2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference
| 2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 14 October 2017 – 26 May 2017 | ||
| Countries | 20 | ||
| Tournament statistics | |||
| Champions |  Lithuania (1st title) | ||
| Matches played | 40 | ||
| Attendance | 29,325 (733 per match) | ||
| Tries scored | 284 (7.1 per match) | ||
| Top point scorer(s) | Conference 1  James O'Brien (49) Conference 2  Cassius Deschamps (59) | ||
| Top try scorer(s) | Conference 1 James Kirk (5) Luke Watts (5) Conference 2  Gauthier Bares (5)  Igor Dejanović (5) Christian Melgaard (5) | ||
| Official website | Rugby International Championship | ||
| |||
The 2017–18 Rugby Europe Conference is the third-level rugby union competition below the premier Championship and Trophy competitions. It is the second Conference under its new format. After Czech Republic was promoted to the Trophy and Ukraine relegated at the end of the 2016–17 season, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Sweden and Ukraine compete for the Conference 1 title. While after the relegation of Turkey and the promotion of Slovakia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia will compete for the Conference 2 title.
The winners of Conference 1 North and South will play an additional match, a Conference 1-Trophy Promotion play-off for the right to play the 2018–19 Rugby Europe Trophy. While the bottom placed teams of Conference 1 North and South will be relegated to Conference 2 for the following season, replacing the North and South winners of Conference 2. The bottom placed team with the worse overall record will be relegated and participate in the 2019 Rugby Europe Development season.
The competition saw Alhambra Nievas and Joy Neville become the first and second women referees to take charge of men's fifteen–a–side internationals. On 14 October 2017 Nievas refereed the match between Finland and Norway. On 28 October 2017 Neville refereed the match between Norway and Denmark.[1][2][3][4][5]
Conference 1
[edit]North
[edit]Table
[edit]| Champions and advances to Promotion play-off |
| Relegated |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Try BP |
Losing BP |
Grand Slam BP |
Table points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Lithuania |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 127 | 78 | +49 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |  Ukraine |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 92 | 63 | +29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 |  Sweden |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 92 | 109 | −17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Hungary |
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 60 | 72 | −12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |  Latvia |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 72 | 121 | −49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
[edit]| 14 October 2017 | Sweden
|
12–10 | Hungary
|
Bollspelaren, Norrköping | ||
| 15:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Match Report | Attendance: 650 Referee: Philippe Lenne (Belgium) |
| 21 October 2017 | Hungary
|
6–12 | Latvia
|
Frankarénában, Esztergom | ||
| 12:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Match Report Gamesheet | Attendance: 300 Referee: Tomás Tuma (Czech Republic) |
| 28 October 2017 | Ukraine
|
29–8 | Sweden
|
Spartak Stadium, Odesa | ||
| 14:00 EEST (UTC+03) | report gamesheet | Attendance: 1500 Referee: Bodea Ionut (Romania) |
| 28 October 2017 | Latvia
|
19–33 | Lithuania
|
Olympic Center, Jelgava | ||
| 15:00 EEST (UTC+03) | Report Gamesheet | Attendance: 500 Referee: Dan Maughan (Germany) |
| 4 November 2017 | Lithuania
|
22–12 | Ukraine
|
Aukstaitijos Sporto Kompleksas, Panevėžys | ||
| 14:00 EET (UTC+02) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 500 |
| 21 April 2018 | Hungary
|
25–29 | Lithuania
|
Sportközpont, Százhalombatta | ||
| 12:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Referee: Claudio Blessano (Italy) |
| 28 April 2018 | Lithuania
|
43–22 | Sweden
|
Centrinis stadionas, Telšiai | ||
| 15:00 EEST (UTC+03) | Referee: Alexei Bryzgalin (Russia) |
| 28 April 2018 | Ukraine
|
19–19 | Hungary
|
Yunost Stadium, Lviv | ||
| 14:00 EEST (UTC+03) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 300 Referee: Matteo Liperini (Italy) |
| 5 May 2018 | Latvia
|
14–32 | Ukraine
|
Upesciema stadions, Upesciems | ||
| 15:00 EEST (UTC+03) | Gamesheet | Referee: Hrvoje Bartolic (Croatia) |
| 12 May 2018 | Sweden
|
50-27 | Latvia
|
|||
| 15:00 CEST (UTC+02) |
South
[edit]Table
[edit]| Champions and advances to Promotion play-off |
