Euro league roundup
As leagues across Europe take a Christmas break (or even longer in some cases) we review the state of play in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Wales, Scotland, Italy and Spain.
Published by John Birch, December 22nd, 2015
11 minutes read
Picture: Powell-Hughes scores as Ospreys beat Scarlets to win Welsh Regional title. (Photo: WRU)
Netherlands
The Dutch Championship is now three weeks into its third and final phase, with the top six teams from the opening stage playing off for a title that will be eventually awarded in mid-March.
The year ends with Utrecht’s RUS top with three wins from three after what could be a crucial 12-0 win against away against their biggest rivals AAC (Amsterdamse Atletiek Club) in the final game before the Christmas and New Year break.
Both were unbeaten winners of their pools in the opening phase, and the reason for the supremacy of the two teams is explained by a glance at teams. AAC can call on players such as Annellies Acda, Anne Hielckert and Pien Selbeck while RUS include Petra Zwart, Jannicke IJdens, Dorien Eppink, Elke van Meer and Annemarije van Rossum. It’s a collection of top players that no other clubs come close to competing with.
Utrecht’s second team, Utrechtse RC, lie third with two wins from two and on paper would seem to offer threat to the top two, though their performances in the opening phase would suggest that may not come to be.
However what they and the two two teams do have in common is the ability to call on something close to a full bench. All three had squads of 19 for their most recent games, which may be less than ideal but still gives them a significant advantage over teams such as SRC Thor who, despite the talents of players such as Lorraine Laros, lie fifth as they have only been able to field a bare fifteen players in two of their three games so far.
#
Team
P
W
D
L
F
A
PD
Pts
1
RUS 1
3
3
0
0
150
10
140
14
2
AAC Rugby 1
3
2
0
1
97
12
85
10
3
Utrechtse RC1
2
2
0
0
101
29
72
10
4
RC Delft Dames
2
1
0
1
12
52
-40
4
5
SRC Thor 1
3
0
0
3
29
151
-122
1
6
RC Tilburg 1
3
0
0
3
20
155
-135
1
With so many of the Netherlands’ top sevens players now playing regular XVs rugby the future would appear to look bright for the national test team, especially with the world cup qualifier next year, but in practice the financial problems of the Rugby Nederland (which prevented the Dutch from defending their European Trophy title this year) may prevent that potential from being realised.
Germany
The German Frauenbundeslliga is also now on its winter break. However whereas in the Netherlands the break is a month (until mid-January), German rugby has now closed down until the beginning of March.
Which may seem a long wait as the German championship – now at the halfway point – is the closest it has been for some years. ASV Köln lead the league with 29 points, but SC Neuenheim and Heidelberger RK are only four and five points behind – and both have a game in hand.
However, ASV Köln have been the team of the season, with the high-point being their 10-0 first ever win over SC Neuenheim, last year’s runners-up, a week before the winter break began (last season ASV Köln finished only fifth in an eight team league). They were, perhaps, helped by a very heavy pitch plus the absence of several key players from the opposition, butTotal Rugbyreports that their performance was "almost lethargic" from the start allowing Köln to take control, with one of their newest players. Lisa Kroop, being particularly effective. The difference, in the end, however was the combination of scruhalf Sarah Titgemeyer and fly-half Dana Kleine-Grefe which lead to both tries. Neuenheim, league leaders before the start of play, only really proved a threat in the closing stages of the game but ended without any defensive bonus, or even any score. With that crucial win under their belts, Köln spent the last two weeks before the winter break running up cricket scores against luckless Rhein-Main (a 99-0 away win) and basement team München (124-0).
The German season resumes on 5th March.
Team
P.
W
D
L
PD
Pts
1
ASV Köln
7
6
0
1
+396
29
2
SC Neuenheim
6
5
0
1
+276
25
3
Heidelberger RK
6
5
0
1
+147
24
4
FC St. Pauli
6
2
0
4
+88
11
5
SC Germania List
6
2
0
4
-88
10
6
SG Rhein-Main
6
2
0
4
-168
9
7
München RFC
7
0
0
7
-651
-2
At the halfway point the he league is effectively a two-horse race. Boisfort continue to lead, now seven points clear of Dendermonde – though the latter has a game in hand. The two teams are now well clear of the rest, so everything is likely to come down to Dendermonde’s visit to Boisfort on 12thMarch.
Pl
Team
P
W
D
L
F
A
PD
B
Pts
1
Boitsfort
7
7
0
0
215
29
186
5
33
2
Dendermondse
6
5
0
1
224
64
160
6
26
3
Leuven
7
4
0
3
118
105
13
2
18
4
Frameries
7
3
0
4
76
97
-21
3
15
5
Soignies
7
3
0
4
96
182
-86
3
15
6
Antwerp
6
3
1
2
84
77
7
0
14
7
Gent
8
1
1
6
54
195
-141
2
8
8
Coq Mosan
8
0
2
6
28
146
-118
0
4
Elsewhere Luxembourg’s top team Walferdange, who play in the second division, continued their run of great form reported in our last review of the Belgian leagues, following their 100-0 win over Schilde in round six with 14-12 win away to division leaders Kituro – their first defeat of the season. They remain six points off the top, however, due to a surprise 10-7 loss to relegation-threatened Mons in between these two wins.
Wales
Last weekend saw the completion of the Welsh Regional Competition with a double header at Cardiff Arms Park
Reigning champions Scarlets went into the day with two wins under their belts from earlier weeks – a 47-7 drubbing of the Blues in week two, following on from a rather closed 13-0 defeat of the Dragons in their opening game.
