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Men’s preview – 26- 28 March, 2021 jon

Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

MEN’S INTERNATIONALS – 26-28 MARCH, 2021

WORLD RUGBY MEN’S RANKINGS STATS

• will surrender third place immediately if they fail to beat • They will also drop below if they lose to Scotland – falling three places to sixth if that margin is by more than 15 points with also leapfrogging them • Les Bleus cannot improve on third as the maximum gain possible for victory is 0.14 rating points • Scotland will remain ninth even with a loss by more than 15 points in France • However, Scotland will climb above Argentina into eighth if they avoid defeat • cannot improve their rating with victory over Romania due to a difference of more than 10 points when home weighting in factored in • The Lelos will only fall one place if they lose by more than 15 points against Romania – something that hasn’t happened since 2006 • Romania will climb above Uruguay if they draw with Georgia • Victory will lift Romania two places to 16th – a position they last occupied in July 2018 • Portugal will jump three places to 21st with victory over neighbours Spain but cannot return to the top 20 as a win by more than 15 points will leave them 0.01 behind Russia • A draw would be enough to lift Portugal above Namibia into 23rd • Spain cannot fall from 19th even with an emphatic defeat • Los Leones will regain 18th place if they win in Portugal and Romania lose to Georgia • If Romania do upset Georgia then Spain must win by more than 15 points to return to 18th at Uruguay’s expense • Portugal will drop a place to 25th if they lose by more than 15 points

FRANCE (3) 86.17 v SCOTLAND (9) 80.12

Scotland win by 15 points or less – France 86.27, Scotland 80.02 Scotland win by more than 15 points – France 86.31, Scotland 79.98 Draw – France 85.27, Scotland 81.02 Scotland win by 15 points or less – France 84.27, Scotland 82.02 Scotland win by more than 15 points – France 83.31, Scotland 82.98

PORTUGAL (24) 60.88 v SPAIN (19) 66.03

Portugal win by 15 points or less – Portugal 62.10, Spain 64.82 Portugal win by more than 15 points – Portugal 62.70, Spain 64.21 Draw – Portugal 61.10, Spain 65.82 Spain win by 15 points or less – Portugal 60.10, Spain 66.82 Spain win by more than 15 points – Portugal 59.70, 67.21

GEORGIA (12) 73.73 v ROMANIA (18) 66.22

Georgia win by 15 points or less – Georgia 73.73, 66.22 (No change) Georgia win by more than 15 points – Georgia 73.73, 66.22 (No change) Draw – Georgia 72.73, Romania 67.22 Romania win by 15 points or less – Georgia 71.73, Romania 68.22 Romania win by more than 15 points – Georgia 70.73, Romania 69.22

The Men’s Rankings update every Monday at 12:00 GMT.

1 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

SIX NATIONS 2021 – 26 MARCH

FRANCE v SCOTLAND – , SAINT-DENIS – KO 21:00 (20:00 GMT)

Head to head Played: 97 – France leads 56-38 with three draws Points for: France 1,440 / Scotland 1,223 (avg. score: France 14-12 Scotland) Highest score: France 51 (51-16 on 21 February, 1998 and 51-9 on 25 October, 2003) / Scotland 36 (36-22 on 10 April, 1999) Biggest winning margin: France 42 (51-9 on 25 October, 2003) / Scotland 28 (31-3 on 20 January, 1912)

First met: 22 January, 1910 – Scotland 27-0 France – Inverleith, Last met: 22 November, 2020 – France 22-15 Scotland – Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Referee: () Debut as referee: 24 June, 2006 – Fiji 23-20 Samoa Tests as referee: 95 Six Nations debut: 3 February, 2007 – Italy 3-39 France Six Nations tests as referee: 24 World Rugby Referee Award recipient in 2019

• Wayne Barnes will extend his record of Six Nations matches refereed to 25 • Barnes has refereed this fixture five times – twice in Six Nations, twice in RWC warm-up matches and once in the • France have won both Six Nations encounters – 34-21 at Stade de France in 2011 and 23-17 at Murrayfield in 2012 – as well as the RWC 2015 warm-up (19-16 at Stade de France) and the Autumn Nations Cup match at Murrayfield (22-15) • Scotland won the other, 17-14 in the RWC 2019 warm-up match at Murrayfield • France must secure a bonus-point win by 21 points or more to claim the Six Nations title – for the first time since 2010 • If France win by 20 points and score six tries they will also be crowned champions. However, if they win by 20 and score five tries the title will be shared for the first time since 1988 – when Wales and France were joint winners of the Five Nations • Les Bleus have only achieved that victory margin (21+) once in their last 17 matches with Scotland, a 32-3 win in a RWC 2019 warm-up match in Nice • The last time they achieved that margin in a Six Nations match against Scotland was in March 2007 when they won 46-19 at the Stade de France • Scotland are currently fourth in the standings but could finish second for the first time in the Six Nations era • France will break their record for tries scored in a single Championship if they score four. Their current best is 18 – set in 2006 – and they go into the match with 15 tries • Between 2012-18, France failed to get into double figures for tries scored • Scotland have not won away to France in the Six Nations era – their last win was 36-22 in their Five Nations title-winning year of 1999 • 1926 was the last time Scotland won away to England and France in the same Championship • Scotland were the only team to beat France in the 2020 Six Nations, winning 28-17 after Les Bleus had sent off in the first half • The teams have met five times since the start of 2019 with France leading 3-2 – Scotland had recorded as many wins in their previous 15 tests with Les Bleus • France have won their last nine matches on home soil since a 24-19 loss to Wales in February 2019 • Scotland need three tries to bring up 150 in tests against France (173)

