# Germany at the 2006–2008 European Nations Cup

Germany at the 2006–2008 European Nations Cup was the first time since 1981 that the German national rugby union team reached highest level of FIRA rugby, the European Nations Cup, by winning its group, the Division 2A in 2006–2008.
Germany played eight competition games and three friendlies in its campaign. It won six of its eight competitive games, including all four home games, and all three friendlies. It played Switzerland twice, to contest the newly created Alpencup, which remained with Germany on both occasions.
With over 8,000 spectators, Germany's home game against the Netherlands in Hanover, at the Rudolf-Kalweit-Stadion, achieved the best crowd figures for a rugby match in Germany since the pre-Second World War days.
Germany went into its campaign unbeaten at home, having last lost on 12 November 2000, to Ukraine. It maintained this record, which was only broken early in its next campaign, on 8 November 2008, when it lost to a Welsh XV.

## Background

The division Germany was playing in, Division 2A, consisted of five teams, of which Ukraine had been relegated to from the First Division in the previous edition of the European Nations Cup.
The winner, Germany, earned promotion to the First Division, while the last placed team, the Netherlands, were relegated to Division 2B.

## Management and coaching

At the beginning of Germany's ENC campaign, it was coached by a duo, made up of Rudolf Finsterer and Mark Kuhlmann, under the supervision of Peter Ianusevici, Germany's Director of Rugby.
In early 2008, the two were joined by Frenchman Bruno Stolorz. Stolorz was seconded to the German team by the Fédération française de rugby to improve Germany's performance in the sport and is also a coach with French club team RC Orléans, where he fulfills the position of a Conseiller sportif auprès.

## Debuts and retirements

A number of German players made their final appearances for their country during the 2006-08 campaign, among them were regulars like Steffen Thier, Sascha Fischer and Klaus Mainzer.
The former were replaced by a number of debutants, among them the Zimbabwean Edmoore Takaendesa and the Australian Steve Williams.

## Table

| Place | Nation | Games | Games | Games | Games | Points | Points | Points | Table points |
| Place | Nation | played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | Table points |
| 1 | Germany | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 191 | 124 | +67 | 20 |
| 2 | Belgium | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 214 | 147 | +67 | 20 |
| 3 | Moldova | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 163 | 157 | +6 | 18 |
| 4 | Ukraine | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 117 | 128 | -11 | 14 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 97 | 226 | -129 | 8 |
* In the event of a tie the following rules apply: champion to be decided by 1. Winner of the games between tied teams 2. Best difference points for and against in all pool matches 3. Best difference between tried in all pool matches 4. Higher number of points 5. Higher number of tries
* Germany was promoted because they won on aggregate in the two games played between them and Belgium (32 - 13 and 18 - 32 giving an aggregate of 50 - 45).

## Games
### ENC matches

* 2006-11-11 12:00
| Moldova | 26 – 24 | Germany |
| Try: (4) 3', 21', 30', 68' Pen: (2) 11', 80' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Güngör 40'+, Franke 63' Con: Franke 40'+ Pen: Franke (4) 23', 28', 40', 78' |
* Chişinău Attendance: 500 Referee: Bernard dal Maso (France)
* 2006-11-18 15:00
| Germany | 32 – 13 | Belgium |
| Try: Güngör 28', Chaule 46', ??? Con: Franke 28' Pen: Franke (5) 2', 6', 15', 24', 67' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: (1) Con: (1) Pen: (2) |
* Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark, Heidelberg Attendance: 2,700 Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)
* 2007-04-21 15:00
| Ukraine | 14 – 22 | Germany |
| Try: (2) 6', 36' Con: (2) 6', 36' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Güngör 40'+ Con: Franke 40'+ Pen: Franke (5) 2', 30', 38', 49', 80' |
* Kyiv Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Tomas Tuma (Czech Republic)
* 2007-04-28 15:00
| Germany | 21 – 12 | Netherlands |
| Try: Güngör 5', Steffen Thier Con: Franke 5' Pen: Franke (3) 49', 65', 70' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: (2) Con: (1) |
* Rudolf-Kalweit-Stadion, Hanover Attendance: 8,213
* 2007-11-10
| Belgium | 32 – 18 | Germany |
| Try: Wey, Verschelden, Nana, Niell Con: A. Williams (3) Pen: A. Williams (2) | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Franke 56', Tekkal 70' Con: Eckert 70' Pen: Franke 8', Eckert 47' |
* King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Felix Villegas Casado (Spain)
* 2007-11-24 15:00
| Germany | 34 – 5 | Moldova |
| Try: Grzanna (2) 19', 25', Kasten 60', Strauch 76' Con: Franke (4) 19', 25', 60', 76' Pen: Franke (2) 4', 45' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Romanov 52' |
* Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark, Heidelberg Attendance: 2,800 Referee: Jaroslav Bednarik (Czech Republic)
* 2008-04-19 14:30
| Germany | 13 – 5 | Ukraine |
| Try: Grzanna 58' Con: Franke 58' Pen: Franke 17' Drop: Güngör 26' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Orlov 34' |
* Rudolf-Kalweit-Stadion, Hanover Attendance: 6,735 Referee: Gabriel Seitan (Romania)
* 2008-04-26
| Netherlands | 17 – 27 | Germany |
| Try: Knox 29', Bonhof 40', Lingsma 65' Con: Lingsma 40' | (Line up) (Report) | Try: Güngör (2) 20', 75' Con: Franke 20' Pen: Davies (3) 32', 39', 50', Franke 69' Drop: Grzanna 79' |
* Amsterdam Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Tony Raduta (Romania)

