2008 European Sevens Championship

2008 European Sevens Championship
Tournament details
Host nation  GER
Dates July 12 – July 13
No. of nations 12
Champions   Portugal
Tournament statistics
Matches played 42
Top scorer(s) Portugal Pedro Leal
2007
2009

The 2008 European Sevens Championship was a rugby sevens competition, with the final held in Hanover, Germany. It was the seventh edition of the European Sevens championship and also functioned as a qualifying tournament for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The event was organised by rugby's European governing body, the FIRA – Association of European Rugby (FIRA-AER).

Outcome

The finals tournament held in Hanover, Germany on 12 and 13 July 2008, as well as being the European Sevens Championship, functioned as a qualifying tournament for the world cup. England, France and Scotland had already qualified through their past performance.[1] The five best nations out of the twelve participating ones qualified for the Dubai tournament. Teams finished in the following order:[2]

Place Country
1st  Portugal
2nd  Wales
3rd  Georgia
4th  Ireland
5th  Italy
6th  Spain
7th  Germany
8th  Ukraine
9th  Russia
10th  Romania
11th  Poland
12th  Belgium

Bid

On 16 June 2007, the FIRA congress in Monaco decided to award the finals tournament to Hanover, beating bids from Russia, Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the process.[3]

Tournament history

From 2002, FIRA, the governing body of European rugby, has been organising an annual European Sevens Championship tournament. A number of qualifying tournaments lead up to a finals tournament, which functions as the European championship and, in 2008, also as the qualifying stage for the Sevens World Cup.[4]

The first European Championship was held in 2002 in Heidelberg, Germany, and was won by Portugal, the team that won every championship since except 2007, when Russia won.

The next year, the tournament was again held in Heidelberg and in 2004, Palma de Mallorca, Spain was the host.

From 2005 to 2007, Moscow was the host of the tournament.

Hanover held the tournament for the first time in 2008 and will do so again in 2009.

Tournament

Stadium

The finals tournament was held at the AWD-Arena in Hanover, home ground of the football club Hannover 96. The stadium holds 50.000 spectators, 43,000 of them on seats, the rest standing.[5]

The tournament was seen by over 30,000 spectators, a good turn out in a country like Germany, were rugby is not a mainstream sport.[6] After selling more than 35,000 tickets in advance, mostly within Germany, the organisers were forced to open up the upper tier of the stadium to meet demand.[7]

Qualifying

Twelve teams qualified through the seven qualifying tournaments, held at the following locations:

Location Country Date Winner Runner-up
Odense Denmark 10–11 May  Ireland  Wales
Sopot Poland 24–25 May  Ireland  Poland
Zagreb Croatia 31 May-1 June  Italy  Germany
Tbilisi Georgia 7–8 June  Wales  Ukraine
Ostrava Czech Republic 14–15 June  Portugal  Spain
Corfu Greece 20–21 June  Spain  Russia
Moscow Russia 28–29 June  Portugal  Russia

Source:"Qualifying". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 

Group stage

The tournament was divided into a group and a finals stage. In the group stage, two groups of six teams were drawn. Within each group, each team played each other once. The top two teams went to the Cup stage of the tournament while the third and fourth placed team qualified for the Plate stage. Five and six went to the Bowl finals.

Qualified for the Cup stage
Qualified for the Plate stage
Qualified for the Bowl stage

Group A

  POR GEO ESP GER RUS ROM
Portugal 26-10 28-5 14-12 45-5 38-0
Georgia 28-5 26-0 5-0 12-0
Spain 26-22 7-29 14-0
Germany 17-12 24-21
Russia 19-19
Romania
Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 Portugal 550015132+11915
 Georgia 54018131+5013
 Spain 520357107-509
 Germany 52037599-249
 Russia 511374100-268
 Romania 501431100-696

Group B

  WAL IRE ITA UKR POL Bel
Wales 26-14 33-12 21-17 38-7 33-12
Ireland 17-12 26-7 17-7 31-0
Italy 31-15 40-0 17-10
Ukraine 21-14 22-12
Poland 21-19
Belgium
Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 Wales 550015164+8715
 Ireland 540110554+5113
 Italy 530211475+3911
 Ukraine 520384104-209
 Poland 510449135-867
 Belgium 500553124-715

Finals

Three separate rounds of finals were held, Bowl, the lowest, Plate and Cup. The semi final winners of each group went on to the final while the losers played each other. All teams from the Cup stage were qualified for the next sevens world cup and also the Plate winner.

