Portugal start Six Nations B with win

Georgia beat Russia

The first shots have been fired in the 2004-05 European Nations Cup, popularly known as the Six Nations B. Champions Portugal beat new-comers Ukraine while Georgia beat their erstwhile bosses in Krasnodar. There were also World Cup Qualifiers in Spain and Croatia.

Portugal won the Six Nations B for the first time last season when they beat Ukraine 36-6. It was a championship much disrupted by bad weather in Eastern Europe, hence the earlier start this season.

Ukraine won promotion at the end of last season, replacing Spain. Like Georgia they were originally a part of the USSR but since 1991 have been playing under their own colours and with increasing succession. Of the 46 FIRA-AER matches they have played they have won 36, drawn one and lost nine.

For the first time ever a rugby match in Ukraine appeared on national television.

Portugal travelled to Odessa, Ukraine's big Black Sea port. They had had two good warm-up matches in South America where they played Chile and Uruguay, winning the former 28-9 and losing the latter 26-3.

The weather was not good, the Ukrainian forwards strong and the Portuguese backs simply too good.

At half-time Portugal led 21-3.

Scorers:

For Portugal
Tries:  Cunha 2, Cunha, Uva, Sousa.
Cons: Tomé 2
Pens: Tomé 3

For Ukraine:
Pens: Storchak 2

Teams:

Portugal: Rui Cordeiro, Joaquim Ferreira, Bernardo Mota, João Correia, Miguel Moura, Marcello D"Orey, Lourenço Andrade, Gonçalo Uva, Vasco Uva, Paulo Murinello, António Cunha, João Uva, Sebastião Cunha, Luis Pissarra, José Pinto, Martim Tomé, Duarte Cardoso Pinto, Diogo Mateus, Frederico Sousa, Pedro Carvalho, Miguel Portela, Filipe Grenho.

Ukraine: Sukhikh, Nikola Kirsanov, Nyunin, Volodimir Koshelya, Vitaliy Salenko, Sergey Kureza, Vitaliy Zadvirniy, Oleg Zalizniy, Valeriy Maksiouk, Andriy Polosenko, Vladimir Cherednichenko, Garkaviy, Yaroslav Pereguda, Vladislav Storchak, Andrey Tishchenko
Replacements: Dmitriy Levichev, Dmytro Krasnoshchek, Dmitriy Fedishin, Titov, Maxim Kravchenko, Igor Donets, Oleg Pereguda

Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)

Georgia scored four tries to Russia's two, which suggests a comfortable victory, especially way from home.

It was windy in Krasnodar and Georgia attacked first. Russia knocked on and right-wing Bessik was on hand to gather and score.

Russia made it 7-5 when their right-wing Iaroslav Rechniov fell on the ball in the Georgian in-goal. Then they went ahead when flyhalf Aleksandr Kazantsev kicked a penalty goal. A try by Lelos' outside centre Tedo Zibzibadze, after the Lelos went through the phases, made it 12-8 to the visitors ate the break.

The Lelos stretched their lead early in the second half with tries by left-wing Irakli Machkhaneli and hooker Goderdzi Shvelidze. This took the score to 24-8 with some ten minutes left. Machkhaneli 's try was a spectacular individual effort as he counterattacked, beating five would-be tacklers to score far out. Shvelidze's try belonged to the forwards' grind.

Russia then got their second try through Kazantsev before replacement Otar Barkalaia, on at fullback for Makho Urjukashvili, kicked a drop goal in the dying minutes.

Scorers:

For Georgia:
Tries: Khamashuridze, Zibzibadze, Machkhaneli, Shvelidze
Cons: Urjukashvili, Kiknadze
Drop: Barkalaia

For Russia:
Tries: Rechniov, Kazantsev
Con: Kazantsev
Pen: Kazantsev

Teams:

Russia: 15 Igor Kliuchnikov, 14 Iaroslav Rechniov, 13 Vladimir Simonov, 12 Denis Akulov, 11 Pavel Novikov, 10 Aleksandr Kazantsev, 9 Viktor Motorin , 8 Aleksei Panasenko, 7 Murat Uambaev, 6 Viacheslav Grachov, 5 Viktor Fedchenko, 4 Rashid Sagdeev, 3 Aleksei Travkin, 2 Roman Romak (captain), 1 Oleg Shukailov.
Replacements: Aleksei Rechniov, Aleksandr Ianiushkin, Aleksei Korobeinikov, Dmitri Loskutov, Kiril Kushnariov, Vladislav Korshunov, Aleksandr Khrokin

Georgia: 15 Makho Urjukashvili, 14 Bessik Khamashuridze, 13 Tedo Zibzibadze, 12 Irakli Guiorgadze, 11 Irakli Machkhaneli, 10 David Kiknadze, 9 Irakli Abusseridze, 8 Besso Udessiani, 7 Zviad Maissuradze, 6 Rati Urushadze, 5 Zurab Mtchedlishvili, 4 Ilia Zedguinidze (captain), 3 David Zerakashvili, 2 Goderdzi Shvelidze, 1 Mamuka Magrakvelidze
Replacements: Niko Tchavtchavadze, David Gasviani, David Bolghashvili, Mamuka Gorgodze, Bidzina Samkharadze, Otar Barkalaia, Lekso Gugava

Referee: Frank Maciello (France)

On a cold and sunny day with some 500 spectators at Stadium Metalac in Sisak, the home side Croatia beat Andorra 18-7 in the second round of European Zone World Cup Qualifier. Croatian scrod two tries to one.

