1965–66 FIRA Nations Cup

The Nations Cup 1965–66 was the sixth edition of a European rugby union championship for national teams and was the first with this name. After the 1954 European Cup, the FIRA did not organize any championship. During the 1964 general assembly in The Hague, it was decided to organize a tournament as a league championship. The teams would be divided in two divisions, with a process of promotion and relegation. The first edition was played between 1965 and 1966. Italy, France, and Romania already played against each other regularly in test matches, so it was easy to arrange this kind of tournament.

1965–66 Nations Cup
Date	17 October 1965 – 6 November 1966
Countries	France Romania Italy West Germany Czechoslovakia
Tournament statistics
Champions	France
Matches played	6
← 1954 (Previous) (Next) 1966–1967 →

First division

Table

Place	Nation	Games				Points			Table points
		played	won	drawn	lost	for	against	difference
1	France	4	4	0	0	73	21	52	8
2	Italy	4	2	1	1	17	24	−7	5
3	Romania	4	1	1	2	21	28	−7	3
4	West Germany	4	1	1	2	42	26	16	3
5	Czechoslovakia	4	0	1	3	27	81	−54	1

Results

Point system–Try:3 pt, Conversion:2 pt, Penalty kick:3 pt, drop:3 pt, Goal from mark:3 pt Click "show" for more info about match (scorers, line-up etc).

17 October 1965

West Germany	25–6	Czechoslovakia

Michelstadt

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14 November 1965

West Germany	8–9	Romania

Hanover

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28 November 1965	France	8–3	Romania	Stade de Gerland, Lyon
	Try: G. Boniface Con: A. Boniface		Drop: Dragomirescu-Rahtopol	Referee: R. Gilliland
France: 15.Claude Lacaze, 14.Pierre Besson, 13.Guy Boniface, 12.Andre Boniface, 11.Christian Darrouy, 10.Jean Gachassin, 9.Jean-Claude Lasserre, 8.Maurice Lira, 7.Michel Crauste (cap), 6.Michel Sitjar, 5.Walter Spanghero, 4.Benoit Dauga, 3.Andre Abadie, 2.Jean-Michel Cabanier, 1.Jean-Claude Berejnoi
Romania: 15.Alexandru Penciu, 14.M. Tibuleac, 13.M. Wusek, 12.Valeriu Irimescu, 11.Paul Ciobanel, 10.Gheorghie Dragomirescu-Rahtopol, 9.Adrian Mateescu, 8.Radu Demian (c), 7.Gheorghie Baltaretu, 6.Mircea Iliescu, 5.Mircea Rusu, 4.Ion Tutuianu, 3.Teodor Radulescu, 2.Paul Iordachescu, 1.Constantin Dinu

8 December 1965	Italy	11–0	Czechoslovakia	Livorno
	Try: Armellin, Ambron 2 Con: Speziali			Referee: A. Cuny
Italy:=15.E. Giugovaz, 14.G. Troncon, 13.R. Sciacol, 12.R.Luise , 11.V. Ambron, 10.F. II, 9.U.Conforto, 8.A.di Zitti (cap), 7.G.Colussi, 6.D. Armellin, 5.E.Speziali, 4.I.Mazzucchelli, 3.G.Romagnoli, 2.L.Avigo, 1.F. Mazzantini
Czechoslovakia: 15.Kovrc, 14. Nacer, 13. Eliasek, 12.Hora, 11.Fiala, 10.Kourek, 9.Sendler, 8. Vilek, 7.Fridrik, 6.Krutzner, 5. Tropol, 4. Barchanek, 3.Smrst, 2. Liska, 1.Kradek