However, although they topped the table it was only thanks to a small point difference lead over Ospreys who had been equally successful in their opening games – and it was the Ospreys who came out on top to take the title.
The game more than lived up to its importance, with the Scarlets thrown onto the back foot literally from the start when they failed to deal with the Ospreys’ kick-off, finding themselves 3-0 behind in only the second minute of the game.
However the champions soon fought back, levelling the score on 10 minutes before going ahead following a great break by fly-half Hannah Jones, finding the gap in the Ospreys line and almost reaching the line on her own before offloading to Jodie Evens to touch down and put Scarlets ahead 8-3.
Another Wilkins penalty for Ospreys narrowed the score to 8-6 at halftime, and on the restart it was the Ospreys who seized the initiative. With their pack now taking control up front, they were able to power over the line for a try from Shona Powell-Hughes only three minutes into the second half to take them back into the lead 13-8.
Wilkins kicking now took the game away from the Scarlets, with three well-taken penalties extending the lead to 22-8 before Adi Taviener found space, off-loading to Powell-Hughes for her second try and a 29-8 lead. Scarlets pulled a try back through Jodie Evans near the end, but it was the Ospreys who lifted the silverware.
The Dragons took third place with a massive 11-try 61-0 win against the Blues, Elinor Snowsill having a great game at 10, and Gemma Rowland and Chrissy Siczowa being a constant threat.
Faced with a continual wave of attacks, Blues captain Becky Newton offered some resistance but the yards she gained were never built upon.
Scotland
The BT Premiership in Scotland could hardly be closer with Hillhead Jordanhill and Murrayfield Wanderers separated by only points difference as the league takes a break, returning on 24thJanuary.
Pos
Team
P
W
L
D
F:A
Diff.
TB
LB
Points
1
Hillhead Jordanhill
9
7
2
0
501:135
366
9
0
37
2
Murrayfield Wanderers FC
9
7
2
0
406:66
340
8
1
37
3
RHC Cougars
9
5
4
0
330:204
126
5
1
26
4
Melrose
8
5
3
0
311:227
84
4
0
24
5
Cartha Queens Park
8
1
7
0
73:415
-342
1
0
5
6
Stirling County
7
0
7
0
12:586
-574
0
0
0
There has only been one game in the league since we last visited it, with Murrayfield making up for their surprise narrow 12-5 defeat by RHC Cougars at the start of November to beat the same opposition 27-5. Before the league returns, the Sarah Beany Cup quarter-finals take place on 10thJanuary with the top teams joining in alongside Ayr (who play Melrose) and Kirkcaldy (who travel to Cougars).
Italy
The Italian league started its Christmas break on Sunday, with play resuming on 10thJanuary (for Pool 1) and 17thJanuary (for Pool 2), having reached its halfway point.
Leaders Monza in Pool 1 had already started their break, having the day off in their nine team league. A 19-8 away win at Valsugana at the end of November seems to have set them up well for the second phase, though Treviso also look strong, pushing Monza all the way in their final game before the end of the year.
In Pool 2 the big game was in the final weekend with Benevento ending Bologna’s unbeaten status with a 23-11 home win, though Bologna’s impressive performances in other games (this was not only their first defeat but also the first time they had failed to record a bonus point) means that this pool is far from decided, and should go right down to the final game.
At the foot of the leagues the newcomers generally continue to have a hard time, the exception being Donne Etrusche Rugby who recorded a fourth win last weekend to tie with Roma for third place.
Girone 1
P
W
D
L
F:A
PD
Pts
1
Rugby Monza
8
8
0
0
445:37
408
39
2
Valsugana Rugby Padova
8
7
0
1
289:39
250
32
3
Benetton Treviso
8
6
0
2
298:65
233
26
4
HBS Colorno
8
4
0
4
204:121
83
20
5
Rugby Riviera 1975
8
4
0
4
244:139
105
16
6
Rugby Casale
8
3
0
5
135:183
-48
13
7
CUS Torino R. asd
8
3
0
5
127:184
-57
6
8
Rugby Cogoleto & Prov. Ovest
8
1
0
7
38:458
-420
1
9
Chicken CUS Pavia
8
0
0
8
8:562
-554
0
Girone 2
P
W
D
L
F:A
PD
Pts
1
Caravaggio S.V. Benevento
7
7
0
0
247:23
224
29
2
Rugby Bologna 1928
7
6
0
1
227:58
169
29
3
CUS Roma
7
4
1
2
275:84
191
20
4
Donne Etrusche Rugby
7
4
1
2
99:124
-25
20
5
Rugby Belve Neroverdi
7
3
0
4
124:193
-69
13
6
Tocana Aeroporti I Medicei
7
1
0
6
50:215
-165
6
7
Umbria Rugby Ragazze
7
2
0
5
116:116
0
1
8
Frascati R. Club 2015
7
0
0
7
22:347
-325
0
Spain
With the the regional tournaments and inter-regional championships now completed, January will see the start of the national División de Honor. Eight clubs will take part (Getxo Artea RT; CRAT Universidade da Coruña; G.E. i E.G.; C.R. Majadahonda; INEF Barcelona; XV Sanse Scrum RC; C.R. Olímpico de Pozuelo and XV Hortaleza R.C) with the tournament starting on 10th January and ending on 13th March.