GEORGIA v ROMANIA World Cup Qualifier Europe R5 ENC 1A Antim Cup

16.03.2013

Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest

Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	4	4	0	0	126	48	74	1	0	17
ROMANIA	4	4	0	0	105	56	49	1	0	17
RUSSIA	4	2	0	2	67	84	-17	1	0	5
PORTUGAL	4	1	0	3	66	87	-21	0	1	5
BELGIUM	4	0	1	3	64	88	-28	0	1	4
SPAIN	4	0	1	3	63	120	-57	0	1	3

Preview
This is the second feature rugby test match of the weekend. What a mouth-watering clash this has turned out to be. Right from the start of this competition the encounter between these two giants of European continental rugby was eagerly awaited. Both teams remain undefeated and both are starting to play some good rugby.There is not a lot between them, with Romania enjoying the home advantage.

‘Some statistics from an article on frr.ro:
- Romania-Georgia is a very balanced encounter, with each team winning 8 of the 16 direct matches played so far
- the first match was played in Dublin in 1998 and Romania won after a hard fight 27-23. It is interesting that one of the players from that game could have been on the field this weekend: Alex Manta, who is still playing at a high level in Pro D2 despite his age (Manta started for Lyon last weekend and scored a try).
- the last match was in Bucharest last year and Georgia won after another hard fight 19-13 with two red cards and the result in doubt until the very end
- biggest Romanian win: 35-10 (Bucharest, 2006)
- biggest Georgian win: 25-9 (RWC 2011)
- Antim Cup wins (established in 2002): 6 for Georgia, 5 for Romania’
Thanks to ‘Dragos03’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4273&start=0

Last Five Encounters
10.03.2012 Georgia 19-13 in Bucharest (ENC 1A; Antim Cup)
28.09.2011 Georgia 25-6 in Palmerston North (World Cup, Pool B)
12.03.2011 Georgia 18-11 in Tblisi (ENC 1A, Antim Cup)
13.03.2010 Romania 22-10 in Bucharest (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1; Antim Cup)
14.03.2009 Georgia 28-13 in Tblisi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1: Antim Cup)

Georgia Last Five P 5, W 4, L 1
09.03.2013 v Spain W 61-18 in Tblisi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
23.02.2013 v Russia W 23-9 in Sochi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
09.02.2013 v Portugal W 25-12 in Tblisi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
02.02.2013 v Belgium W 17-13 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
24.11.2012 v Fiji in Tblisi L 19-24

Romania Last Five P 5, W 4, L 1
09.03.2013 v Belgium W 32-14 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
23.02.2013 v Spain W 25-15 in Gijon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
09.02.2013 v Russia W 29-14 in Bucharest (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
02.02.2013 v Portugal W 19-13 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
24.11.2012 v United States L 3-34 in Bucharest

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: Romania 16th, Georgia 17th
Europe Table: Georgia 7th, Romania 8th

IRB Ranking Points
Georgia 67.51, Romania 65.97

Prediction: A very tough, close match. Georgia by 2 points

TEAMS

Romania
1.Mihăiţă Lazăr, 2.Andrei Rădoi, 3.Paulică Ion, 4.Valentin Ursache, 5.Marius Sârbe, 6.Viorel Lucaci, 7.Mihai Macovei(cpt), 8.Daniel Carpo, 9.Florin Surugiu, 10.Ionuţ Dimofte, 11.Adrian Matei, 12.Florin Vlaicu, 13.Robert Dascălu, 14.Adrian Apostol, 15.Cătălin Fercu
Rezerve: 16.Andrei Ursache, 17.Eugen Căpăţână, 18.Horaţiu Pungea, 19.Alin Coste, 20.Alexandru Mitu, 21.Ciprian Căplescu, 22.Csaba Gal, 23.Ionuţ Niacşu
Head Coach:

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4273&start=15

Georgia
15 Lasha KHMALADZE *FH
14 Irakli MACHKHANELI^Capt *LW
13 Tedo ZIBZIBADZE
12 Merab SHARIKADZE
11 Tamaz MTCHEDLIDZE *RW
10 Merab KVIRIKASHVILI *FB
9 George BEGADZE
1 Vassil KAKOVINI
2 Jaba BREGVADZE
3 David ZIRAKASHVILI
4 George CHKHAIDZE
5 Kote MIKAUTADZE
6 Vito KOLELISHVILI
7 Mamuka GORGODZE
8 Dimitri BASSILAIA
23 Beka TSIKLAURI
22 David KATCHARAVA
21 Vazha KHUTSISHVILI
16 Irakli NATRIASHVILI
17 Zurab ZHVANIA
18 David KUBRIASHVILI
19 Levan DATUNASHVILI
20 Shalva SUTIASHVILI

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4273&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15