EUROPEAN TEST RUGBY: Viking Cup

08.09.2012
Norway v Denmark in London (Viking Cup)

Venue: Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club grounds

Referee:

Preview
The organisers of this tournament moved this rugby test match to a neutral venue in London. In what is seen as an innovative move the organisers felt that the venue would give European rugby more publicity.

This is the first European rugby test match of the 2012-13 season. Norway and Denmark play a preliminary match in the contest. The winner will go on to play the final against Sweden, the Cup holders, in Sweden later this month.

The tournament will be used as a warm up for the 2012-14 European Nations Cup fixtures which begin next month.

Denmark finished second in ENC 2C behind Israel. Both were promoted to ENC 2B.Slovenia forfeited their playoff game against Denmark. The other teams in ENC 2B, apart from Israel, are Latvia (relegated from ENC 2A), Andorra and Serbia.

Regular Danish captain Jesper G.Jensen is out with injury. The match day 22 contains three new test caps.

Norway finished last in ENC 2B and were relegated to ENC 2C for 2012-14. Their aim will be to, in two seasons, work their way back into 2B.

For this fixture Denmark are the obvious favourites.

Last Five Encounters
15.10.2011 Denmark 28-5 in Odense (ENC 2C; Viking Cup)
16.10.2010 Drawn 14-14 in Oslo (ENC 2C)
17.09.2009 Norway 15-8 in Oslo (ENC 3B; Viking Cup)
11.04.2009 Denmark 20-18 in Odense (WCQ Euro. R1; ENC 3B)
24.10.1998 Denmark 45-7 in Aalborg (Friendly)

Denmark Last Five
21.04.2012 v Austria W 28-22 in Odense (ENC 2C)
29.10.2011 v Hungary W 21-13 in Kecskemet (ENC 2C)
15.10.2011 v Norway W 28-5 in Odense (ENC 2C; Viking Tri-Nations)
14.05.2011 v Austria L 16-23 in Odense (ENC 2C)
09.04.2011 v Sweden L 15-55 in Stockholm (Viking Tri-Nations)

Norway Last Five
19.05.2012 v Hungary L 14-28 in Oslo (ENC 2C)
05.05.2012 v Austria W 11-5 in Bergen (ENC 2C)
29.10.2011 v Israel L 11-22 in Netanya (ENC 2C)
15.10.2011 v Denmark L 4-28 in Odense (ENC 2c; Viking Tri Nations)
03.09.2011 v Sweden L 7-18 in Bergin (Viking Tri Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Denmark 27th, Norway 33rd

IRB Ranking Points
Denmark 41.75, Norway 34.55

Prediction: Denmark by 13 points.

TEAMS

Denmark

15		Joshua Jensen	CSR-Nanok RK
14		Sebastian Hurst	Letchworth RFC, England
13		Andreas Robertson	Nottingham Trent Univ., England
12		Sebastian Barrett	Ebbw Vale RFC, Wales
11		Oliver Le Roux	RK Speed
10		Sylvester Michaelsen	CSR-Nanok RK
9		Mikkel S. Jensen	Aarhus RK
8		Johannes Soussan	CSR-Nanok RK
7		Christian Fløjgaard *	CSR-Nanok RK
6		Gaspard Nau Valbak	VGA Saint Maur, France
5		Johannes Mackeprang	RK Speed
4		Kristian Riberholdt	Holstebro RK
3		Michael Friis Larsen	Aalborg RK
2		Rasmus Dufke	CSR-Nanok RK
1		Sean Maher *	Towcester RFC, England
16		Kasper Vad Pedersen	Aarhus RK
17		Matias Dinesen	Frederiksberg RK
18		Niels B. W. Godtfredsen	Aarhus RK
19		Jannick Larsen	Erritsø RK
20		James Rosenfeldt	CSR-Nanok RK
21		Christian Melgaard *	Erritsø RK
22		Thomas Graagaard	Holstebro RK
		HEAD COACH: Ivan Anderson

http://www.rugby.dk/nyheder/landshold/91111594-vtn-de-danske-vikinger-i-london

Norway Squad

Front Row:
Even Ellingsen - (Blindern RK)
Aleksansder Rønning - (Fredrikstad RK)
Joe Bula - (Gloppen Bushmen RK)
Andreas Fyri - (Oslo RK)
Erlend Meldalen - (Blindern RK)
Levan Abramashvili - (Stavanger RK)

Second row and loose forwards:
Axel Wilhelsen - (Bergen RK)
Kim Robin Pettersen - (Horten RK)
Shelton Davis - (Tønsberg RK)
Markus Sourlas - (Bergen RK)
Eirik Salvesen Lie - (Bergen RK)
Pascal Raclin - (Oslo RK)
Nick Sæby - (Stavanger RK)

Half backs:
Thierry Davy - (Blindern RK)
Tommy Kjønniksen - (Fredrikstad RK)
Andre Slaatta - (Bergen RK)
Simmen Hammer Eriksen - (Horten RK)

Centers:
Kristoffer Borsheim - (Stavanger RK)
Finn Gormley - (Galway Corinthians RFC)
Fredrik Skovly - (Oslo RK)
Andre Van Niekirk - (Bergen RK)

Full backs:
Kristian Elgheim - (University of York)
Alex Deisner - (Stavanger RK)

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4127