### Friendlies

* 2006-09-16
| Switzerland | 10 – 40 | Germany |
| | (Report) | |
* Allmend Stadium, Bern
* 2007-02-24
| Welsh Districts XV | 13 – 24 | Germany |
| Try: Parry, Palmer Pen: Warman | (Line up) | Try: Kasten, Danso, Kerr Con: Franke (3) Pen: Franke |
* Pontypridd Stadium, Pontypridd Attendance: 500 Referee: Dale Hewitt (England)
* 2007-09-29
| Germany | 49 – 13 | Switzerland |
| Try: Walger (3), Strauch (2), Pipa, Pyrasch Con: Eckert (5), Wiedemann (2) | (Line up) | Try: Betten, Hösel Pen: Nicholas |
* Frankfurt am Main

## Player statistics
### Squad

The following players were part of the German team during its 2006-08 campaign:
Backs :
| Player | Position | Club |
| Mustafa Güngör | Scrum-half | RG Heidelberg |
| Raphael Pyrasch | Scrum-half | DSV 78 Hannover |
| Franck Moutsinga | Scrum-half | Berliner RC |
| Christopher Parnham | Scrum-half | Clifton RFC |
| Kieron Davies | Fly-half | Luton RFC |
| Thorsten Wiedemann | Fly-half | TSV Handschuhsheim |
| Lars Eckert | Fly-half | SC Neuenheim |
| Friedrich Michau | Fly-half | FC St Pauli |
| Benjamin Simm | Centre | DSV 78 Hannover |
| Clemens von Grumbkow | Centre | RC Orléans |
| Christopher Weselek | Centre | RG Heidelberg |
| Colin Grzanna | Centre | Berliner RC |
| Marten Strauch | Centre | SC Neuenheim |
| Sebastien Chaule | Wing | TSV Handschuhsheim |
| Markus Walger | Wing | RK Heusenstamm |
| Matthieu Franke | Fullback | RC Orléans |
| Edmoore Takaendesa | Fullback | RG Heidelberg |
| Dennis Walger | Fullback | RK Heusenstamm |
Forwards :
| Player | Position | Club |
| Klaus Mainzer | Hooker | SC Neuenheim |
| Tim Coly | Hooker | RG Heidelberg |
| Christian Baracat | Prop | SC 1880 Frankfurt |
| Benjamin Krause | Prop | DSV 78 Hannover |
| Marcus Trick | Prop | SC Neuenheim |
| Alexander Widiker | Prop | RC Orléans |
| Pierre Faber | Prop | Stade Dijonnais |
| Steve Williams | Prop | SC Neuenheim |
| Krystian Trochowski | Prop | Berliner RC |
| Benjamin Danso | Lock | DRC Hannover |
| Jens Schmidt | Lock | TSV Handschuhsheim |
| Bodo Sieber | Lock | University of Cape Town |
| Manuel Wilhelm | Lock | RG Heidelberg |
| Sebastian Werle | Lock | RG Heidelberg |
| Sascha Fischer | Lock | Le Bugue athletic club |
| Rolf Wacha | Lock | SC 1880 Frankfurt |
| Christian Hug | Lock | SC Neuenheim |
| Kehoma Brenner | Flanker | RG Heidelberg |
| Tim Kasten | Flanker | RG Heidelberg |
| Alexander Hug | Flanker | TSV Handschuhsheim |
| Alexander Pipa | Flanker | TSV Handschuhsheim |
| Gerrit van Look | Flanker | Berliner RC |
| Timur Tekkal | Flanker | DRC Hannover |
| Steffen Thier | Flanker | RG Heidelberg |
| Michael Kerr | Flanker | SC Neuenheim |
* Clubs listed are the club or clubs a player played for while playing for Germany in 2006-08, not current club.

