2003–04 European Nations Cup First Division

The 2003–2004 European Nations Cup was the fourth edition of the newly reformed European Championship for tier 2 and 3 Rugby Union Nations. This was the second two-year cycled championship, the first to be planned from the start.

2003–04 European Nations Cup

Date	16 February 2003 – 27 March 2004
Countries	Czech Republic Georgia Portugal Romania Russia Spain
Final positions
Champions	Portugal
Antim Cup	Romania (2003, 2004)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	29
Tries scored	128 (4.41 per match)
← 2001–02 2004–06 →

The Championship was won by Portugal for the first time, with their Iberian neighbours Spain being relegated. Portugal won all their games, except to a loss abroad to Romania. The Championship saw another new face in the Czech Republic who replaced the relegated Netherlands.

Table

Place	Nation	Games				Points			Table points
		played	won	drawn	lost	for	against	difference
1	Portugal	10	9	0	1	255	180	+75	28
2	Romania	10	8	0	2	320	123	+197	26
3	Georgia	10	5	1	4	193	148	+45	21
4	Russia	9	3	0	6	198	175	+23	14
5	Czech Republic	9	3	0	6	139	263	−124	14
6	Spain	10	0	1	9	129	345	−216	11

Results

• Week 1

16 February 2003

Portugal	34–30	Georgia
Try: Gonçalves, Da. Mateus, Di. Mateus Con: Malheiro (2) Pen: Malheiro (5)		Try: Abuseridze, Katsadze (2), Zedginidze Con: Jimsheladze (2) Pen: Jimsheladze Drop: Jimsheladze

Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon Referee: Nigel Owens

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16 February 2003

Spain	19–52	Russia
Try: penalty try Con: Cascarra Pen: Cascarra (3)		Try: Fedchenko, Grachev, Kuzin, A. Sergeev, S. Sergeev Con: Rachkov (3) Pen: Rachkov (6) Drop: Rachkov

Inca, Mallorca Referee: Daniel Pruvot

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22 June 2003

Czech Republic	5–42	Romania
Try: Stastny		Try: Brezoianu, Ghioc, Popescu, Sauan, Tofan Con: Dumbrava (4) Pen: Dumbrava (3)

Tatra Smichov Rugby Club, Prague Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Dave Pearson

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Czech Republic-Romania was originally scheduled for 15 February but was postponed.

• Week 2

22 February 2003

Georgia	34–3	Spain
Try: Gundishvili, Shvelidze, Yachvili, Zibzibadze (2) Con: Jimsheladze (3) Pen: Jimsheladze		Pen: Cascarra

Tbilisi Attendance: 10,000 Referee: G. Doyle

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22 February 2003

Portugal	16–15	Romania
Try: Garvão Con: Malheiro Pen: Malheiro (2) Drop: Tomé		Try: Manta, Tincu Con: Tofan Pen: Tofan

Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon Referee: G. Doyle

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14 June 2003

Czech Republic	27–13	Russia
Try: Camrda, Pekarek, Rohlik Con: Kafka (3) Pen: Kafka (2)		Try: Lubkov Con: Rachkov Pen: Rachkov (2)

Tatra Smichov Rugby Club, Prague Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Nereo Dordolo

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Czech Republic-Russia was originally scheduled for 22 February but was postponed.

• Week 3

8 March 2003

Portugal	43–10	Czech Republic
Try: Malheiro (2), Da. Mateus, Di. Mateus, Vieira Con: Malheiro, Cardoso Pinto (2) Pen: Malheiro (4)		Try: Zak Con: Krejci Pen: Krejci

Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon Referee: Sean Mallon

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9 March 2003

Russia	17–23	Georgia
Try: Sergeev Pen: Rachkov (2) Drop: Rachkov (2)		Try: Jimsheladze Pen: Jimsheladze (6)

Stadium Junost, Krasnodar Referee: Giovanni Morandin

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9 March 2003

Spain	6–31	Romania
Pen: Díez Drop: Velazco Querol		Try: Petrechei, Socol, Tofan Con: Tofan (2) Pen: Tofan (4)

Campo Universitário, Madrid Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Antonio Lombardi

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Week 4

22 March 2003

Czech Republic	15–30	Georgia
Pen: Kafka (4) Drop: Kafka		Try: Khamashuridze, Labadze, Shvelidze, Zedginidze, Zibzibadze Con: Jimsheladze Pen: Jimsheladze

Tatra Simchov Rugby Club, Prague Attendance: 1,400 Referee: Carlo Damasco

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22 March 2003

Romania	23–12	Russia
Try: Petrache, Vioreanu, penalty try Con: Tofan Pen: Tofan (2)		Pen: Rachkov (4)

Dinamo Stadion, Bucharest Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Daniel Dartigeas

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23 March 2003

Portugal	35–16	Spain
Try: Cunha, Sousa Con: Malheiro (2) Pen: Malheiro (5) Drop: Malheiro (2)		Try: Tuineau Iloa Con: Cascarra Pen: Cascarra (2) Drop: Kovalenco

