Romania, Georgia, Portugal and Spain claiming vital wins on the road for qualifying for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027. But what were the main talking points of the round? What data stands out after the first batch of games? Find out our four picks, and why they told the story of each game.
Tackles: 265
Portugal did enough to take the win against Belgian, but not before enduring an uncertain last ten minutes, with the visiting side close to bagging a losing bonus point. The Lobos had to survive a final Diables Noirs effort, clinching 38 tackles in those last ten minutes, denying what would have been a crucial try for the visitors.
In total, the Portuguese side attempted to tackle 287 times in the match, missing the target in 22, meaning a 92% accuracy rate. Pro D2 and Top 14 stalwarts José Madeira and Nicolás Martins finished as the tackle kings, upping a formidable total of 26 each, followed by José Granate with 21, and Cody Thomas with 19.
For comparison, the visiting cohort only attempted to make 106 tackles, revealing two details: how lethal the Portuguese were when they had the ball possession; and how far Belgium has come in becoming a fierce competitor.
Clean breaks: 23
A remarkable performance from Georgia at the Avchala Rugby Stadium, with the locals defeating Switzerland with a final 110-0-point score. Richard Cockerill’s men were quick to land the first points, as scrum-half Gela Aprasidze touched the ball down for the first of the sixteen tries scored during the afternoon.
Georgia produced a total of 23 clean breaks, with Akaki Tabutsadze topping the table (5), followed by Beka Saginadze, Shalva Aptisauri, Dachi Papunashvili and Giorgi Khaindrava, all with two.
The Swiss side were able to have the ball under control for a short time, which shows how impressive Georgia were, turning every run into an impeding try opportunity.
Maul tries: 3
The Leones came out blasting and put up an impressive performance against the Netherlands, with the set-piece playing a central role in their 53-24 victory.
With the Spanish finishing the game with 100% accuracy on the scrum and a 92% success rate in the lineout, it would be the maul playing a pivotal role in the home side's win. Why?
The home team scored three tries from the maul drive, successfully dismantling the Dutch block and stampeding towards the try area. With Santi Ovejero controlling the ball from afar, and Usarraga and Piñeiro steering their teammates to the whitewash, it was almost impossible for the Netherlands to put a stop to the Spanish advance.
Pablo Bouza with the help of Miguel Velasco "Miguelón" and Óscar 'Cochi' Durán has refined the Spanish pack to become a threatening unit able to grind and wreak havoc against any opposition.
Defenders beaten: 49
Romania had a slow start in their first game of the tournament, but eventually came around and would achieve a 48-10-point win in a heated contest against Germany.
With the visitors twice taking the lead in the first half, Romania had to figure out how to break through the resilient opposite defence and eventually did so. How? Through running rugby and a solid combination of stellar creativity and physical power.
In under 40 minutes, the Romanians bagged five tries, four coming from ludicrous runs, with Hinckley Vaovasa evading 13 tacklers to set up more than a couple of try opportunities. Tevita Manumua and Iliesa Tiqe followed the fly-half’s lead and put up a good show for fans in the Arcul de Triumf.
Taylor Gontineac and Marius Simionescu’s tries are perfect examples of how a bit of razzle dazzle steered the Stejarii boat towards a victorious outcome.
Romania is commonly recognized for its fierce forward pack and powerhouse physicality, but against Germany, they had to find other solutions to get a bonus-point victory.
By Francisco Isaac
