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The Six Nations isn't the only European tournament kicking off in February
By Tom Vinicombe
While Europe's tier-one nations will inevitably have one eye on the World Cup later this year as they prepare for the upcoming kick-off of Six Nations, the same can't be said for the second-tier sides who are also set to go to battle in February and March.
Although three of the eight sides taking part in the Rugby Europe Championship will feature at France 2023, the majority of the nations involved will be chasing glory and nothing else in the reformated REC.
Georgia have been perpetual winners of the tier-two competition - sometimes referred to as the Six Nations B - claiming the title in the last five tournaments without losing a single match. Portugal came close to upsetting their more fancied opposition in Tbilisi last year but the home side rallied late to secure a 25-all draw - their only 'blemish' of the past half-decade.
Portugal and Georgia will go to battle in a high-stakes match in Toulouse in September but could avoid each altogether in the Rugby Europe Championship this year, thanks to the new two-pool format.
The other side set to feature at the World Cup, Romania, will likely battle it out with Portugal to qualify for the REC semi-finals over the next two months. Rounding out Pool B are Belgium and Poland, two sides who topped the third flight of European rugby, the Rugby Europe Trophy, in 2022.
In Pool A, Georgia will be hoping to assert their dominance ahead of France and their biggest challenge will come from a nation with plenty to prove in 2023, Spain.
Los Leones were dumped out of the World Cup after fielding an ineligible player in two qualifying wins over the Netherlands over the past two years but were consistently the second-best side in the REC, dropping just one match last year - to Georgia.
The mid-February clash between the two nations - played in the north of Spain - will boast as much emotion as any Six Nations fixture, even if just 6,000 fans will be needed to fill out the relatively diminutive Campos del Malecón.
The Netherlands and newly promoted Germany make up the two remaining sides in the group, with the top two sides from each pool progressing through to the semi-finals in March.
For fans outside the eight participating countries, all matches will be streamed on the Rugby Europe website.
Rugby Europe Championship fixtures:
Round 1
4/2 Romania v Poland
4/2 Portugal v Belgium
5/2 Georgia v Germany
5/2 Spain v Netherlands
Round 2
11/2 Netherlands v Georgia
11/2 Poland v Portugal
11/2 Belgium v Romania
12/2 Germany v Spain
Round 3
18/2 Germany v Netherlands
18/2 Spain v Georgia
18/2 Poland v Belgium
19/2 Portugal v Romania
Semi-finals 4/3 - 5/3
Finals 18/3 - 19/3
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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