| Relegated |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Try BP |
Losing BP |
Grand Slam BP |
Table points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Malta |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 221 | 48 | +173 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |  Croatia |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 85 | 97 | −12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |  Israel |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 105 | 86 | +19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 140 | −86 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |  Andorra |
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 60 | 154 | −94 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
[edit]| 21 October 2017 | Andorra
|
22–27 | Israel
|
Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella | ||
| 16:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Report Gamesheet | Attendance: 600 Referee: Yann Benoit (Switzerland) |
| 28 October 2017 | Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
20–52 | Malta
|
Atletski Stadion, Zenica | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Report Gamesheet | Referee: Cekal Stepan (Czech Republic) |
| 28 October 2017 | Croatia
|
32–17 | Israel
|
Stadion Stari plac, Split | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Report Gamesheet | Attendance: 600 Referee: Matteo Liperini (Italy) |
| 4 November 2017 | Malta
|
56–8 | Croatia
|
Hibernians Stadium, Paola | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+01) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 3000 |
| 11 November 2017 | Israel
|
44–8 | Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Wingate Institute, Netanya | ||
| 14:00 IST (UTC+02) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 1400 |
| 17 March 2018 | Israel
|
17–24 | Malta
|
Wingate Institute, Netanya | ||
| 14:00 IST (UTC+02) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 500 Referee: Jorge Mopeceres (Spain) |
| 17 March 2018 | Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
20–17 | Andorra
|
Gradska arena, Zenica | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+01) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 500 Referee: Critian Serban (Romania) |
| 24 March 2018 | Malta
|
89–3 | Andorra
|
Hibernians Stadium, Paola | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+01) | Report |
| 28 April 2018 | Croatia
|
27-6 | Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić, Zagreb | ||
| 18:30 CEST (UTC+02) |
| 5 May 2018 | Andorra
|
18-18 | Croatia
|
Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella | ||
| 17:00 CEST (UTC+02) |
Conference 2
[edit]North
[edit]Table
[edit]| Champions and Promoted |
| Relegated |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Try BP |
Losing BP |
Grand Slam BP |
Table points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Luxembourg |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 162 | 24 | +138 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Denmark |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 211 | 45 | +166 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 |  Finland |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 107 | 120 | −13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Norway |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | 90 | −7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |  Estonia |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 31 | 315 | −284 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
[edit]| 14 October 2017 | Finland
|
15–8 | Norway
|
Myllypuro, Helskini | ||
| 14:00 EEST (UTC+03) | Report | Attendance: 250 Referee: Alhambra Nievas (Spain) |
| 14 October 2017 | Denmark
|
3–18 | Luxembourg
|
Athletics stadium, Odense | ||
| 16:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Report | Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Rami Aro (Sweden) |
| 28 October 2017 | Norway
|
12–24 | Denmark
|
Bislett Stadium, Oslo | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Report Gamesheet | Attendance: 1500 Referee: Joy Neville (Ireland) |
| 11 November 2017 | Luxembourg
|
64–0 | Estonia
|
Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City | ||
| 16:00 CET (UTC+01) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 600 Referee: Mike Hawkins (Denmark) |
| 14 April 2018 | Luxembourg
|
45–5 | Finland
|
Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City | ||
| 16:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Attendance: 1,300 |
| 28 April 2018 | Denmark
|
127–5 | Estonia
|
Athletics stadium, Odense | ||