At half-time Croatia led 8-3.

Scorers:

For Croatia:
Tries: Mracevic, Puljiz
Con: Reaetar
Pens: Reaetar 2

For Andorra:
Try: Taurinya
Con: Pons

Teams:

Croatia: 15 Miroslav Mandic, 14 Nenad Mracevic, 13 Tomislav Burazin, 12 Vlado Ursic, 11 Mario Rajcic, 10 Ivan Reaetar, 9 Denis Puljiz, 8 Ivica Letica, 7 Boako Sablic, 6 Vedran Pomper, 5 Luka Marin, 4 Marin Antunovic,  3 Zvonimir Graaic, 2 Jurica Penovic, 1 Aleksandar Slijepcevic.
Replacements: 16 Marijan Slavicek, 17 Goran Culic, 18 Luka Jureako, 19 Ante Babic, 20 Antony Jujnovic, 21 Kreao Slavicek, 22 Vedran Antic.

Andiorra: 15 Josep Magallon, 14 Maxime Taurinya, 13 Roger Fite, 12 Esteve Perez, 11 Roger Tomas, 10 Cristia Pons, 9 Josep Pou, 8 Pau Alieu, 7 Thomas Kampfraat, 6 Antoni Carmona, 5 David Kirikashvili, 4 Roger Font,  3 Ramiro Iglesias, 2 Iosif Tchelidtze, 1 Josep Castellon.
Replacements: 16 Oscar Cabanes, 17 Xavier Vilasetru, 18 Lluis Soldevila, 19 Jonathan Garcia, 20 Ivan Gomez, 21 Eduardo Vergara, 22 Marc Gispert.

Referee: Bernd Gabbei (Germany)

In their second round match of the European qualifiers, Spain trounced Hungary 63-9 at Central de la Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid. There were some five thousand spectators. Spain were too good in all departments for the visitors.

At half-time Spain led 31-6. In all they scored eight tries to none.

Eleven of the Spanish side were new caps - Cidre Mathieu, Vicente Lázaro, Igor Isasi, Esteban Roqué, Julien Castello, César Sempere, Leonardo Pereira, Nicolás Tisane, Facundo Lavino, David Mota and Igor de la Sota.

Spain next play Andorra in Bursary in Andorra La Vella.

Scorers:

For Spain:
Tries: Igor de la Sota Chalbaud, César Sempere Padilla 3, Julien Castello , Iván Criado Garrachana 2, Pablo Feijoo Ugalde
Cons: Esteban Roqué Segovia 4
Pens: Esteban Roqué Segovia 5

For Hungary
Pens: Matthew Holzl 3

Teams:

Spain: 15 César Sempere Padilla, 14 Ignacio Martín Goneaga, 13 Ferrán Velazco Quirol, 12 Jaime Nava Olano, 11 Julien Castello, 10 Esteban Roqué Segovia, 9 Pablojoo Ugalde Fei, 8 Iván Criado Garrachana, 7 Juan González Goicoechea, 6 Carlos Souto Vidal, 5 Rafael Camacho Bilbao, 4 Igor Isasi Alzola,  3 Vicent Lázaro Alcaide, 2 Cidre Mathieu, 1 César Caballero San José.
Replacements: 16 Diego Zarzosa Peña, 17 Manuel Serrano, 18 Leonardo Pereira, 19 Nicolás Tisane, 20 Facundo Lavino, 21 David Mota, 22 Igor de la Sota.

Andorra: 15 Matthew Holzl, 14 Howard Kenny, 13 Tamás Molnár, 12 Tamás Ödor, 11 István Varga, 10 Gábor Biró, 9 Tamás Pfeiffer, 8 László Szölösi, 7 Károly Suiogán, 6 James Donaldson, 5 Mark Welsh, 4 Balázs Ákos Vinko,  3 Richárd Szabó, 2 Zoltán Heckel, 1 István Tóth.
Replacements: 16 István Juhász, 17 Sándor Lakatos, 18 Viktor Madarász, 19 Szabó Zsolt Jéga, 20 Tibor Pásztor, 21 Szabolcs Nagy, 22 Géza Kendi .

Referee: Manuel Barros (Portugal)