Russia win Euro 7s first leg

It was a comfortable tournament win and, with Russia were fielding the full-strength team they are likely to take to Monaco (and then, probably, the Olympics), not an unexpected one. Their victory over Spain was by far their closest game.

The structure of the tournament saw the three leading teams - after two series of pool games - play in a final pool to decide the winners, the next best three in a pool to decide fourth place, and the final three in a pool to decide seventh.

Russia reached the championship pool with some ease conceding just one try – to Wales – while scoring 176 points in their four games.

Spain also reached the last three, but their young team had to fight hard against Portugal, Scotland, Germany and Poland.

The battle to join the top two seeds went down to the wire, Belgium eventually just edging out Scotland, despite losing to them in the second series of pool games. But with the results of all games in the first two phases being combined the Scots missed out due to their surprise 15-14 defeat to hosts Portugal in their opening game.

This was a significant return to form for Belgium, who had beaten the much-fancied Poland in the opening phase.

Poland went on to finish fourth after an exciting 14-10 win against Scotland, coming back from being behind twice to win the game.

Portugal – whose place in the tournament was thanks only due to their acting as hosts after France’s withdrawal – will have been delighted with their sixth place, with a win over Wales to add to their win against Scotland.

Wales – who were also due to play in the Trophy this yearbefore the withdrawal of five teams from the event– had a less happy competition, with just one win against Romania as they finished 8thbehind Germany.

Results:

Pool A: Russia 41-0 Romania; Germany 12-26 Romania; Russia 39-0 Germany

Pool B: Poland 36-0 Wales; Belgium 34-7 Wales; Poland 7-10 Belgium

Pool C: Scotland 14-15 Portugal; Spain 19-5 Portugal; Scotland 12-24 Spain

Pool D: Russia 47-5 Wales; Portugal 15-12 Wales; Russia 49-0 Portugal

Pool E: Belgium 12-17 Scotland; Romania 5-31 Scotland; Belgium 46-0 Romania

Pool F: Spain 12-24 Germany; Poland 35-7 Germany; Spain 20-14 Poland

Pool G (1st-3rdposition): Russia 38-0 Belgium; Spain 15-10 Belgium; Russia 24-5 Spain

Pool H (4th-6thposition): Poland 21-10 Portugal; Scotland 33-12 Portugal; Poland 14-10 Scotland

Pool I (7th-9thposition): Wales 42-0 Romania; Germany 12-10 Wales; Romania 7–25 Germany

Positions

1-Russia; 2-Spain; 3-Belgium; 4-Poland; 5-Scotland; 6-Portugal; 7-Germany; 8-Wales; 9-Romania

Squads

Belgium;Margaux Lalli;Margaux Stevins;Czecile Blondiau;Emilie Benedicte Musch;Nele Pien;Ciska De Grave;Caitlynn Cool;Manon Nairac;Loes Hubrecht;Pauline Gernaey;Louise Liegeois;Cristina Pecoraro

Germany;Annika Nowotny;Steffi Gruber;Gesine Adler;Johanna Hacker;Julia Braun;Katalina Bechtel;Katharina Epp;Lara Burger;Lea Predikant;Sarah Goßmann;Sophie Hacker;Zoe Wurmli

Poland;Marta Nowosz;Aleksandra Lachowska;Tamara Czumer;Malgorzata Koldej;Marta Morus;Patrycja Zawadzka;Anna Klichowska;Karolina Jaszczyszyn;Hanna Maliszewska;Julia Druzgala;Natalia Pamieta;Sylwia Witkowska

Portugal;Adelina Costa;Arlete Goncalves;Maria Costa;Leonor Amaral;Daniela Correia;Catarina Ribeiro;Ines Duarte;Ines Marques;Vera Simoes;Isabel Ozorio;Mariana Marques;Beatriz Oliveira

Romania;Ioana Stefania Ghebu;Georgiana Gabor;Ana -Maria Calin;Georgiana Vizitiu;Emilia Vizitiu;Ana -Maria Sandu;Ana -Maria Atomi;Paula Irina Ursache;Simona Rosca;Bianca Alexandra Preda;Andreea Petru;Carmen Ioana Cirgea

Russia;Baizat Khamidova;Anna Baranchuk;Alena Tiron;Nadezhda Sozonova;Marina Kukina;Kristina Seredina;Elena Zdrokova;Iana Danilova;Mariia Molokoedova;Daria Lushina;Viktoriia Em;Mariia Pogrebniak

Scotland;Evi Wills;Abigail Evans;Megan Gaffney;Annabel Sergeant;Rachel Shankland;Chloe Rollie;Shona Campbell;Helen Nelson;Jennifer Maxwell;Coreen Grant;Elizabeth Musgrove;Meryl Smith

Spain;Eva Aguirre Diez;Beatriz Dominguez Sanchez;Amaia Erbina Araña;Lea Ducher;Uribarri Barrutieta Barrenetxea;Maria Garcia Gala;Cecilia Huarte Sebastian;Olivia Fresneda Fernandez;Ingrid Algar Gonzalez;Anne Fernandez De Corres Del Rio;Silvia Morales Gonzalez;Paula Requena Zamora

Wales;Lisa Neumann;Caitlin Lewis;Robyn Wilkins;Jade Mullen;Kayleigh Powell;Alex Callender;Alisha Butchers;Bethan Dainton;Bethan Lewis;Gwen Crabb;Georgia Evans;Shona Powell-Hughes