Rugby Europe Women’s Championship finalists and potential WRWC 2017 qualifiers Spain and Netherlands sat out Wednesday’s third round of matches, allowing Russia and Belgium to take centre stage.
Belgium and Russia will contest the third place play-off, before Spain and Netherlands do battle in Saturday’s Rugby Europe Women’s Championship final, after their respective midweek victories over the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
Steady rain and a wet pitch acted as a leveller between the 2014 European Trophy champions Belgium and a Czech side that conceded 97 points without reply against Spain in their last outing and has yet to win an international.
After a first minute try from Laura Bosman, Belgium struggled to gain the upper hand and the Czechs tied the scores when flanker Pabla Fisrova crashed over.
It looked as though the lower-ranked Czechs would go into the break on level terms but Ciska de Grave finally found a gap in the defence to give Belgium a slender advantage.
Margaux Lalli’s 54th-minute try doubled Belgium’s lead but the game wasn’t made safe until Sytske D’Hasselier crossed with eight minutes to go to make it 20-5.
RUSSIA OFF TO FLYING START
Russia, meanwhile, scored seven tries against shell-shocked Switzerland to race into a 39-0 lead after only 26 minutes. Winger Polina Teslenko and full-back Alena Bogacheva both got try doubles and they were joined on the scoresheet by Ekaterina Bankerova, Alexandra Kerzentseva and Ekaterina Kazakova.
Flanker Anna Minislamova added an eighth try six minutes after the restart before replacement Kristina Seredina got in on the act to make it 51-0 to Russia.
Switzerland strove to impose themselves on the game without any joy and, with Russia’s play becoming increasingly loose, the final half hour was played out without any addition to the score.
Saturday’s final between Spain and Netherlands will determine which of the sides will play Scotland, the lowest ranked of the Six Nations teams over the last two years, with the winner of the two-legged play-off earning the right to compete at WRWC 2017.
Before then, the Czech Republic will be looking to break their test duck in the fifth place-play-off against Switzerland, while Belgium and Russia will contest third place.
Photos: Spain RU
Sourced from World Rugby.
