# 2000–01 European Nations Cup First Division

The 2001 European Nations Cup was the second annual competition for tier 2 and 3 European rugby union nations. The competition was originally planned to continue on an annual basis like the Six Nations but at the end of the season it was decided to change to a two-year cycle allowing home and away games.
The results of this season were added to the 2001–02 European Nations Cup First Division standings. Georgia won their first ever European Championship, which was overshadowed slightly by Romania winning the extended championship the following year. Morocco no longer would be taking part in this competition and were replaced by Russia.

## Table

| Place | Nation | Games | Games | Games | Games | Points | Points | Points | Table points |
| Place | Nation | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Difference | Table points |
| 1 | Georgia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 167 | 68 | +99 | 15 |
| 2 | Romania | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 188 | 71 | +117 | 13 |
| 3 | Russia | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 143 | +9 | 11 |
| 4 | Spain | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 118 | 131 | −13 | 9 |
| 5 | Portugal | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 77 | 165 | −88 | 7 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 60 | 184 | −124 | 5 |

## Matches
### Week 1

* 4 February 2001
| Netherlands | 3–32 | Georgia |
| Pen: Viguurs | | Try: Didebulidze (2) Khekhelashvili Yachvili Con: Jimsheladze (3) Pen: Jimsheladze (2) |
* Nationaal Rugby Centrum, Amsterdam Attendance: 1,200 Referee: Rossano Faccioli (Italy)
* 4 February 2001
| Portugal | 0–47 | Romania |
| | | Try: Manta (3) Mitu Oprea Con: Mitu (2) Pen: Mitu (6) |
* Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Bernd Gabbei (Germany)
* 4 February 2001
| Spain | 29–30 | Russia |
| Try: Velazco Querol Pen: Alonso (5) Kovalenco (3) | | Try: Grachev Nikolaychuk Zakarlyuk Con: Simonov (2) Pen: Simonov (2) |
* Campo Universitário, Madrid Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat (France)

### Week 2

* 17 February 2001
| Georgia | 36–12 | Portugal |
| Try: Abuseridze Bolgashvili Zedginidze (2) Zibzibadze (2) Con: Jimsheladze (3) | | Pen: Malheiro (3) Drop: Malheiro |
* Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)
* 18 February 2001
| Spain | 12–27 | Romania |
| Pen: Kovalenco (4) | | Try: Bălan Brezoianu Ghioc Con: Mitu (3) Pen: Mitu (2) |
* Estadio Olímpico de la Cartuja, Seville Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Giovanni Morandin (Italy)
* 18 February 2001
| Netherlands | 20–41 | Russia |
| Try: Lips Staats Con: Viguurs (2) Pen: Viguurs unknown | | Try: Bibkov Kuzin Rachkov Sergeev Shelepkov Uanbayev Zakarlyuk Con: Rachkov (3) |
* Nationaal Rugby Centrum, Amsterdam Attendance: 2,500

### Week 3

* 4 March 2001
| Russia | 23–25 | Georgia |
| Try: Grachev Kashcheev Klimenko Con: Rachkov Pen: Simonov (2) | | Try: Labadze Zedginidze Penalty try Con: Jimsheladze (2) Pen: Jimsheladze (2) |
* Stadium Junost, Krasnodar Referee: Daniel Pruvot (France)
* 4 March 2001
| Romania | 52–15 | Netherlands |
| Try: Bălan Ciolacu (2) Corodeanu Iacob Maftei Mitu Tonița Con: Mitu (6) | | Try: Schumacher (2) Con: Viguurs Pen: Viguurs |
* Stade 1 Mai, Constanta Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Bernd Gabbei (Germany)
* 4 March 2001
| Spain | 31–15 | Portugal |
| Try: Enciso Justel Souto Con: Kovalenco (2) Pen: Kovalenco (4) | | Pen: Cather (4) Drop: Cather |
* Campo Universitário, Madrid Referee: Nicolas Lasaga (France)

### Week 4

* 18 March 2001
| Georgia | 43–10 | Spain |
| Try: Abashidze Giorgadze Katsadze Shvelidze Urjukashvili Penalty try Con: Jimsheladze (5) Pen: Jimsheladze | | Try: Souto Con: Alonso Pen: Kovalenco |
* Rustavi Rugby Stadium, Rustavi Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Adrian Malartic (France)
* 18 March 2001
| Romania | 42–13 | Russia |
| Try: Bălan Corodeanu Mitu Socol Solomie Con: Mitu (4) Pen: Mitu (3) | | Try: Dyatlov Con: Yakovlev Pen: Yakovlev (2) |
* Stadionul Municipal, Bârlad Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)
* 18 March 2001
| Portugal | 23–6 | Netherlands |
| Try: King Pinto Con: Cather (2) Pen: Cather (3) | | Pen: De Schutter (2) |
* Lisbon University Stadium, Lisbon

### Week 5

* 7 April 2001
| Russia | 45–27 | Portugal |
| Try: Chupin Krasnobaev Nikolaychuk Simonov Uanbayev (2) Con: Simonov Yakovlev (2) Pen: Simonov Yakovlev (2) | | Try: Barbosa Garvão Grenho Con: Grenho (3) Pen: Cather Grenho |
* Stadium Junost, Krasnodar
* 8 April 2001
| Netherlands | 16–36 | Spain |
| Try: Kuipers Van der Pol Pen: Meek | | Try: Bohorquez Goméz Millan Kovalenco (2) Ripol Salazar Lizarraga Con: Kovalenco (2) Pen: Kovalenco (3) |
* Nationaal Rugby Centrum, Amsterdam
* 8 April 2001
| Romania | 20–31 | Georgia |
| Try: Corodeanu (2) Ghioc Con: Ciolacu Drop: Gontineac | | Try: Abuseridze Bolgashvili Tsabadze Con: Jimsheladze (2) Pen: Jimsheladze (3) Urjukashvili |
* Stadionul Dinamo, Bucharest Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Daniel Dartigeas (France)