# 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).
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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 17 | +85 | 6 | Qualified for 1–4th-place semifinals |
| 2 | Belgium | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 80 | −56 | 4 | Qualified for 5–8th-place semifinals |
| 3 | Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 49 | −29 | 2 | Qualified for 9–12th-place semifinals |
* 16 November 1996
| Belgium | 24–3 | Germany |
* Brussels
* 24 November 1996
| Germany | 17–25 | Spain |
* Fritz Grunebaum Stadium, Heidelberg Referee: M. Paraschivescu
* 8 December 1996
| Spain | 77–0 | Belgium |
* Madrid

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Georgia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 34 | +13 | 6 | Qualified for 1–4th-place semifinals |
| 2 | Russia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 43 | +14 | 4 | Qualified for 5–8th-place semifinals |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 55 | −27 | 2 | Qualified for 9–12th-place semifinals |
* 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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Portugal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 17 | +49 | 6 | Qualified for 1–4th-place semifinals |
| 2 | Tunisia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 4 | Qualified for 5–8th-place semifinals |
| 3 | Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 75 | −49 | 2 | Qualified for 9–12th-place semifinals |
* 27 October 1996
| Netherlands | 15–20 | Tunisia |
* Leiden
* 24 November 1996
| Portugal | 55–11 | Netherlands |
* Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon
* 7 December 1996
| Tunisia | 6–11 | Portugal |
* Tunis

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Poland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 26 | +7 | 6 | Qualified for 1–4th-place semifinals |
| 2 | Morocco | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 22 | +11 | 4 | Qualified for 5–8th-place semifinals |
| 3 | Denmark | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 33 | −18 | 2 | Qualified for 9–12th-place semifinals |
* 28 September 1996
| Poland | 16–10 | Denmark |
* Danzig
* 19 October 1996
| Morocco | 16–17 | Poland |
* Casablanca
* 2 November 1996
| Denmark | 5–17 | Morocco |
* Copenhagen

## Second round

* First to Fourth places Semifinals
* 19 April 1997
| Portugal | 21–17 | Georgia |
| Try: Pires (2) Con: Amaral Pen: Mourão (3) | | Try: Nadiradze 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 |
* Brussels
* 20 April 1997
| Tunisia | 25–30 | Russia |
* Tunis
* 9th to 12th places Semifinals
* 20 April 1997
| Denmark | 8–13 | Germany |
* Aalborg
* 19 April 1997
| Czech Republic | 19–18 | Netherlands |
* Prague

## 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 |
* Settat
* 7th-place final
* 10 May 1997
| Belgium | 22–29 | Tunisia |
* Brussels
* 9th-place final
* 11 May 1997
| Czech Republic | 9–14 | Germany |
* Prague
* 11th-place final
* 10 May 1997
| Netherlands | 48–5 | Denmark |
* Amsterdam

## Final ranking

* Spain
* Portugal
* Poland
* Georgia
* Morocco
* Russia
* Tunisia
* Belgium
* Germany
* Czech Republic
* Netherlands
* Denmark