2 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

• This rearranged match falls on the eve of the 150th anniversary of Scotland’s first international match, against England at Raeburn Place on 27 March, 1871 • France second-row Paul Willemse received a two-match suspension following his red card against Wales • France have made five personnel and two positional changes from the side that denied Wales the last weekend. • Three of the changes are in the pack with and named in the second-row and Anthony Jelonch at blindside flanker • will start his first match since October at fly-half with Arthur Vincent coming in at inside centre, prompting Gaël Fickou’s move to the left wing and ’s to the right • Le Roux has nearly a third (46) of the caps (150) in France’s forward pack • will draw level with Mike Blair as Scotland’s fifth most-capped player (85 tests) • Scotland have made five changes to the starting line-up, three in the backline with and returning at half-back. Chris Harris also starts at centre. • The other changes see George Turner start at hooker in place of two-try hero against Italy David Cherry and replace the injured at number eight • Haining will make only his third start for Scotland and first since their defeat of France in March 2020 • Fagerson’s injury means Ryan Wilson comes on to the bench and will win his 50th cap if called upon, becoming Scotland’s seventh World Rugby U20 Championship graduate to reach the milestone • Wilson last played for Scotland against Japan at RWC 2019 • is named on the replacements bench, having last played for Scotland in the Six Nations 2020 final round against Wales last October • Scotland’s starting line-up boasts 446 caps to France’s 357

3 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP 2021 – 27 MARCH

The Rugby Europe Championship across 2021 and 2022 will provide the Europe 1 and Europe 2 qualifiers for 2023 in France.

Click HERE for more information on the RWC 2023 qualifying process.

In the RWC 2019 qualification process a total of 188 matches were played across 994 days with 10,355 points scored by the 71 teams who began with the dream of making it to Japan. The eight who did were Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Russia, Samoa, Tonga, Uruguay and USA.

PORTUGAL v SPAIN – CAR RUGBY DO JAMOR, LISBON – KO 15:00 GMT

Head to head Played: 37 – Spain leads 25-10 with two draws Points for: Portugal 535 / Spain 794 (avg. score: Portugal 14-21 Spain) Highest score: Portugal 35 (35-19 on 21 March, 2004 / 35-16 on 23 March, 2003) / Spain 50 (50-15 on 22 April, 1995) Biggest winning margin: Portugal 19 (35-16 on 23 March, 2003) / Spain 35 (50-15 on 22 April, 1995)

First met: 13 April, 1935 – Spain 6-5 Portugal – Campos das Amoreiras, Lisbon Last met: 7 February, 2021 – Spain 25-11 Portugal – Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense, Madrid

Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)

The match will be streamed live on Rugby Europe TV

• Spain and Portugal are both seeking their first win in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021 after each losing to Georgia and Romania. • Spain are fourth in the standings with two losing bonus points, one more than Portugal • Portugal have not played for two weeks, since a last-gasp 28-27 loss to Romania in Lisbon • Spain’s win in February was the first time the neighbours had met since March 2016, when Los Leones won 39-7 in Madrid • That victory ensured Spain finished second in the Rugby Europe Championship for the second year in succession, behind Georgia • Winger Rodrigo Marta scored Portugal’s only try in that defeat, while Gauthier Gibouin, Bautista Guemes and Julen Goia Iriberri scored Spain’s tries • Guemes scored a total of 15 points in that win playing at fly-half, but will start this weekend at inside centre • This is Spain’s first visit to Portugal since a 19-8 win in Coimbra in March 2015 • Spain have won their last four meetings with Portugal, two away and two at home • Portugal’s last victory over Spain was on 10 March, 2012 – 23-17 in Coimbra • Spain won 17 of their first 20 matches with Portugal (lost two, drew one) but only four of the next 13 (lost eight, drew one) before their current winning run • Seven of Portugal’s 10 wins over their Iberian neighbours have come on home soil • Portugal make six changes – three of them positional – from the side beaten by Romania with Nuno Guedes’ selection at full-back the only change to the backline • Prop Geoffrey Moise and second-row Eric dos Santos Madeira are also promoted to the starting line-up • José Madeira moves forward into the second row, Manuel Picão switches from number eight to fill the vacated openside spot with Rafael Simoes moving from second-row to number eight • Replacement hooker Loic Bournonville made his test debut against Spain in February