Estádio Municipal, Coimbra Referee: Jean-Luc Rebollal

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• Week 5

29 March 2003

Russia	14–25	Portugal
Try: Dymchenko Pen: Akulov		Try: Cunha Con: Malheiro Pen: Malheiro (5) Drop: Malheiro

Stadium Junost, Krasnodar Referee: Mircea Paraschivescu

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30 March 2003

Georgia	6–19	Romania
Pen: Jimsheladze (2)		Try: Brezoianu, Gontineac, Maftei Con: Tofan (2)

Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Daniel Gillet

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30 March 2003

Spain	38–40	Czech Republic
Try: Beltrán Rodriguéz, Cascarra, Loubsens, Monreal Izquierdo, Zarzosa Con: Cascarra (2) Pen: Cascarra (3)		Try: Rohlik, Stastny, Suster, Syrovy Con: Kafka (4) Pen: Kafka (4)

Campo Universitário, Madrid Referee: Jeremy Schauder

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• Week 6

14 February 2004

Romania	55–11	Czech Republic
Try: Baraulea (2), Gheara, Gontineac, Sauan, Teodorescu (2), Zebega Con: Dumbrava (6) Pen: Dumbrava		Try: Rohlik Pen: Kafka, Krejci

Dinamo Stadion, Bucharest Referee: Jean-Luc Rebollal

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14 February 2004

Georgia	14–19	Portugal
Try: Ghvaberidze, Kopaliani Con: Kvnikhidze, Urjukashvili		Try: Aguilar Con: Malheiro Pen: Malheiro (3) Drop: Malheiro

Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Antonio Lombardo

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14 February 2004

Russia	36–6	Spain
Try: Fedchenko, Grachev, Korobeynikov, Korshunov, Kuzin, Rachkov Pen: Rachkov (2)		Pen: Martinéz Torres

Stadium Junost, Krasnodar Referee: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat

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• Week 7

21 February 2004

Romania	36–6	Portugal
Try: Baraulea, Mersoiu, Sauan (2), Toderasc Con: Dumbrava (4) Pen: Dumbrava		Pen: Malheiro (2)

Stade 1 Mai, Constanta Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Johan Meersman

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22 February 2004

Spain	6–6	Georgia
Pen: Kovalenco, Martinéz Torres		Pen: Kvinikhidze (2)

Tarragona Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Mauro Dordolo

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• The Russia-Czech Republic game, originally scheduled for 21 February 2004 and postponed due snow, wasn't played.
• Week 8

6 March 2004

Romania	50–10	Spain
Try: Dragoș Dima, Sirbu, Socol, Teodorescu, Tincu, Toderasc, Tonita, Voicu Con: Tofan (5)		Try: Loubsens Con: Martinéz Torres Pen: Martinéz Torres

Stadionul Ghencea II, Bucharest Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Jean-Christophe Gastou

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6 March 2004

Georgia	9–3	Russia
Pen: Barkalaia, Jimsheladze Drop: Jimsheladze		Pen: Rachkov

Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Joel Dume

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6 March 2004

Czech Republic	8–13	Portugal
Try: Rohlik Drop: Brabek		Try: Cunha, Garvão Pen: Grenho

Tatra Smichov Rugby Club, Prague Attendance: 500 Referee: Séan Mallon

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• Week 9

20 March 2004

Russia	33–24	Romania
Try: Grachev, Kazantsev, Klyuchnikov, Shelepkov Con: Simonov (2) Pen: Simonov (3)		Try: Sauan, Toderasc, penalty try Con: Dumbrava (3) Pen: Dumbrava

Stadium Junost, Krasnodar Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Gérard Borréani

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20 March 2004

Spain	19–35	Portugal
Try: Davila Sánchez, Velazco Querol Pen: Kovalenco (3)		Try: Aguilar (2), Garvão (3), Mateus Con: Malheiro Pen: Malheiro

Ibiza Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Akim Hadj Bachir

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20 March 2004

Georgia	23–7	Czech Republic
Try: Gorgodze, Zedginidze Con: Kvinikhidze (2) Pen: Kvinikhidze (3)		Try: Rohlik Con: Krejci

Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Bernd Gabbei

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• Week 10

27 March 2004

Czech Republic	16–6	Spain
Try: Brabec Con: Kafka Pen: Kafka Drop: Kafka		Pen: Martinéz Torres (2)

Tatra Smichov Rugby Club, Prague Referee: Maurizio Vancini

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27 March 2004

Portugal	19–18	Russia
Try: Andrade, Malheiro Pen: Malheiro (3) Drop: Kazantsev		Try: Kuzin, Simonov Con: Simonov Pen: Simonov

Municipal Stadium, Coimbra

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27 March 2004

Romania	25–18	Georgia
Try: Sirbu, Tudori Pen: Dumbrava (2), Tofan (3)		Try: Gorgodze, Kvinikhidze Con: Kvinikhidze Pen: Kvinikhidze (2)

Iași Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Stefano Mancini

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See also

• 2002–2004 European Nations Cup Second Division
• 2002–2003 European Nations Cup Third Division
• 2003–2004 European Nations Cup Third Division

External links

• 2003-04 European Nations Cup First Division at ESPN