2012–2014 European Nations Cup First Division Explained

2012–14 European Nations Cup
Date:	2012–2014
Countries:	Division 1A: Division 1B:
Champion Other:	(2013, 2014)
Cup:	Antim Cup
Cup Winner:	(2013, 2014)
Matches:	Division 1A: 30 Division 1B: 30
Top Scorer:	Division 1A: Florin Vlaicu (58) Division 1B: Oleg Kosariev (30)
Most Tries:	Division 1A: Gonçalo Foro Igor Klyuchnikov Tedore Zibzibadze (2) Division 1B: Ian Gowland (3)
Preceded By:	2010–12
Succeeded By:	2014–16

The 2012–14 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe. It is divided into two tiers; Division 1A and Division 1B.

The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away. From 2009 onward, the title is awarded according to a one-year ranking.^[1]

The competition has been slightly altered for the 2012–14 edition. The top tier Division 1A has seen the relegation of Ukraine to Division 1B. They have been replaced with Belgium, who finished at the top of Division 1B in the 2010–12 season. The bottom tier division 1B has seen the relegation of the Netherlands to the European Nations Cup Second Division. They have been replaced by Sweden who won promotion from Division 2A.

The champions of 1B will be promoted to Division 1A for the 2015–16 season, while the last placed team in each division will be relegated.

2015 Rugby World Cup qualifying

See main article: 2015 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification. As with the 2008–2010 tournament, this edition will also serve a role in the qualification process for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The top two teams at the end of the overall ENC Division 1A 2013–14 tournament will qualify directly for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The third placed team will enter a playoff series against the champions of Division 1B and the leaders of the four levels of the ENC Second Division as of the end of the 2012–2013 season. The winner of this playoff will advance to the repechage playoff against teams from other continents.

Format

Table points are determined as follows:^[2]

• 4 points for a win
• 2 points for a draw
• 0 point for a loss
• 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries in a match
• 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points or fewer

Division 1A

2013

Table

ENC 2013 champions

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Bonus	For	Against	Diff
1	(17)	5	4	1	0	1	135	61	+74	19
2	(19)	5	4	1	0	1	114	65	+49	19
3	(20)	5	3	0	2	2	110	116	−6	14
4	(22)	5	1	1	3	1	75	96	−21	7
5	(21)	5	0	1	4	3	92	131	−39	5
6	(18)	5	0	2	3	1	72	129	−57	5

Pre-tournament IRB rankings in parentheses

Games

^[3]

2014

Table

ENC 2014 champions

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Bonus	For	Against	Diff
1		5	5	0	0	2	151	45	+106	22
2		5	4	0	1	3	128	41	+87	19
3		5	3	0	2	2	109	133	−24	14
4		5	2	0	3	2	87	114	−27	10
5		5	1	0	4	1	70	126	−56	5
6		5	0	0	5	1	42	128	−86	1

Games

^[4]

Table 2013–2014

Relegated to Division 1B

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Bonus points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Diff
1		10	9	1	0	286	106	+180	3	41
2		10	8	1	1	242	106	+136	4	38
3		10	6	0	4	219	249	−30	4	28
4		10	2	2	6	159	243	−84	3	15
5		10	2	1	7	145	222	−77	2	12
6		10	0	1	9	134	259	−125	4	6
Points were awarded to the teams as follows: Win – 4 points Draw – 2 points 4 or more tries – 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points

Division 1B

2012–13

Table

2013 champions

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Bonus points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Difference
1	(31)	5	4	0	1	191	89	+102	4	20
2	(34)	5	3	0	2	119	136	−17	3	15
3	(28)	5	3	0	2	95	71	+24	1	13
4	(38)	5	3	0	2	122	130	−8	1	13
5	(30)	5	2	0	3	122	122	0	2	10
6	(40)	5	0	0	5	56	157	−101	1	1

Pre-tournament rankings in parentheses

Games

^[5] ------------------------------------Goalpost crossbars were fixed at 4m, instead of 3m.--------------------

Season 2013–14

2014 champions

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Bonus	For	Against	Difference
1		5	4	0	1	3	207	91	+116	19
2		5	4	0	1	3	148	92	+56	19
3		5	3	0	2	2	105	105	0	14
4		5	2	0	3	2	86	153	−67	10
5		5	2	0	3	1	113	112	+1	9
6		5	0	0	5	0	71	177	−106	1

Games

^[6]

Table 2012–2014

Promoted to Division 1A
Relegated to Division 2A

Place	Nation	Games	Points	Table points
Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Bonus	For	Against	Diff
1		10	8	0	2	7	398	180	+218	39
2		10	7	0	3	6	267	228	+39	34
3		10	5	0	5	4	227	227	0	24
4		10	5	0	5	2	208	183	+25	22
5		10	3	0	7	2	193	307	−114	14
6		10	2	0	8	3	142	310	−168	11

See also

• European Nations Cup (rugby union)
• Rugby Europe
• Six Nations Championship
• Antim Cup
• 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifying

External links

• FIRA-AER official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: pl. ENC 2010–12 – DRAFT New format for the competition FIRA-AER. 1 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100507210329/http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/article_detail.php?article=1106. 7 May 2010. dead. dmy-all.
2. http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/article-48.htm FIRA-AER – New bonus point system
3. Web site: ENC 1A 1st Leg. FIRA-AER. 3 October 2012.
4. Web site: ENC 1A 1st Leg. FIRA-AER. 3 October 2012.
5. Web site: ENC 1B 1st Leg. FIRA-AER. 3 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120824174631/http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/group-126.htm. 24 August 2012. dead. dmy-all.
6. Web site: ENC 1B 1st Leg. FIRA-AER. 3 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120824174631/http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/group-126.htm. 24 August 2012. dead. dmy-all.