1996–97 FIRA Tournament

The 1996–97 FIRA Tournament was the 32nd edition of the European rugby union championship for national teams organized by the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA).

1996–97 FIRA Tournament
Date22 November 1996 – 17 May 1997
Countries Belgium
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Georgia
 Germany
 Morocco
 Netherlands
 Poland
 Portugal
 Russia
 Spain
 Tunisia
Tournament statistics
Champions Spain
Matches played24
← 1995–1997 (Previous) (Next) 1997–1998 →

France, Italy and Romania did not participate, in order to privilege other appointments. France and Italy had to play the final of the previous trophy, due to the large number of international matches, only on 23 March 1997, after this tournament was started. Both countries were not interested to continue to participate in the FIRA senior competitions and this would be their last presence at the competition.

The tournament had a new formula. Twelve teams were divided into four pools of 3 teams. After a round robin, they were ranked in 3 groups to define the ranking, also valid to divide the Teams for the second round qualification to 1999 Rugby World Cup.

There was no second division, the other 18 European teams played the first round of qualification to the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

Spain and Portugal qualified for the First Place final, which was won by the Spaniards by 25-18.

First round

Pool A
Qualified for 1–4th place semifinals
Qualified for 5–8th place semifinals
Qualified for 9–12th place semifinals
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1 Spain220010217+856
2 Belgium21012480−564
3 Germany20022049−292
16 November 1996
Belgium  24–3  Germany
24 November 1996
Germany  17–25  Spain
Fritz Grunebaum Stadium, Heidelberg
Referee: M. Paraschivescu
8 December 1996
Spain  77–0  Belgium

Pool B
Qualified for 1–4th place semifinals
Qualified for 5–8th place semifinals
Qualified for 9–12th place semifinals
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1 Georgia22004734+136
2 Russia21015743+144
3 Czech Republic20022855−272
22 September 1996
Czech Republic  14–18  Georgia
Tatra Simchov Stadium, Prague
20 October 1996
Georgia  29–20  Russia
Try: Kavtararhvili, Modebadze, Nadiradze
Con: Machitidze
Pen: Machitidze (2)
Drop: Iurini, Machitidze
 Try: Boldakov
Pen: Boldakov (5)
National Stadium, Tbilisi
Referee: G. Barrabes
26 October 1996
Russia  37–14  Czech Republic
Fili Stadium, Moscow
Referee: A. Grombinas

Pool C
Qualified for 1–4th place semifinals
Qualified for 5–8th place semifinals
Qualified for 9–12th place semifinals
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1 Portugal22006617+496
2 Tunisia2101262604
3 Netherlands20022675−492
27 October 1996
Netherlands  15–20  Tunisia
24 November 1996
Portugal  55–11  Netherlands
7 December 1996
Tunisia  6–11  Portugal

Pool D
Qualified for 1–4th place semifinals
Qualified for 5–8th place semifinals
Qualified for 9–12th place semifinals
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1 Poland22003326+76
2 Morocco21013322+114
3 Denmark20021533−182
28 September 1996
Poland  16–10  Denmark
19 October 1996
Morocco  16–17  Poland
2 November 1996
Denmark  5–17  Morocco

Second round
  • First to Fourth places Semifinals
19 April 1997
Portugal  21–17  Georgia
Try: Pires (2)
Con: Amaral
Pen: Mourão (3)
 Pen: Modebadze (3)
Drop: Machididze
Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon
Referee: A. Fernandez
20 April 1997
Spain  44–10  Poland
Campo Universitario, Madrid
  • 5th to 8th places Semifinals
20 April 1997
Belgium  9–14  Morocco
20 April 1997
Tunisia  25–30  Russia
  • 9th to 12th places Semifinals
20 April 1997
Denmark  8–13  Germany
19 April 1997
Czech Republic  19–18  Netherlands

Finals
  • First Place Final
  • 3rd Place Final
10 May 1997
Poland  29–23  Georgia
Try: Fedorowicz, Wróbel
Con: Szwichtenberg, Wróbel
Pen: Szymański (2), Urbanowicz (2)
 Try: Katsadze, Andghuladze
Con: Iruni (2)
Pen: Iurini (3)
Ogniwo, Sopot
Referee: K. Blank
  • 5th Place Final
17 May 1997
Morocco  20–7  Russia
  • 7th Place Final
10 May 1997
Belgium  22–29  Tunisia
  • 9th Place Final
11 May 1997
Czech Republic  9–14  Germany
  • 11th Place Final
10 May 1997
Netherlands  48–5  Denmark

Final Ranking
  1.  Spain
  2.  Portugal
  3.  Poland
  4.  Georgia
  5.  Morocco
  6.  Russia
  7.  Tunisia
  8.  Belgium
  9.  Germany
  10.  Czech Republic
  11.  Netherlands
  12.  Denmark

Bibliography
  • (in Italian) Francesco Volpe, Valerio Vecchiarelli (2000), 2000 Italia in Meta, Storia della nazionale italiana di rugby dagli albori al Sei Nazioni, GS Editore (2000) ISBN 88-87374-40-6.
  • (in Italian) Francesco Volpe, Paolo Pacitti (Author), Rugby 2000, GTE Gruppo Editorale (1999).
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