BELGIUM v NETHERLANDS. Rugby Europe Championship, Division 1B

21.02.2015

Venue: Amsterdam

Referee: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

Poster thanks to http://www.sportkipik.be/articles.php?id_article=9363

Preview
Traditional and long standing rivals, Netherlands and Belgium first played each other in 1932 soon after the formation of FIRA. For the next thirty years they were regular and almost exclusive opponents when rugby in Europe began to expand.

At present they meet because Belgium were relegated from Division 1A last season whereas the Netherlands were promoted from Division 2A. So after two seasons from competitive international rugby these two teams meet again at the same level of competition.

Belgium has already established itself as one of the favourites with a convincing win over Ukraine in November. They will not be at full strength as three top players, Julien Berger, Guillaume Piron, Dirk Haghedooren and Mathieu Verschelden, have not been released by their French clubs.

The Netherlands has named a changed lineup from that which performed well against Poland in October. That performance was very encouraging. Being host the Netherlands will be eager to defeat their traditional rival.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	B	PT
MOLDOVA	3	3	0	0	134	48	86	3	15
POLAND	3	2	0	1	63	73	-10	1	9
UKRAINE	3	1	0	2	70	54	16	1	5
BELGIUM	1	1	0	0	25	10	15	0	4
NETHERLANDS	1	0	0	1	8	9	-1	1	1
SWEDEN	3	0	0	3	25	131	-106	0	0

Last Five Encounters
25.02.2012 Belgium 58-0 in Brussels (ENC 1B)
23.04.2011 Belgium 30-18 in Amsterdam (ENC 1B)
03.04.2008 Belgium 51-3 in Brussels (ENC 2A)
05.05.2007 Belgium 27-20 in Amsterdam (ENC 2A)
19.10.2005 Netherlands 20-8 in Amsterdam (Friendly)

Belgium Last Five P 5, W 1, L 4
15.11.2014 v Ukraine W 25-10 in Irpin (REC 1B)
15.03.2014 v Russia L 20-34 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
08.03.2014 v Romania L 10-29 in Iasi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
22.02.2014 v Portugal L 6-19 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
08.02.2014 v Spain L 6-11 in Madrid (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)

Netherlands Last Five P 5, W 2, D 1, L 2
18.10.2014 v Poland L 8-9 in Warsaw (REC 1B)
10.05.2014 v Germany L 7-17 in Amsterdam (WCQ Europe R4, Playoff)
12.04.2014 v Croatia W 45-13 in Amsterdam (ENC 2A)
05.04.2014 v Malta W 33-10 in Valette (ENC 2A)
16.11.2013 v Switzerland D 20-20 in Nyon (ENC 2A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Belgium 12th, Netherlands 19th

Rugby World Ranking Points
Belgium 54.50, Netherlands 52.25

Prediction: Belgium by 7 points

Teams

Netherlands

15		Leon Koenen	LRC DIOK
14		Pascal van Overeem	RC Hilversum
13		Robert van der Velden	RC Castricum
12		Rik Roovers	RC Hilversum
11		Pieter Mol	Haagsche RC
10		Storm Carroll	RC Hilversum
9		Rik van Balkom	RC The Dukes
8		Krijn Twigt	ASM Clermont Auvergne, France
7		Johannes van Vliet	Haagsche RC
6		Dirk Danen	RC Hilversum
5		Stefan Vos	RC The Dukes
4		Vincent Grimbergen	LRC DIOK
3		Andrew Darlington	RC't Gooi
2		Anthony Illston	Haagsche RC
1		Hugo Langelaan	RC't Gooi
16		Mark Darlington	RC't Gooi
17		Thomas Isaak	RC Hilversum
18		Jamel Khoudja	RC Amstelveen
19		Bart-Jan Romijn	Haagsche RC
20		James Boelrijk	Stade Montois Rugby, France
21		Amir Rademaker	Haagsche RC
22		Alexander Povel	Barking RFC. England
23		Jonathan Nas	RC The Dukes
		HEAD COACH: Alex Chang

http://www.rugby.nl/nieuws/selectie-heren-xv-nederland-belgi%C3%AB

Belgium Squad
Bertrand Billi (Soignies)
Thomas Boden (Boitsfort)
Quentin Boucar (ASUB)
Guillaume Brébant (Frameries)
Ryan Brion (Pau, France)
Cian Cauwenberghs (Mechelen)
Tom Cocqu (US Bressane, France)
Alexis Cuffolo (Dijon, France)
Michael De Molder (Boitsfort)
Thomas De Molder (Pau, France)
Sep Debacker (Dendermonde)
Florent Debatty (Soignies)
Christophe Debaty (RFC Liégeois)
Thomas Dienst (Lille, France)
Max Dubois (Soignies)
Brieuc Frateur (La Hulpe)
Sébastien Guns (ROC Ottignies)
Romain Heyndrickx (Soignies)
Thibault Jaupart (Frameries)
Loïc Lechien (ASUB)
Corentin Lecloux (Boitsfort)
Baptiste Lescarboura (Kituro)
Julien Massimi (Arras)
Nicolas Meeus (Kituro)
Alain Miriallakis (Kansas City Blues, USA)
Radman Nikrouye Aslan (ASUB)
Romain Pinte (Kituro)
Florian Piron (RFC Liégeois)
Nicolas Raykov (Arras)
Charles Reynaert (Kituro)
Frédéric Rongé (Kituro)
Hugo Sensée (Kituro)
Maxime Temmerman (ASUB)
Kjell Van Den Broeke (Dendermonde)
Pablo Fransisco Vilar (La Hulpe)
Savenaca Vocea (Dendermonde)
Kevin Williams (ASUB)

‘Julien Berger, Guillaume Piron, Dirk Haghedooren et Mathieu Verschelden n’ont par contre notamment pas été libérés par leur club respectif.’

http://www.sportkipik.be/rugbynatio.php