SLOVENIA v AUSTRIA: WORLD CUP QUALIFYING EUROPE R1; ENC 2C

Feature Match No.3

20.04.2013

Venue: Stadion Oval, Gunclje

Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)

Preview
This division exploded into world rugby news this week with the official announcement (although the fact had already been established) that Cyprus was not eligible for Rugby World Cup qualification. It certainly created heated discussion on rugby forums and even a petition was started. However the rules and the rules and Cyprus is not a part of the qualifying process.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
BULGARIA	3	2	0	1	55	49	6	0	1	9
HUNGARY	3	2	0	1	46	45	1	0	1	9
SLOVENIA	2	1	0	1	22	27	-5	0	1	5
AUSTRIA	2	0	0	2	17	23	-6	0	2	2

So this game has is now of great importance. Bulgaria and Hungary have completed their qualifying games (although Hungary will play Cyprus today-See below). Bulgaria leads the table on account of scoring 5 more points than Hungary when they met in October last year thus eliminating Hungary from qualifying.

If Slovenia collect maximum points from a win over Austria (who cannot qualify) in this match they will qualify for the next stage. If they lose Bulgaria goes through. If Slovenia wins without a bonus then Bulgaria goes through on the basis they have already defeated Slovenia.

Previous Encounters
14.04.2012 Austria 19-5 in Ljubliana (Friendly)
17.10.2009 Austria 15-13 in Ljubliana (ENC 3B)
08.11.2008 Slovenia 18-9 in Vienna (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 3B)
05.10.2003 Austria 17-0 in Vienna (Friendly)
29.10.2001 Slovenia 24-16 in Vienna (FIRA Div.B, Pool A)

Slovenia Last Five P 5, W 1, L 4
06.04.2013 v Bulgaria L 14-20 in Sofia (WCQ Europe R1: ENC 2C)
08.12.2012 v Cyprus L 8-49 in Paphos (ENC 2C)
27.10.2012 v Hungary W 8-7 in Ljubliana (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 2C)
14.04.2012 v Austria L 5-19 in Ljubliana (Friendly)
17.03.2012 v Switzerland L 0-85 in Nyon (ENC 2B)

Austria Last Five P 5, L 5
06.04.2013 v Hungary L 10-11 in Vienna (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 2C)
17.11.2012 v Cyprus L 20-54 in Vienna (ENC 2C)
20.10.2012 v Bulgaria L 7-12 in Pernik (WCQ Europe R1; ENC 2C)
05.05.2012 v Norway L 6-11 in Bergen (ENC 2C)
21.04.2012 v Denmark L 22-28 in Odense (ENC 2C)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Slovenia 31st, Austria 37th

IRB Ranking
Slovenia 37.72, Austria 34.98

Prediction: Slovenia by 3 points, no bonus points and so Bulgaria to go through.

TEAMS

Austria Squad

ASLANYAN Mushegh

BARRET Martin

BOROZAN Stefan

DOBNER Lukas

DACHLER Johannes

EL AGREBI Omar

FARKHONDEH-FAL Milad (c)

FIEBRICH Johannes

FREYDELL Maximilian

FREYDELL Sebastian

GRUBNER Maximilian

HIRAD Sascha

KERSCHBAUMER Michael

KINSKY Dominik

LYNTON-EVANS Christopher

MÜLLER Maximilian

NAVAS Maximilian

POLAK Manuel

PSOTA Stefan

RADOMIROV Alexander

RICHSON Udochucku

VANA Constantin

www.facebook.com/notes/rugby-%C3 ... 8727892299 )

Slovenia squad not available

Cyprus v Hungary in Esztergom (ENC 2C)

The other game in this division sees hot favourites Cyprus against Hungary. I wonder how all the publicity has affected the moral of the Cyprus team. That’s the only thing standing in the way of a huge win.

Prediction: Cyprus by 40 points