On Saturday in Pool A at the Avchala Rugby Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia defeated Netherlands 40-7.
The home side got off to a flying start and were 14-0 up after 12 minutes thanks to tries from centre Tornike Kakhoidze and scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze with them both being converted by stand-off Luka Matkava.
Fifteen minutes before the break things got worse for the Netherlands when they had back-row Joris Smits yellow carded.
And, by half-time, Georgia were 19-0 up after a try from prolific winger Akaki Tabutsadze.
In a feisty encounter, in the first 14 minutes of the second period Netherlands had back-row Tim De Jong and scrum-half Amir Rademaker yellow carded while Georgian back-row Beka Gorgadze was red carded.
Before the hour mark Georgia got their fourth try when loosehead prop Giorgi Mamaiashvili went over and full-back Davit Niniashvili converted.
Further converted tries for them came via back-row Beka Saginadze and replacement Giorgi Javakhia before a late consolation score from the Netherlands came from De Jong with stand-off Vikas Meijer converting.
Romania then won 31-14 in Belgium in Pool B.
In the Stade Charles Tondreau in Mons on Saturday evening, Romania went up 3-0 on early on thanks to a penalty, but then Belgium skipper Jens Torfs, the centre, ran a great short line to go over for a converted try.
Winger Iliesa Tiqe then finished off a well-worked try for Romania and Gabriel Rupanu, the scrum-half, converted 10-7 to make give the visitors a half-time lead.
Two penalties early in the second half extended that lead to 16-7 and then an interception try from Taylor Gontineac which was converted suddenly had the visitors 23-7 up after 52 minutes.
On the hour mark the next Romanian try came from No.8 Adrian Mitu before a Belgian converted effort made it 28-14 with 17 minutes remaining.
In a game that was breathless, Romania then lost two men to the sin bin heading into the last 10 minutes, but, with 13 men it was them who added the final points.
Replacement Alin Conache kicked a penalty in the 77th minute as it ended 31-14.
In Sunday’s first game, in Pool A Switzerland played their first ever home game at this level against Spain at the Stade Municipal in Yverdon-Les-Bains.
However, it was Spain who controlled this game to win 43-13 with a bonus point to make the World Cup.
Lucas Polkowska, the tighthead prop, scored an early try for Spain converted by Gonzalo Bontempo before Switzerland stand-off Simon Perrod kicked a penalty for their first ever points at this level.
Scrum-half Estanislao Bay bagged Spain’s second converted try before Perrod’s second penalty made it 14-6.
Perrod was then yellow carded and that allowed Spain to core try number three before half-time, winger Martiniano Cian bagging it to make it 21-6 at the interval.
The visitors then got off to the perfect start to the second period when second-row Manex Ariceta went over for converted try number four and 28-6 seemed a long way back for the Swiss home side.
When Spain had Cian yellow carded, Switzerland could see a small way back into the game and they did get a try when replacement Cyril Lin scored and Perrod converted.
That was 28-13, but once Spain were back to 15 men they finished things off with three tries.
Bay went over for his second before Switzerland sub Donovan O'Grady was yellow carded. The penultimate Spain try came versus 14 men when replacement Ekain Imaz went over and then full-back Federico Castiglioni finished it all off at 43-13.
Spain are second in their group behind Georgia on points difference.
Pool B’s Portugal-Germany match ended the weekend in the Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon and the hosts were in irresistible form to make it 10 points from 10 with a 56-14 victory, go top their group and make the World Cup.
Five tries came in the first half with Hugo Camacho, the scrum-half, and back-rowers Nicolas Martins and Diego Ruiz among the scorers. Stand-off Joris Moura converted all of them.
The first half in the second half came from full-back Simao Bento for the hosts with Moura again converting and 35-0 had become 42-0.
Credit to Germany, they did not wilt and scored a try via Luis Ball after fellow sub Michael McDonald took a quick tap. Stand-off Bader Pretorius converted to make it 42-7.
With 14 minutes to go, Bento then scored his second try - and his team’s seventh - and the conversion made it 49-7.
Replacement Francisco Magalhães scored Portugal’s eighth try and the conversion made it 56-7. Sub Duarte Torgal was yellow carded late on, but Portugal’s win was secured. Germany did end on a high though through a try by winger Felix Lammers with Pretorius converting as it ended 56-14.
The four victories mentioned also mean that the victors are through to the Championship semi-finals, but before that there is round three of pool games to come on February 15 and 16.
Remember the team that finishes fifth when this event ends will go forward to the final Rugby World Cup qualification tournament in November so every team has plenty still to play for in the next few weeks.
By Gary Heatly
