Georgia top the table

All eyes were on the Romania- Portugal match, and in came Georgia with a massive win over the Czech Republic to snatch the lead from under their noses.

Portugal are the titleholders Romania the most frequent winner. Georgia were lying third.

Romania and Portugal slugged it out in Bucharest and Romania won 14-10, enough to take them level on 13 match points with Portugal but better off than Portugal because of a superior points' difference. Then up rose the Lelos.

When the weekend started Portugal has 12 match points and a positive points' difference of 42 points. Romania had 10 match points and a positive points' difference of 127 points. Georgia had 10 match [points and a points' difference of 80 points.

Romania and Georgia were better off because they had beaten the Ukraine by more.

Romania had lost to Georgia who in turn had lost to Portugal. Portugal were unbeaten and needed only to draw with Romania to win the championship. They lost and moved to 13 points. Romania won and moved to 13 points with a points' difference of 141 in their favour.

The Lelos rolled ahead in Tbilissi and lathered the Czech Republic 75-10, taking their points' difference to 145, four more than Romania.

At the other end of the table Ukraine were smashed, losing by an average of 60 points per match. Their best performance was their first when Portugal, the reigning champions, beat them 36-6.

This means that Ukrine have a mountain tlo climb to avoid relegation at the end of next season while the top three are locked in deadly battle for the championship.

The final standing is:
 
1 Georgia 13 points (+145)
2 Romania 13 (+141)
3 Portugal 13 (+38)
4 Rep Czech 9 (+11)
5 Russia 7 (+31)
6 Ukraine (-301)

Results:

Portugal vs Ukraine, 36-6 in Odessa
Georgia vs Russia, 27-15 in Krasnodar
Romania vs Czech Republic, 38-14 in Prague
Portugal vs Georgia, 18-14 in Lisbon
Portugal vs Czech Republic, 19-13 in Lisbon
Romania vs Russia, 33-10 in Timisoara
Georgia vs Ukraine, 65-0 in Tbilissi
Czech Republic vs Ukraine, 42-5 in Prague
Georgia vs Romania, 20-13 in Tibilisi
Czech Republic vs Russia, 11-7 in Prague
Romania vs Ukraine, 97-0 in Bucharest
Portugal vs Russia, 18-16 in Krasnoyarsk
Russia vs Ukraine, 72-10 in Moscow
Georgia vs Czech Republic, 75-10 in Tbilissi
Romania vs Portugal, 14-10 in Bucharest