco	Aironi
20		Fabio Semenzato	Treviso
21		Tobias Botes	Treviso
22		Luca Morisi	Parma
		HEAD COACH: Jacques Brunel

6 NATIONS TEST RUGBY: Ireland Travel to Paris

11.02.2011
Ireland v France in Paris (6 Nations)

Venue: Stade de France

Referee: David Pearson (England)

Preview
Ireland will face a French side that is looking to be the favourite to take out the 2012 6 Nations International Championship. They will also have to contend with a frozen ground and a match played in –6deg temperatures.

Ireland also have history to deal with. Their record in Paris is dismal. Their last win here was in 2000, and before that they last won in 1972!

The only change Ireland has made is that Keith Earls comes in at centre for McFadden to go to the bench.

France has made wholesale changes to the team that defeated Italy comfortably last weekend. Such is the confidence of the new coach that he can afford to rotate his players. The French side loses little with the changes made.

In comes Harinordoquy for Bonnaire, Parra for the injured Yachvilli, Maestri for veteran Nallet, with Szarzewski and Poux in for Servat and Debaty in the front row.

Frozen pitch or not Ireland will have to play the sort of rugby they dished out to Australia at Eden Park way back in September if they are to overcome this French side. I just can’t seem to see that same same passions and fire in the Irish eyes.

Last Five Encounters
20.08.2011 France 26-22 in Dublin (World Cup Warm up)
13.08.2011 France 19-12 in Bordeaux (World Cup Warm up)
13.02.2011 France 25-22 in Dublin (6 Nations)
13.02.2010 France 33-10 in Paris (6 Nations)
07.02.2009 Ireland 31-20 in Dublin (6 Nations)

Ireland last defeated France in Paris in 2000, winning 27-25.

Ireland last Five
05.02.2012 v Wales L 21-23 in Dublin (6 Nations)
08.10.2011 v Wales L 10-22 in Wellington (World Cup, Quarter Final)
02.10.2011 v Italy W 36-6 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool C)
25.09.2011 v Russia W 62-12 in Rotorua (World Cup, Pool C)
17.09.2011 v Australia W 15-6 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool C)

France Last Five
04.02.2012 v Italy W 30-12 in Paris (6 Nations)
23.01.2011 v New Zealand L 7-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Final)
15.10.2011 v Wales W 9-8 in Auckland (World Cup, Semi-Final)
08.10.2011 v England W 19-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarter Final)
01.10.2011 v Tonga L 14-19 in Wellington (World Cup, Pool A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 4th, Ireland 6th
Europe Table-France 1st, Ireland 5th

IRB Ranking Points
France 84.70, Ireland 79.25

Prediction: France by 15 points

Teams

Ireland

15		Rob Kearney	Leinster
14		Tommy Bowe	Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales
13		Keith Earls	Munster
12		Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster
11		Andrew Trimble	Ulster
10		Jonathan Sexton	Leinster
9		Conor Murray	Munster
8		James Heaslip	Leinster
7		Sean O'Brien	Leinster
6		Stephen Ferris	Ulster
5		Paul O'Connell (Capt.)	Munster
4		Donncha O'Callaghan	Munster
3		Michael Ross	Leinster
2		Rory Best	Ulster
1		Cian Healy	Leinster
16		Sean Cronin	Leinster
17		Thomas Court	Ulster
18		Donnacha Ryan	Munster
19		Peter O'Mahony	Munster
20		Eoin Reddan	Leinster
21		Ronan O'Gara	Munster
22		Fergus McFadden	Leinster
		COACH: Declan Kidney

France

15		Maxime Medard	Toulouse
14		Vincent Clerc	Toulouse
13		Aurelien Rougerie	Clermont Auvergne
12		Wesley Fofana	Clermont Auvergne
11		Julien Malzieu	Clermont Auvergne
10		François Trinh-Duc	Montpellier
9		Morgan Parra	Clermont Auvergne
8		Louis Picamoles	Toulouse
7		Imanol Harinordoquy	Biarritz
6		Thierry Dusautoir (Capt.)	Toulouse
5		Yoann Maestri	Toulouse
4		Pascal Pape	Stade Francais
3		Nicolas Mas	Perpignan
2		Dimitri Szarzewski	Stade Francais
1		Jean-Baptiste Poux	Toulouse
16		William Servat	Toulouse
17		Vincent Debaty	Clermont Auvergne
18		Lionel Nallet	Racing Metro
19		Julien Bonnaire	Clermont Auvergne
20		Julian Dupuy	Stade Français
21		Lionel Beauxis	Toulouse
22		Maxime Mermoz	Perpignan
		HEAD COACH: Philippe Saint-Andre