| 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division | |
| Date: | 8 November 2008 – 27 March 2010 |
| Countries: | |
| Champion Other: | (2009) (2010) |
| Cup: | Antim Cup |
| Cup Winner: | (2009) (2010) |
| Matches: | 30 |
| Preceded By: | 2006–08 |
| Succeeded By: | 2010–12 |
The 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division was the 7th edition of the championship since it was reformed in 2000. The championship not only determined the champions of the ENC but it also acted as an element of European qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
At present, there is no promotion or relegation between the European Nations Cup and the Six Nations. The current champions are Georgia, who won the 2011 First Division.
The top two teams, Georgia and Russia, qualified directly to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and the third placed team, Romania, entered the European qualification playoffs. These playoffs included the champion of Division 2A and the leaders of the lower ENC divisions (excluding 3D) at the end of the 2008–09 season. Romania emerged as the winner of the playoff series and will go on to play Tunisia, the second place African qualifier, in the semifinals of the Rugby World Cup 2011 20th Place Playoff for the last spot in the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals.
This season saw Germany in the First Division for the first time since the divisional system was created, replacing Czech Republic who were relegated to Division 2A.
The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away. From 2009 onward, the title is assigned according to a one-year ranking. So Georgia won the 2009 title [1] and Romania the title for 2010.[2] The same for the 2011–12 period.[3]
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | ||||
| -width=10px bgcolor="#D0E6FF" | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 170 | 80 | +90 | 14 | |
| -width=10px | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 162 | 77 | +85 | 13 | |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 124 | 84 | +40 | 12 | ||
| -width=10px | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 104 | 88 | +16 | 9 | |
| -width=10px | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 77 | 151 | −74 | 7 | |
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 179 | −157 | 5 |
Table points are determined as follows:
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| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | ||||
| -width=10px bgcolor="#D0E6FF" | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 178 | 48 | +130 | 14 | |
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 156 | 52 | +108 | 13 | ||
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 129 | 98 | +27 | 12 | ||
| -width=10px | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 131 | 65 | +66 | 9 | |
| -width=10px | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 68 | 153 | −79 | 7 | |
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 282 | −251 | 5 |
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The cumulated table from both years, 2009–2010, decided which teams qualify directly to 2011 Rugby World Cup, which team goes through Play-off qualification rounds and which team is relegated to Division 1B for the 2010–12 season.
| Qualified for 2011 Rugby World Cup |
| Qualified for Round 2 |
| Relegated to 1B for 2010–2012 |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | ||||
| -width=10px bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 328 | 130 | +198 | 27 | |
| -width=10px bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 289 | 177 | +112 | 25 | |
| 3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 282 | 136 | +146 | 23 | ||
| -width=10px | 4 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 255 | 149 | +106 | 21 | |
| -width=10px | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 151 | 304 | −153 | 14 | |
| 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 58 | 467 | −409 | 10 |