4 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

• Five of Portugal’s backline came through the World Rugby U20 Trophy pathway (Portela, Marta, Appleton, Storti and Sousa) as did four of the pack (Madeira, Dos Santo Madeira, Granate and Picão). Madeira is the only forward who wasn’t already capped at senior level when playing in the U20 Trophy • Spain have made four changes – two positional – from last weekend’s loss to Romania, all of them in the forwards with one forced following the six-week suspension for number eight Fred Quercy following his red card against Romania • Victor Sanchez returns from injury to take his place in the second-row with Lucas Guillaume dropping back to blindside and Gautier Gibouin moving across to number eight • Completing the new-look back-row is 39-year-old Kalokalo Gavidi at blindside • Spain’s starting line-up features only three players born in 1992 or later (Zabala, Ordas and Gimeno) compared to 10 for Portugal

5 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

RUGBY EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP 2021 – 28 MARCH

GEORGIA v ROMANIA – , – KO 15:00 (11:00 GMT)

Head to head Played: 24 – Georgia leads 14-9 with one draw Points for: Georgia 476 / Romania 394 (avg. score: Georgia 19-16 Romania) Highest score: Georgia 41 (41-13 on 1 February, 2020) / Romania 35 (35-10 on 25 February, 2006) Biggest winning margin: Georgia 29 (38-9 on 19 March, 2016) / Romania 25 (35-10 on 25 February, 2006)

First met: 18 November, 1998 – Romania 27-23 Georgia – Lansdowne Road, , Ireland Last met: 1 February, 2020 – Georgia 41-13 Romania – Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Referee: Paolo Duarte (Portugal)

The match will be streamed live on Rugby Europe TV

• Georgia are unbeaten in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021, sitting top of the table with 14 points from three matches, five points clear of Romania who have beaten Portugal and Spain after losing their opener to Russia • Georgia have won their last 18 matches in the Rugby Europe Championship – they last tasted defeat on 19 March, 2017, losing 8-7 to Romania in Bucharest • Georgia will be seeking a fourth successive victory over Romania to retain the Antim Cup, the trophy the sides play for in each match outside of a Rugby World Cup • Romania have won only one of their last 11 meetings with Georgia, losing nine and drawing one • The Oaks won six of their first eight meetings with Georgia but have only tasted victory three times in 16 meetings since – in 2006, 2010 and 2017 • Romania have not won on Georgian soil since a 19-6 triumph in Tbilisi on 30 March, 2003 • Three of their nine wins have come on Georgian soil – in 2000, 2002 and 2003 • Georgia scored their highest points tally in their last encounter with Romania, winning 41-13 in Tbilisi • Georgia have failed to score 30 points or more in their last nine tests dating back to a 39-24 win against Portugal last March • Georgia have made three changes from the Spain victory, two in the pack where hooker Shalva Mamukashvili and flanker Beka Saginadze return, the latter after injury • In the backline, Lasha Khmaladze replaces injured teenager Davit Niniashvili at full-back for what will be his 86th test appearance – the most by a World Rugby U20 Trophy graduate • Nine of Georgia’s starting line-up are World Rugby U20 Championship or Trophy graduates. Captain also played in the U20 Trophy but was already capped at test level before his appearance in 2012 • Georgia have seven players born in 1997 or later in their starting line-up (Jaiani, Saginadze, Jalagonia, Aprasidze, Abzhandadze, Kveseladze and Tabutsadze). Romania have two (Chirica and Boldor) • Prop Nika Abuladze could make his debut if called upon from the bench – described by head coach Levan Maisashvili as the best in his position in Georgia’s domestic Didi 10 Championship • Romania’s Vlad Neculau is suspended for four weeks after being cited for dangerous play in the win against Spain • Romania have made five changes to their starting line-up, including a new centre pairing in Tudor Boldor and Alexandru Bucur. Bucur last played for Romania in March 2019 • In the pack, hooker Ovidiu Cojocaru and flankers Cristi Chirica and Cristi Boboc come in. Boboc made his debut against Spain last weekend while Chirica returns from injury.

6 Men’s preview – 26-28 March, 2021

• It will be Cojocaru’s first start since February 2020 and only his third in 16 tests • Romania’s most-capped player Florin Vlaicu has to settle for a place on the bench, the first time he has been named on the bench since March 2019 against Belgium

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