Romania and Georgia got their respective men’s Rugby Europe Championship campaigns off to flying starts with bonus point wins.
On Friday in the Arcul de Triumf stadium in Bucharest, Romania defeated Germany 48-10 in Pool B.
After 20 minutes the game was tied at 3-3, Germany stand-off Bader Pretorius kicking his side ahead before Alin Conache knocked over a penalty of his own.
A converted try by second-row Eric Marks then put Germany 10-3 up and the visitors were causing a bit of a stir, but then the hosts began to take control.
A converted try from their tighthead prop Cosmin Gabriel Manole made it 10-10 and then Conache kicked a penalty and it was 13-10 at half-time.
Romania now had some momentum and went on to score 35 points in the second period to delight their supporters.
Centre Taylor Gontineac, full-back Marius Simionescu, back-row Cristi Chirica and replacement Paul Graure scored tries while a penalty try was awarded too. Conache converted three of them and Kemal Altinok one.
On Saturday, Pool A got started and defending champions and competition favourites Georgia were far too powerful for the new boys Switzerland and won 110-0, a record for the Lelos in their Rugby Europe existence, their previous best being a 98-3 against Czechia in 2007.
The Swiss visitors to the Avchala Rugby Stadium in Tbilisi gave it everything, but the home side showed their class and score 16 tries and 15 conversions.
Georgia were 14-0 up after the first quarter of this one, scrum-half Gela Aprasidze scoring the first try and then centre Giorgi Kveseladze showing great strength to bag the second. Stand-off Luka Matkava converted both of them.
Luka Japaridze, the tighthead prop, scored try number three and Matkava’s conversion made it 21-0. Converted try number four came in the 26th minute after a great break by winger Akaki Tabutsadze setting up centre Tornike Kakhoidze and it was 28-0.
Matkava scored try number five and kept up his 100 percent kicking stats going to make it 35-0 before Switzerland had a good spell, but could not get over the try line.
And converted try number six from Georgia came from No.8 Luka Ivanishvili on the stroke of half-time and it was 42-0.
Forty two was the number again soon after the interval because Tabutsadze scorched in for his 42nd international try. Matkava converted and it was 49-0.
Jessy Jegerlehner, the Swiss back-row was then yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
Georgia took advantage of the extra man and converted try number eight came via Ivanishvili and it was 56-0.
A good team move saw Aprasidze score with Jegerlehner still off and replacement Davit Niniashvili converted.
And by the hour mark Georgia has scored 10 tries and 10 conversions, winger Shalva Aptsiauri scoring and Niniashvili adding the extras to make it 70-0.
In the last 20 minutes, replacement Ilia Spanderashvili, fellow sub Mikheil Alania, Tabutsadze with his 43rd score at this level, Aptsiauri, back-row Beka Shvangiradze and sub Giorgi Khaindrava went over. Niniashvili converted five of them and this was a record win for Georgia.
By Gary Heatly
