Slovenia made sure of finishing top of Pool E in the men’s Rugby Europe Conference with a third win from three on Saturday.
Way back in October they got things off to a flyer with a 74-10 home triumph over Kosovo and they have just built from there.
On April 19 they came out on top 39-22 in Montenegro and, at the weekend just gone, they saw off Bosnia & Herzegovina 34-21 at home.
At the Oval Stadion in Ljubljana, full-back Mahir Bisic missed a penalty early on for the visitors and then Slovenia winger Bor Jamnik made no mistake with one to put his side 3-0 up.
By the 10th minute Slovenia were 10-0 to the good when Lewis Podpadec, the scrum-half, scored a try which was converted by Jamnik.
Bisic then missed another penalty before Slovenia’s second try arrived through Podpadec and when, on the half hour mark, centre Igor Mihelic scored their third try the home side were well in control and 20-0 up.
Jamnik then scored their fourth before half-time and although he had missed three out of four conversions they were still 25-0 up at the interval.
A penalty by Jamnik increased the lead to 28-0 early in the second period before the visitors got themselves on the scoreboard via a try from centre Stanislas Prcanovic. Bisic converted.
Another Jamnik penalty made it 31-7 before Slovenia had a player yellow carded.
Almost straight away Bosnia & Herzegovina took advantage with back-row Adamir Stankovic going over for a converted try.
While still with 14 men, Jamnik’s penalty made it 34-14 and, when it was back to 15 versus 15, Bosnia & Herzegovina scored their third converted try of the game through loosehead prop Zeid Stankovic in the 70th minute, but it was Slovenia’s day.
Bosnia & Herzegovina are second in the section having won two from three.
Meanwhile, there was drama in the same competition at the Baldone Stadium on Saturday when Finland edged past hosts Latvia 20-19 in Pool A.
It means that Latvia are currently second in the section behind Denmark having completed their games while Finland are third with a match to play.
In Riga, Finland led 6-5 at the break before a flurry of yellow cards came in an all-action second half.
The home side were just about holding on 19-13 heading into the last couple of minutes, but then their No.8 Emils Balodis was red carded after receiving a second yellow.
Finland managed to take advantage of the extra man - in fact they were playing against 13 as Latvia had another player in the sin bin - and winger Joonas Bask scored a try and held his nerve to convert it.
The drama was not over though and right at the death Latvia full-back Davids Zidelis had a chance to win the game with a penalty, but he could not convert and Finland came out 20-19 victors.
In a men’s under-18 qualifier in the Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Poland defeated hosts Romania 32-17 on Sunday and secured their ticket for the next Rugby Europe U18 Championship 2025, which will be held in Prague in November.
by Gary Heatly
pictures : Zigiosmunds Zālmanis
