The stage is set for the women’s Rugby Europe Championship Final between Netherlands and Spain on Saturday.
Spain have dominated this event for a number of years (since 2016 with 8 European Championship titles in a row ), but Netherlands have completed good bonus point wins over Portugal (59-0) and Belgium (41-0) in recent weeks to give themselves 10 points from 10 and a chance of finishing in top spot.
Their opponents have also won two from two so far in the four-team event with bonus points. Spain defeated Belgium 39-0 and then Portugal 45-5.
The ‘winner takes all’ clash is taking place at the National Rugby Center in Amsterdam at 3pm local time (1pm UTC) and with their home advantage Netherlands will throw everything at this one.
Last year when these sides met Spain knew that a win in the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Torrevieja would see them top the four-team standings unbeaten and they eventually won 27-17, but it was a hard-fought triumph.
Indeed, in that one 12 months ago it was the visitors who got off to a flying start when second-row Inger Jongerius went over for an early unconverted try.
That was in the seventh minute and, by the 10th minute, Spain were on the scoreboard too when back-row Nerea Garcia levelled things up and centre Amalia Argudo converted.
Argudo missed a penalty in the 20th minute, but Spain were on the front foot now and hooker Maria Roman Mallen’s try, converted by Argudo soon after, put them 14-5 up with a bit of breathing space.
© Walter D.
Netherlands missed a penalty eight minutes before half-time, but they showed that they were well in this contest with a converted try just before half-time.
It came from winger Kika Mulling and when stand-off Pleuni Kievit converted it was 14-12 and ‘game on’ with 40 minutes to play.
The start of the second half was cagey before Netherlands scrum-half Esmee Ligtvoet was yellow carded in the 49th minute.
With the extra player on the pitch, Spain managed to score their third try of the day with second-row Lourdes Alameda going over to make it 19- 12 and then Argudo converting for 21-12.
Netherlands missed a penalty with 14 players, but when back to 15 scored a five-pointer via No.8 Linde Van Der Velden to make it 21-17.
That was with 18 minutes to go and Spain had to manage the game well late on to get over the line.
Argudo kicked penalties in 65 and 76 minutes to secure the 27-17 win and Netherlands were left to rue a number of missed kicks
Elsewhere on Saturday in this event, winless sides Belgium and Portugal will look to claim third place and end things on a high when they meet at the Sportcomplex Sint-Gillis at 5pm local time (3pm UTC).
The Men’s Rugby Europe Trophy campaign will end on Saturday at the Siauliai Rugby Academy Stadium when winless and bottom side Lithuania host fifth placed Croatia in the six-team event at 2pm local time (11am UTC). The loser of this game will be relegated to Conference division.
There are four Saturday games in the Men’s Rugby Europe Conference with Ukraine taking on Bulgaria at 2pm local time (11am UTC), Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina meeting at 2pm local time (12pm UTC), Slovenia being in Serbia at 2pm local time (12pm UTC) and Norway and Finland clashing at the International School of Stavanger at 2pm local time (noon UTC).
All games will be live on rugbyeurope.tv and some local TV broadcasters.
By Gary Heatly