Bowl

Winner: Russia

Semi-finals Final
  Russia  27  
  Belgium  0  
 
      Russia  29
    Romania  12
3rd place
  Poland  7   Belgium  0
  Romania  21     Poland  26

Plate

Winner: Italy (qualified for the 2009 Sevens world cup)

Semi-finals Final
  Spain  22  
  Ukraine  10  
 
      Spain  17
    Italy  24
3rd place
  Italy  21   Ukraine  14
  Germany  19     Germany  35

Cup

Winner: Portugal (all four teams qualified for the 2009 Sevens world cup)

Semi-finals Final
  Portugal  14  
  Ireland  12  
 
      Portugal  26
    Wales  12
3rd place
  Wales  19   Ireland  7
  Georgia  14     Georgia  26

Top point scorers

Points Name Team Tries Con Pen Drop
74 Pedro Leal  Portugal 6 22 0 0
52 Merab Kvirikashvili  Georgia 6 11 0 0
45 Martin Roberts  Wales 5 10 0 0
38 Ian Keatley  Ireland 4 9 0 0
36 Mustafa Güngör  Germany 4 8 0 0
35 Oleh Kvasnytsya  Ukraine 7 0 0 0
31 Andrew Maxwell  Ireland 5 3 0 0
31 Alexander Gvozdovskiy  Russia 3 8 0 0
30 Juan Cano  Spain 6 0 0 0
29 César Sempere  Spain 3 7 0 0
28 Matthieu Franke  Germany 4 4 0 0

Key: Con = conversions; Pen = penalties; Drop = drop goals

Teams

Belgium

Head coach: Neil Massinon

Manager: Thierry Massinon

Player Club
Mathieu Verschelden Belgium ASUB Waterloo
Alexandre Van Pestel Belgium R.S.C. Anderlecht
Johann Bombaerts Belgium ROC Ottignies
Jérémy Maes Belgium ASUB Waterloo
Kevin Williams Republic of Ireland Seapoint
David Nemsadze France Domont
Shane Massinon Belgium Brussels Barbarians
Morgan Croisy Belgium ASUB Waterloo
Jérôme Cauwe Belgium ASUB Waterloo
Simon Marote France Arras
Neil Massinon Belgium Brussels Barbarians
Jerôme Bize France Tours

Source:"Team Belgium". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Georgia

Head coach: Kakhaber Alania

Player Club
Shalva Sutiashvili France AC Bobigny 93 Rugby
Simon Maisuradze France ASM Clermont Auvergne
Giorgi Chkhaidze France Massy
Bidzina Samkharadze Romania FC Farul Constanţa
Merab Kvirikashvili France Section Paloise
Alexander Todua Georgia (country) Lelo
Giorgi Shkinini Georgia (country) Hooligana
Jaba Bregvadze Georgia (country) Kochebi
Lasha Khmaladze Georgia (country) Lelo
Alexander Nizharadze Georgia (country) Kochebi
Beka Tsiklauri
Irakli Gundishvili France Périgueux

Source:"Team Georgia". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Germany

Head coach: New Zealand Lofty Stevenson

Player Club
Franck Moutsinga Germany Berliner RC
Mustafa Güngör Germany RG Heidelberg
Tim Kasten England Southend RFC
Markus Walger Germany RK Heusenstamm
Clemens von Grumbkow France RC Orléans
Christopher Weselek Germany RG Heidelberg
Matthieu Franke France RC Orléans
Alexander Pipa Germany TSV Handschuhsheim
Benjamin Simm Germany DSV 78/08 Ricklingen
Mike Härtel Germany TSV Victoria Linden
Stefan Kunde Germany SC 1880 Frankfurt
Benjamin Krause Germany DSV 78/08 Ricklingen

Source:"Team Germany". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Ireland

Head coach: Jon Skurr

Player Club
Cian Aherne Republic of Ireland Leinster
Richard Briggs England Esher RFC
Kieran Campbell Republic of Ireland Connacht
Darren Cave Republic of Ireland Ulster
James Coughlan Republic of Ireland Munster
Eoghan Grace
Chris Henry Republic of Ireland Ulster
Ian Keatley Republic of Ireland Connacht
Seamus Mallon Republic of Ireland Ulster
Conor McPhillips Republic of Ireland Connacht
Andrew Maxwell Scotland Edinburgh
Brian Tuohy England Cornish Pirates

Source:"Team Ireland". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Italy

Head coach:

Player Club
Kristopher Burton France RC Orléans
Benjamin De Jager Italy Benetton Rugby Treviso
Gabriele Gentile Italy Unione Rugby Capitolina
Alvaro Lopez-Gonzalez Italy Petrarca Padova Rugby
Antonio Mannato Italy Gran Parma Rugby
Roberto Mariani Italy Rugby Viadana
Alessandro Onori Italy Gran Parma Rugby
Davide Pastormerlo Italy Rugby Rovigo
Tomas Pucciariello France Rouen
Michele Sepe Italy Unione Rugby Capitolina
Marko Stanojevic Italy Rugby Calvisano
Benjamin Tomaghelli Italy US Rugby Brescia

Source:"Team Italy". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Poland

Head coach:

Player Club
Tomasz Grodecki Poland Budowlani Łódź
Maciej Maciejewski Poland Budowlani Łódź
Artur Maros Poland Budowlani Łódź
Tomasz Kozakiewicz Poland Budowlani Łódź
Rafał Janeczko Poland Folc AZS Warszawa
Wojciech Łukasiewicz Poland Folc AZS Warszawa
Jakub Lisiewski Poland Folc AZS Warszawa
Mariusz Motyl Poland Arka Gdynia
Marek Płonka Poland Lechia Gdańsk
Patryk Narwojsz Poland Czarni Pruszcz Gdański
Dawid Banaszek France CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
Donald Gargasson France ASM Clermont Auvergne