9 April 1966	Italy	0–21	France	Naples
			Try: Darrouy, Dauga Lagrange, Maso Con: Lacaze 3 Drop: Lacaze	Attendance: Arenaccia, Naples Referee: Brooke
Italy:: 15.Ettore Giugovaz, 14.Giorgio Troncon, 13.Andrea d'Alberton, 12.Roberto Luise, 11.Vittorio Ambron, 10.Francesco Soro, 9.Elio Fusco, 8.Antonio di Zitti (cap), 7.Giancarlo Degli Antoni, 6.Marco Bollesan, 5.Franco Piccinini, 4.Ivo Mazzucchelli, 3.Enzo Bellinazzo, 2.Oreste Vene', 1.Franco Mazzantini
France :15.Claude Lacaze, 14.Bernard Duprat, 13.Jo Maso, 12.Jean-Claude Lagrange, 11.Christian Darrouy, 10.Jean-Claude Roques, 9.Marcel Puget, 8.Andre Herrero, 7.Michel Crauste (cap), 6.Jean-Joseph Rupert, 5.Walter Spanghero, 4.Benoit Dauga, 3.Arnaldo Gruarin, 2.Jean-Michel Cabanier, 1.Jean-Claude Berejnoi

10 April 1966

France B	8–6	West Germany

Chalon sur Saone

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8 May 1966

Czechoslovakia	12–36	France B

Kobylisy, Prague

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29 May 1966

Czechoslovakia	9–9	Romania

Prague

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30 October 1966	West Germany	3–3	Italy	Berlin
	Pen: Dannenberg		Pen: Di Zitti	Referee: Lacroix
West Germany: 15. Dannemberg; 14.Haas; 13. Frauenfeld; 12.Bruhl; 11. Friedel; 10. Wesh; 9. Selingmann;8. Dreyer; 7.Morgenroth; 6. Heupel; 5. Kneifel; 4. Hoppe; 3.Schnidt; 2. Glocke; 1.Nolte.
Italy:=15.Angelo Autore, 14.Luciano Modonesi, 13.Gastone Giani, 12.Andrea d'Alberton, 11.Vittorio Ambron, 10.Francesco Soro II, 9.Umberto Conforto, 8.Franco Zani, 7.Giancarlo Degli Antoni, 6.Marco Bollesan, 5.Antonio di Zitti (c), 4.Ivo Mazzucchelli, 3.Enzo Bellinazzo, 2.Lucio Avigo, 1.Dominico Armellin

6 November 1966	Italy	3–0	Romania	L'Aquila
	Pen: Ambron			Referee: Cuny
Italy: 15.Luciano Modonesi, 14.Giorgio Troncon, 13.Gastone Giani, 12.Andrea d'Alberton, 11.Vittorio Ambron, 10.Francesco Soro II, 9.Umberto Conforto, 8.Franco Zani, 7.Giancarlo Degli Antoni, 6.Loreto Cucchiarelli, 5.Antonio di Zitti (cap), 4.Ivo Mazzucchelli, 3.Enzo Bellinazzo, 2.Lucio Avigo, 1.Carlo Prosperini
Romania 15.A. Penciu, 14.Vasile Dragomir, 13.Gheorghie Nica, 12.Valeriu Irimescu, 11.Paul Ciobanel, 10.M. Wusek, 9.Adrian Mateescu, 8.Radu Demian, 7.Gheorgie Rascanu, 6.Ion Tutuianu, 5.Mircea Rusu, 4.Vasile Rusu, 3.Gheorghie Stoica, 2.Alexandru Ionescu, 1.Constantin Dinu

Second division

Semifinals

27 March 1966

Spain	3–9	Portugal

Madrid

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27 March 1966

Belgium	9–3	Netherlands

Brussels

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Final

24 April 1966

Belgium	3–3	Portugal

Brussels

Bibliography

• (in Italian) Francesco Volpe, Valerio Vecchiarelli (2000), 2000 Italia in Meta, Storia della nazionale italiana di rugby dagli albori al Sei Nazioni, GS Editore (2000) ISBN 88-87374-40-6
• (in Italian) Francesco Volpe, Paolo Pacitti (Author), Rugby 2000, GTE Gruppo Editorale (1999).

External links

• FIRA-AER official website