Namibia power past Germany

Namibia's national team, the Welwitchias, secured a convincing 58-20 victory over Germany in Windhoek on Wednesday.

The Welwitchias led 36-6 at the break.  Watched by 3000 spectators the match produced 11 tries, nine of which were scored by Namibia.

The hosts' centre Johan Deysel opened the scoring as early as the third minute after Namibia won a line-out on Germany's 22 and went through a number of phases before Deysel crossed.

Two penalties from Germany's fly-half Christopher Hilsenbeck gave the visitors a 6-5 lead on the 10 minute mark, but that was the last time Germany looked like winning the match.

Led by Western Province Currie Cup flanker Rohan Kitshoff, the Namibian pack dominated and secured quality possession for their backline and had too much pace for their opponents to cope with.

In the 11th minute try-scorer Deysel turned provider for left wing Johan Tromp who crossed for the second try of the match.

This was pretty much the trend for the remaining 25 minutes of the first half.  Namibia's forwards were in complete control with Germany finding the pace too hot to handle.

The Welwitchias added three more first half tries through their captain Kitshoff who scored back to back tries and Ryan de La Harpe.

The England based scrum-half dealt Germany a hammer blow just before the break when the visitors were on the attack but de le Harpe intercepted and ran 70 meters for the try.

Namibia started the second half in the same fashion as they did the first and when loose forward Thomasua Forbes and full-back Danie Dames both scored inside the first eight minutes of the second half, a record score looked a strong possibility.

The handy lead allowed Namibian coach Danie Vermeulen the opportunity to give his replacements bench a run.  This lead to the inevitable loss of momentum and the rest of the second half was pretty much uneventful.

Namibia reached the half century mark when left wing Tromp scored his second of the evening.

The next 20 minutes saw the German team playing with more composure and they were rewarded with two tries, the first by loose forward Kehoma Brenner after an impressive line-out drive and the second by their captain Sean Armstrong.

New cap JC Greyling scored Namibia's ninth try of the match four minutes before the end.  Germany were on the attack when the final whistle went, victory to Namibia and an important confidence booster before they leave for their three-match northern hemisphere tour this weekend.

The match was refereed by South Africa's Marius Jonker who after the final whistle confirmed that he had retired from first class refereeing and that this was his last match in charge.

The Scorers:

For Namibia:
Tries:  Johan Tromp 2, Rohan Kitshoff 2, Thomasua Forbes, Ryan de la Harpe, Danie Dames, JC Greyling
Cons:  Shawn Kaizemi 5
Pens:  Kaizemi

For Germany:
Tries:  Kehoma Brenner, Sean Armstrong
Cons:  Christoper Hilsenbeck 2
Pens:  Hilsenbeck 2

Spain turn tables on Germany

Advance to Round 4

Spain beat Germany 36-10 at Campo Central Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid on Saturday, thus overturning their first leg defeat in this crucial European Rugby World Cup qualifier.

In Heidelberg the strong German pack dominated and forged an 18-6 victory Spain needed to win by more than 12 points to advance to Round 4 of European qualification on the one hand and to return to the European Nations Cup ("Six Nations B") as well.

Next season Spain will be in the ENC with Romania, Georgia, Portugal, Russia and the Czech Republic, taking the place of Ukraine who are to be relegated

Spanish coach Ged Glynn bolstered his pack for this match but it was only in the last ten minutes on the hot Saturday afternoon that the Lions reached their target.

Right wing David Mota scored an early try for Spain but Germany took the lead when Kieron Davies scored a try and Mustafa Güngör converted.  Back came Spain with a try by hooker Diego Zarzosa, converted by flyhalf Esteban Roqué.  After Güngör had kicked a penalty goal the score at half-time was just 12-10 to Spain, 11 points short of the target

Germany did not score in the second half and it became a matter of how well their defence could hold out.  They got their first try soon enough when fullback César Sempere scored and Roqué again converted and added a penalty goal.  That made it 22-10, which meant the points' difference was as it was in Heidelberg.  But it took Spain nearly 24 minutes to get beyond that.  They were helped when, with eight minutes left, the German prop Alexander Widiker, received a yellow card.  Then Javier Canosa scored and again Roqué converted, much to the joy of the 7 000 spectators.  In injury time César Sempere's second try made the victory look comfortable.

Five tries to two is a worthy victory.