### Games

The following players have been selected for Germany from 2006 to 2008 in the country's European Nation Cup Second Division campaign and in friendlies:
| Player | Caps | 2006 | 2006 | 2006 | 2007 | 2007 | 2007 | 2007 | 2007 | 2007 | 2008 | 2008 |
| | | Swi $^2$ | Mol | Bel | W XV | Ukr | Ned | Swi | Bel | Mol | Ukr | Ned |
| Benjamin Krause | 26 | x | | | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tim Coly | 23 | | 2 | 2 | | 2 | 2 | | | | 2 | 2 |
| Alexander Widiker | 27 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Manuel Wilhelm | 20 | | 19 | 4 | | 5 | 5 | | | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Jens Schmidt | 33 | x | 5 (c) | 5 (c) | 7 (c) | 8 (c) | 7 (c) | 5 (c) | 4 | | 18 | 5 |
| Tim Kasten | 17 | x | 6 | 8 | 6 | | | | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Gerrit van Look | 15 | x | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Bodo Sieber | 15 | | | | | 4 | 4 | | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Mustafa Güngör | 20 | x | 9 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 9 | | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Lars Eckert | 17 | x | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Matthieu Franke | 9 | | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | | 15 | 15 | 14 | 11 |
| Colin Grzanna | 22 | x | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 (c) | 12 (c) | 12 (c) | 12 (c) |
| Kieron Davies | 23 | | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | 13 | 13 |
| Christopher Weselek | 25 | x | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 22 | 14 |
| Edmoore Takaendesa | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 15 | 15 |
| Steve Williams | 3 | | | | | | | | | 2 | 16 | 16 |
| Benjamin Danso | 10 | x | 18 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 17 |
| Alexander Pipa | | | | | | | | 7 | | | 8 | 18 |
| Rolf Wacha | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | 19 |
| Sebastien Chaule | 14 | x | 11 | 11 | | | | 15 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| Markus Walger | 16 | x | | | | | | 11 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 21 |
| Marten Strauch | 5 | | | | 21 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 22 | 22 | | 22 |
| Clemens von Grumbkow | 18 | | 13 | 12 | $^{(1)}$ | 13 | 13 | | 14 | 13 | 11 | |
| Kehoma Brenner | 4 | | 17 | 17 | | | | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | |
| Steffen Thier | | x | 8 | 7 | | | 8 | | | 7 | | |
| Christian Baracat | 3 | | | | 17 | | | 3 | 16 | 16 | | |
| Timur Tekkal | | x | | | | 7 | | 8 | 19 | 19 | | |
| Franck Moutsinga | 10 | x | 20 | 20 | 9 | 21 | 21 | 9 | 20 | 20 | | |
| Pierre Faber | 18 | | 3 | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | |
| Sascha Fischer | 27 | | | | 5 | | | | 5 | | | |
| Klaus Mainzer | | x | 16 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 1 | | | | |
| Krystian Trochowski | | | | | 16 | | | 16 | | | | |
| Christian Hug | | x | 4 | 19 | | | | 18 | | | | |
| Alexander Hug | 1 | | | | | | | 19 | | | | |
| Raphael Pyrasch | 1 | | | | | | | 20 | | | | |
| Thorsten Wiedemann | 1 | | | | | | | 21 | | | | |
| Dennis Walger | 1 | | | | | | | 22 | | | | |
| Benjamin Simm | 7 | | | 22 | 13 | 14 | 14 | | | | | |
| Marcus Trick | 19 | x | | | | 17 | 17 | | | | | |
| Sebastian Werle | | | | | 19 | 20 | 18 | | | | | |
| Friedrich Michau | | | | | | 22 | 22 | | | | | |
| Michael Kerr | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Christopher Parnham | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | |
| Christian Doering | | x | 22 | | | | | | | | | |
| Hendrik van Look | | x | | | | | | | | | | |
| Michael Döries | | x | | | | | | | | | | |
| Alexander Luft | | x | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rene Engelhardt | | x | | | | | | | | | | |
* Number of caps as of end of ENC campaign, 26 April 2008, not overall.
* $^1$ Clemens von Grumbkow was injured prior to the match and Germany only went with 21 players into the game.
* $^2$ Only squad known for the Switzerland game, no positions.
* Bold numbers indicate player played in the game.
* Italics indicates did not play.
* denotes substituted off.
* denotes substituted on.
* (c) denotes captain.
* denotes sin bin.