EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP: 1A Iberian Derby

10.03.2012
Spain v Portugal in Coimbra (ENC 1A)

Venue: Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição
Thanks to ‘Mestre’ https://picasaweb.google.com/102410180165705643597/EstadioSergioConceicao#

Referee: Claudio Passacantando (Italy)

Preview

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	7	6	0	1	208	67	141	2	1	27
ROMANIA	7	5	0	2	206	76	130	3	2	25
SPAIN	7	4	0	3	156	199	-53	2	1	19
PORTUGAL	8	3	0	5	159	168	-9	2	2	16
RUSSIA	7	3	0	4	133	155	-22	1	2	14
UKRAINE	6	0	0	6	67	266	-199	0	0	0

Spain and Portugal, fierce Iberian rivals, are placed in the middle of the ENC Division 1A table. Realistically it would be a major surprise if they could overhaul Georgia and Romania the competition leaders.

Over the last five encounters honours have been fairly even. Recent form would indicate Spain has a slight edge with a win over Georgia whereas Portugal lost to Georgia. Portugal has the home advantage.

Both sides have lost key players. Spain are missing scrum half Rouet and loose forward Visensang, whilst Portugal has lost loose forward Julian Bardy to injury.

Portugal has placed in the field by far a more experienced unit but Spain has eleven players playing in France whilst the Portuguese have only five.

Last Five Encounters
12.03.2011 Spain 25-10 in Madrid (ENC 1A)
13.03.2010 Portugal 33-15 in Madrid (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
15.03.2009 Portugal 24-19 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
10.05.2008 Spain 21-17 in Madrid (ENC 1)
02.03.2007 Portugal 21-18 in Lisbon (ENC 1)

Spain Last Five
25.02.2012 v Ukraine W 41-6 in Alushta (ENC 1A)
11.02.2012 v Georgia W 25-18 in Madrid (ENC 1A)
19.11.2011 v Uruguay W 16-13 in Madrid
19.03.2011 v Romania L 8-64 in Bucharest (ENC 1A)
12.03.2011 v Portugal W 25-10 in Madrid (ENC 1A)

Portugal Last Five
25.02.2012 v Georgia L 7-22 in Tblisi (ENC 1A)
11.02.2012 v Russia L 32-33 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)
04.02.2012 v Romania L 7-15 in Bucharest (ENC 1A)
13.11.2011 v Uruguay L 9-16 in Lisbon
15.06.2011 v Namibia L 23-29 in Bucharest (IRB Nations Cup)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: Spain 16th, Portugal 23rd
Europe Table-Spain 7th, Portugal 11th

IRB Ranking Points
Spain 62.72, Portugal 57.91

Prediction
Portugal are always a handful at home and are yet to recapture the form of a few seasons ago. Spain by 7 points

Teams

Portugal

15		Pedro Leal	Nice, France
14		Goncalo Foro	CD University Lisboa
13		Carl Murray	CD University Lisboa
12		Francisco Appleton	CD University Lisboa
11		Gonçalo Foro	CD University Lisboa
10		Yannick Ricardo	Castanet, France
9		Francisco Pinto Magalhães	CD University Lisboa
8		Juan Severino	Santboiana, Spain
7		Vasco Uva	GD Direito
6		Rui D’Orey	GD Direito
5		Gonçalo Uva (Capt.)	GD Direito
4		David Penalva	Montauban, France
3		Jorge Segurado	GD Direito
2		Michael Tadjer	Massy, France
1		Juan Murre	St.Etienne, France
16		Vasco Marques	CD Universitário do Porto
17		José Leal da Costa	AEISAgronomia
18		David dos Reis	Nimes, France
19		Luis Sousa	GD Direito
20		Lourenço Kadosh	AEISAgronomia
21		José Lima	AEISAgronomia
22		António Aguilar	GD Direito
		COACH: Steve McDowell

Spain

15		Mathieu Peluchon	Auch, France
14		Sergi Aubanell	Clermont Auvergne, France
13		Carlos Blanco	Iveco Vigo
12		Pierre Emmanuel García	Castres Olympique, France
11		Pierre Belzunce	Colomiers, France
10		César Sempre	Northampton Saints, England
9		Adrien Ayestaran	Perigueux, France
8		Gauthier Gibouin	Perigueux, France
7		Mathieu Roca	Stade Aurillacois, France
6		Sergio Guerrero	UE Santboiana
5		Jesús Recuerda	Lille, France
4		Thomas Parker	Ampo Ordizia
3		Jesús Moreno	Limoges, France
2		Beñat Auzqui	Tyrosse, France
1		Anthony Pradalie	Perigueux, France
16		Jonathan Phipps	CR La Vila
17		Jon Insausti	St Jean de Luz, France
18		Joseph Hutchinson	CR La Vila
19		Craig Lyons	UE Santboiana
20		Mickael López	US Dax, France
21		David Barrera	Stade Montois, France
22		Ryan Le Roux	UE Santboiana
		COACH: Regis Sonnes