Scorers:

For Spain:
Tries:  David Mota, Diego Zarzosa, César Sempere 2, Javier Canosa
Cons:  Esteban Roqué 4
Pen:  Esteban Roqué

For Germany:
Try:  Kieron Davies
Con:  Mustafa Güngör
Pen:  Mustafa Güngör

Teams:

Spain:  15 César Sempere, 14 David Mota, 13 Ferrán Velazco (captain), 12 Alvar Enciso, 11 Javier Canosa, 10 Esteban Roqué, 9 Pablo Feijóo, 8 Alfonso Mata, 7 Juan González, 6 Rafael Camacho, 5 César Bernasconi, 4 Andrew Ebbet, 3 Manuel Serrano, 2 Diego Zarzosa, 1 Ion Insausti
Replacements:  16 José Maria Bohórquez, 17 Miguel Burgaleta, 18 Sergio Souto, 19 Iván Criado, 20 Carlos Arenas, 21 Andrei Kovalenco, 22 Víctor Marlet

When Miguel Burgaleta came into loosehead for Ion Insausti, he won his first cap

Germany:  15 Matthieu Franke, 14 Markus Walger, 13 Clemens von Grumbkow, 12 Colin Graznna, 11 Mustafa Güngör, 10 Kieron Davies, 9 Jacques Lemmer, 8 Robert Mohr, 7 Steffen Their, 6 Tim Kasten, 5 Bodo Sieber, 4 Jens Schmidt (captain), 3 Pierre Faber, 2 Tim Coly, 1 Alexander Widiker
Replacements:  16 Benjamín Krause, 17 Steffen Horwarth, 18 Christian Hugh, 19 Gerrit van Look, 20 Matthias Pipa, 21 Sebastien Chaule, 22 Lars Ecker

Referee:  Frank Maciello (France)
Touch judges:  Eric Briquet Campin, Grégoire Silvan (both France)

Germany wins first round

Big hill for Spain to climb

Germany beat Spain 18-6 in Heidelberg on Saturday in the first leg of the final elimination at the end of Round 3 of Europe's qualifiers for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.  The second leg will be played in Madrid in a fortnight's time.

For Spain to overtake Germany they will have to win by more than 12 points.

The Fritz-Grunebaum-Stadium was packed for the match.

The German pack set up the victory for the Germans depriving the fast Spanish backs of ball.  In addition the German defence was well marshalled for the full 80 minutes and gave the Lions no leeway.

Experienced No.8 Robert Mohr, who plays his rugby in France, scored the first try from a line-out in the Spanish 22.  The German pack drove the maul over Spain's line for the try.

Spain's answer in the first half was a penalty goal by Esteban Roqué, which made the half-time score 5-3.

There were two red cards early in the second half.  After fighting the Welsh referee Neil Ballard sent off the German lock Sascha Fischer and the Spanish hooker Mathieu Cidré.  Earlier there had been yellow cards for Germany's Tim Kasten, Sascha Fischer and Jens Schmidt and Spain's Santiago Serrano.  It was a hotly contested, if slow, match.

Fullback Matthieu Franke increased Germany's lead with a penalty goal.

Play remained fairly even until wing Markus Walger scored Germany's second try.  Franke converted to make the score 15-3 with five minutes to go.

In those five minutes Franke kicked a second penalty goal, which was countered by one by replacement Andrei Kovalenco, Spain's veteran of Ukranian birth.

The German margin of victory could have been much greater had their goal-kicking been more accurate.

Scorers:

For Germany:
Tries:  Mohr, Walger
Con:  Franke
Pens:  Franke 2

For Spain:
Pens:  Roqué, Kovalenco

Teams:

Germany:  15 Matthieu Franke, 14 Mustafa Güngör, 13 Clemens von Grumbkow, 12 Colin Grzanna, 11 Markus Walger, 10 Kieron Davies, 9 Jacques Lemmer, 8 Robert Mohr, 7 Steffen Thier, 6 Tim Kasten, 5 Sascha Fischer, 4 Jens Schmidt (captain), 3 Pierre Faber, 2 Tim Coly, 1 Alexander Widiker.
Replacements:  16 Benjamin Krause, 17 Steffen Horwath, 18 Gerrit van Loock, 19 Alexander Pipa, 20 Mathias Pipa, 21 Hendrik van Loock, 22 Lars Eckert

Spain:  15 César Sempere, 14 David Mota, 13 Ferrán Velazco (captain), 12 Jaime Nava, 11 Ignacio Martín, 10 Esteban Roqué, 9 Pablo Feijoo, 8 Alfonso Mata, 7 Santiago Serrano, 6 Rafael Camacho, 5 Francisco López, 4 Andrew Ebbet, 3 Ion Insausti, 2 Mathieu Cidre, 1 Sergio Padrisa.
Replacements:  16 Diego Zarzosa, 17 Manuel Serrano, 18 Cyril Hijar, 19 Iván Criado, 20 Carlos Arenas, 21 Andrei Kovalenco, 22 Víctor Marlet

Referee:  Neil Ballard (Wales)