# 2008 IRB Nations Cup

The 2008 IRB Nations Cup was the third edition of the international rugby union tournament, a competition created by the International Rugby Board. It pits the "A" Teams of the stronger (Tier 1) rugby nations (Emerging Springboks and Italy A) against some of the Tier 2 and 3 nations (Romania, Georgia, Russia and Uruguay).
For the second consecutive year the event was held in Bucharest, Romania. The Emerging Springboks were the overall winners for their second consecutive year.
The competition format was a modified round-robin whereby each team played 3 of the other 5 teams. The competition was played over three match days, with three matches played consecutively on each day.

## Final standings

2008 IRB Nations Cup :
| | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points |
| 1 | South Africa A | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 35 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | Georgia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 32 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | Romania | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 43 | −7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | Italy A | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Russia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 46 | 74 | −28 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Source : irb.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match ||||||||||||||

## Results
### Round 1

* 11 June 2008 16:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Italy A | 38–15 | Russia |
| Try: Pietrosanti 10' m Galante 20' c Sepe 42' m Derbyshire 63' c Giovanchelli 74' m Con: Buso (2/5) Pen: Buso (3/3) 14', 30', 47' | Report Stats | Try: Marchenko 26' m Khrokin 60' c Con: Yanyushkin (1/2) Pen: Yanyushkin (1/1) 70' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania)
* 11 June 2008 18:00 EET (UTC+02)
| South Africa A | 11–3 | Georgia |
| Try: Noble 49' m Pen: Dollie (2/2) 27', 46' | Report Stats | Pen: Barkalaia (1/1) 37' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Alan Falzone (Italy)
* 11 June 2008 20:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Uruguay | 6–10 | Romania |
| Pen: Arocena (1/1) 47' Caffera (1/1) 76' | Report Stats | Try: Corodeanu 3' c Con: Vlaicu (1/1) Pen: Vlaicu (1/1) 17' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa)

### Round 2

* 15 June 2008 16:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Georgia | 20–18 | Uruguay |
| Try: Nemsadze 7' c Gasviani 44' c Con: Malaguradze (2/2) Pen: Malaguradze (2/2) 55', 56' | Report Stats | Pen: Arocena (6/6) 21', 29', 39', 50', 58', 59' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania)
* 15 June 2008 18:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Italy A | 19–20 | South Africa A |
| Try: Sbaraglini 78' c Con: Duca (1/1) Pen: Buso (4/4) 42', 47', 54', 63' | Report Stats | Try: Waka 30' c Jansen 50' c Con: Dollie (2/2) Pen: Dollie (2/2) 2', 64' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
* 15 June 2008 20:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Russia | 12–13 | Romania |
| Pen: Yanyushkin (4/4) 5', 36', 49', 57' | Report Stats | Try: Tasca 68' c Con: Dumbravă (1/1) Pen: Dumbravă (2/2) 9', 40' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Alan Falzone (Italy)

### Round 3

* 20 June 2008 16:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Russia | 19–23 | Uruguay |
| Try: Volkov 37' c Con: Yanyushkin (1/1) Pen: Yanyushkin (3/3) 39', 60', 70' Drop: Kuzmenko (1/1) 55' | Report Stats | Try: Penalty try 75' c Conti 80' c Con: Arocena (2/2) Pen: Arocena (3/3) |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania)
* 20 June 2008 18:00 EET (UTC+02)
| Italy A | 3–25 | Georgia |
| Pen: Duca (1/1) 20' | Report Stats | Try: Gasviani 1' m Gundishvili 40' c Tsiklauri 78' c Con: Malaguradze (1/2) Uchava (1/1) Pen: Malaguradze (2/2) 13', 63' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa)
* 20 June 2008 20:00 EET (UTC+02)
| South Africa A | 25–13 | Romania |
| Try: Basson 27' c Noble 51' c Jenneker 77' m Con: Newman (2/3) Pen: Newman (2/2) 22', 38' | Report Stats | Try: Corodeanu 26' c Con: Dimofte (1/1) Pen: Dumbravă (1/1) 2' Dimofte (1/1) 33' |
* Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Referee: Alan Falzone (Italy)