| 15:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Referee: Finlay Brown (Scotland) |
| 28 April 2018 | Luxembourg
|
35–16 | Norway
|
Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City | ||
| 18:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Referee: Kacper Michialkiewicz (Poland) |
| 12 May 2018 | Finland
|
10-57 | Denmark
|
Myllypuro, Helskini | ||
| 14:00 EEST (UTC+03) |
| 12 May 2018 | Estonia
|
16-47 | Norway
|
|||
| 15:00 EEST (UTC+03) |
| 9 June 2018 | Estonia
|
10-77 | Finland
|
Tartu, Estonia | ||
| EET (UTC+02) |
Notes:
- The Finland v Norway match was notable for being the first time an all female list of referees were chosen to officiate a men's fifteen a side game.[6]
- Originally a home game for Norway, but moved to Luxembourg due to recent cold weather conditions meaning the pitch could not recover in time.[7]
South
[edit]Table
[edit]| Champions and Promoted |
| Possible Relegation |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Try BP |
Losing BP |
Grand Slam BP |
Table points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |  Cyprus |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 51 | +63 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |  Austria |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 110 | 88 | +22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Serbia |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 131 | 98 | +33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Slovenia |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 82 | 75 | +7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |  Slovakia |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 45 | 173 | −128 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points Completing a Grand Slam – 1 points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixtures
[edit]| 21 October 2017 | Austria
|
27–25 | Serbia
|
Sportsklub-Platz, Vienna | ||
| 18:15 CEST (UTC+02) | report gamesheet | Referee: Csaba Priskin (Hungary) |
| 28 October 2017 | Serbia
|
21–30 | Slovenia
|
Stadion Borca, Starčevo | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | report | Attendance: 450 Referee: Lukasz Jasinski (Poland) |
| 4 November 2017 | Slovenia
|
29–15 | Slovakia
|
Stadion park Šiška, Ljubljana | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+01) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 600 |
| 11 November 2017 | Cyprus
|
42–5 | Austria
|
Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, Paphos | ||
| 14:30 EET (UTC+02) | Attendance: 1000 |
| 25 November 2017 | Slovakia
|
6–38 | Cyprus
|
Štadión PFK, Piešťany | ||
| 14:00 CET (UTC+01) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 300 |
| 24 March 2018 | Austria
|
56–0 | Slovakia
|
Sportsklub-Platz, Vienna | ||
| 16:00 CET (UTC+01) | Report |
| 24 March 2018 | Cyprus
|
17–5 | Slovenia
|
Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, Paphos | ||
| 14:30 EET (UTC+02) | Report |
| 7 April 2018 | Slovenia
|
18–22 | Austria
|
Stadion park Šiška, Ljubljana | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Gamesheet | Attendance: 225 Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) |
| 21 April 2018 | Slovakia
|
24–50 | Serbia
|
Štadión PFK, Piešťany | ||
| 15:00 CEST (UTC+02) | [www.rugbyeurope.eu/sites/default/files/180421_reic_conf2s_skvvsrb_game_sheet_v2.pdf Gamesheet] | Attendance: 250 Referee: David Sutherland (Scotland) |
| 28 April 2018 | Serbia
|
35–17 | Cyprus
|
Makiš Stadium, Belgrade | ||
| 14:00 CEST (UTC+02) | Referee: Pedro Mendis Silva (Portugal) |
Conference 1 promotion to Trophy play-off
[edit]See also
[edit]- Rugby Europe International Championships
- 2017–18 Rugby Europe International Championships
- Six Nations Championship
References
[edit]- ^ "Female referees Alhambra Nievas and Joy Neville to make history by taking charge of Men's Internationals". www.telegraph.co.uk. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- ^ "Alhambra Nievas: Female referee hopes to 'create a pathway' for other women". www.bbc.co.uk. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Meet Alhambra Nievas – the trailblazing female referee about to make history". www.telegraph.co.uk. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Spanish referee Alhambra Nievas makes rugby history in Helsinki". www.telegraph.co.uk. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "'Role model' Joy takes top refereeing honour". www.independent.ie. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ^ "Sports first for Finland international as female referees take charge". 14 October 2017.
- ^ "Norway Facebook post". Rugby Norge. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.