Switzerland and Armenia meet in France
Wednesday September 27 2006
FIRA Championship starts
The FIRA-AER Championship starts with a Division 3A match between Armenia and Switzerland in Vienne, France.
It is actually an Armenian home match, but because most of their players a Armenians of the diaspora and play in France the match is just down the Rhône in the ancient town of Vienne.
Armenia was part of the USSR and then rugby flourished because of government functions, such as the army and the police. Since Armenia has obtained independence from Russia rugby has declined to a degree but the Federation has gone to lengths to find players of Armenian origin to play for the national side, and the plan has worked.
In 2004, Armenia played its first Tests - in FIRA's Division 3C and easily beat Norway and Israel to gain promotion, by beating Luxembourg easily, to Division 3B where, in 2005, Armenia easily beat Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania. Now it is kin Division 3 A along with Switzerland, Serbia & Montenegro, Denmark and Sweden.
The competition will again be played over two years. The team ending top will go to Division 2B, the team ending fifth to Division 3B. Both Armenia and Switzerland would have ambitions. The first part of the competition will run till the first week of November after which there will be a break till March while rugby hibernates.
Switzerland's coach Patrice Philippe has named his 23-strong squad to play Armenia. He has included 20 of the squad which lost 40-10 to Germany a fortnight ago, brining in three players who play their rugby in France - Pierre Dubost, Mathieu Guyou-Kreis and Nicolas Guyou. The flyhalf against Germany, Ian Mowat, is away at the European Under-20 tournament in Poland.
Switzerland have prepared well but they know Armenia will not be easy pickings at all.
Swiss squad:
Forwards: Schelte Betten (Zürich), Alfredo Burgener (Nyon), David Da Silva (Neuchâtel), Pierre Dubost (Champery), Yohann Mazza (Hermance), Pédro Dubois (Nyon), Steven Lazarus (Basel), Sergio Hösel (Zürich), Nicholas Guyou (Rumilly), Urs Zimmerli (Zürich), Gareth Jones (Nyon), David Mossiere (Geneva), Arnaud Vincent (La Seyne)
Backs: Geoff Johnson (Hermance), Anthony Carriere (Geneva), Iain Wise (Hermence), Jean-Claude Porte (Nyon), Mathieu Guyou-Kreis (Racing), Célien Mundler (Geneve), Arnaud Blaszczyk (Geneve), Alberto Giuliani (Ticino), Benjamin Faudot, Olivier Dumerliat (Hermance)
Kick-off: 15.00
http://www.planet-rugby.com/News/story_54081.shtml