Source:"Team Poland". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Portugal

Head coach: Portugal Tomaz Morais

Player Club
Aderito Esteves
David Mateus Portugal C.F. Os Belenenses
Goncalo Foro
Vasco Uva France Montpellier Hérault RC
Pedro Silva
Pedro Leal
Antonio Pinto
Diogo Mateus Portugal C.F. Os Belenenses
Frederico Oliveira
Pedro Cabral Portugal CDUL
Sebastiao Cunha
Antonio Aguilar

Source:"Team Portugal". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Romania

Head coach:

Player Club
Carl Cimpoias England Henley Hawks
Florin Vlaicu Romania Steaua Bucuresti
Bogdan Bradu Romania RC Timisoara
Florin Surugiu Romania Olimpia Bucuresti
Andrei Filip Romania Dinamo Bucureşti
Ionut Florea Romania FC Farul Constanta
Madalin Lemnaru Romania RC Brasov
Viorel Lucaci Romania U. Baia Mare
Valentin Ivan Romania Dinamo Bucureşti
Marian Dumitru Romania FC Farul Constanta
Daniel Nainer Romania Steaua Bucuresti
Razvan Suteu Romania Grivita Bucuresti

Source:"Team Romania". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Russia

Head coach: France Claude Saurel

Player Club
Evgeny Bystryakov "Slava" Moscow
Igor Galinovskiy "Krasniy Yar" Krasnoyarsk
Andrey Kuzin "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Andrey Garbuzov "Krasniy Yar" Krasnoyarsk
Evgeny Matveev "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Alexey Panasenko "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Yury Kushnarev "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Alexander Shakirov "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Alexander Gvozdovskiy "Krasniy Yar" Krasnoyarsk
Oleg Kobzev "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Viktor Gresev "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region
Sergey Gavryushin "VVA-Podmoskovje" Moscow region

Source:"Team Russia". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Spain

Head coach: José Ignacio Inchausti

Player Club
Jaime Nava Spain Club Alcobendas Rugby
Diego Á. Gorosito Spain Valladolid RAC
Rafael Camacho Spain CAR Inés Rosales
Juan Cano Spain CR Cisneros
Javier Canosa Spain CRC Madrid Noroeste
Pablo Feijoo England Leicester Tigers
Sergi Guerrero Spain UE Santboiana
Facundo Lavino Spain CRC Madrid Noroeste
Víctor Marlet Spain UE Santboiana
Ignacio Martín Spain Bera Bera RT
Pedro Martín Spain Valladolid RAC
César Sempere Spain CRC Madrid Noroeste

Source:"Team Spain". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Ukraine

Head coach: Michel Bishop

Player Club
Ruslan Tserkovnyy Ukraine Kredo-63 Odessa
Vitaly Orlov Russia Enisey-STM
Maksim Kravchenko Ukraine Olimp Kharkov
Sergey Tserkovnyy Ukraine Olimp Kharkov
George Gegidze Ukraine Kredo-63 Odessa
Oleg Kvasnitsa Ukraine Obolon-Universitet Khmelnitskiy
Jaba Malaguradze Ukraine Kredo-63 Odessa
Vyacheslav Ponamorenko Ukraine Olimp Kharkov
Alexandr Lubyy Ukraine Olimp Kharkov
Giorgi Todradze Ukraine Kredo-63 Odessa
Bogdan Zhulavskyi Ukraine Kredo-63 Odessa

Source:"Team Ukraine". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

Wales

Head coach: Wales Gareth Baber

Player Club
Johnathan Edwards Wales Scarlets
Lee Beach Wales Neath RFC
Rhodri McAtee England Cornish Pirates
Lee Williams Wales Scarlets
Martin Roberts Wales Scarlets
James Lewis Wales Newport Gwent Dragons
Gareth Chapman Wales Cardiff RFC
Alec Jenkins England London Welsh RFC
James Merriman Wales Neath RFC
Dafydd Hewitt Wales Cardiff Blues
Andy Powell Wales Cardiff Blues
Richie Pugh Wales Cardiff RFC

Source:"Team Wales". Hanover Sevens website. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 

References

  1. Portugal take Hannover 7’s Title therugbyworldcup.co.uk, accessed: 26 January 2009
  2. Die Endplatzierungen (German) Hanover Sevens website, accessed: 25 January 2009
  3. And now for something completely different: ENC 7’s 2008 in Hannover accessed: 26 January 2009
  4. The 7s European Championship Hanover Sevens website - History of the tournament, accessed: 25 January 2009
  5. AWD-Arena - facts Hanover Sevens website - stadium information, accessed: 25 January 2009
  6. Ultimate Sevens website Article on the Hanover Sevens, accessed: 26 January 2009
  7. Germans go sevens-crazy The Independent, accessed: 26 January 2009

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