2008–10 European Nations Cup Third Division
The 2008-2010 European Nations Cup (ENC) Third Division (a European rugby union competition for national teams) will be contested over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The Third Division consists of four levels, which effectively constitute the 5th through 8th levels of European international rugby. The winner of each division will be promoted to the next highest division. Due to changes in the competition, the last placed team will not be relegated to the next division lower.
The leader of each division (excluding 3D) at the end of the 2008-2009 season will have the opportunity to participate in the qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The previous champion of Division 3A, Sweden, was promoted to the Second Division and replaced with relegated side Andorra.
Table - Division 3A
| Promoted to Division 2B for 2010–2012 and qualified for 2011 RWC Qualifying |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||
| 1 |  Lithuania (37) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 50 | +220 | 21 |
| 2 |  Armenia (UR) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 151 | 154 | -3 | 16 |
| 3 |  Serbia (59) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 92 | 153 | -133 | 14 |
| 4 |  Andorra (66) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 122 | 173 | -51 | 14 |
| 5 |  Switzerland (58) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 79 | 112 | -33 | 11 |
Serbia were ranked ahead of Andorra based on 39-28 aggregate score in their two matches as the series was tied 1-1.
Matches
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
| 13-Sep-2008 | Serbia - Armenia | 0 - 41 | Smederevo, Serbia |
| 18-Oct-2008 | Armenia - Switzerland | 35 - 15 | Abovyan, Armenia |
| 8-Nov-2008 | Andorra - Lithuania | 10 - 26 | Andorra la Vella, Andorra |
| 15-Nov-2008 | Lithuania - Switzerland | 33 - 0 | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 6-Dec-2008 | Serbia - Andorra | 32 - 7 | Smederevo, Serbia |
| 14-Mar-2009 | Switzerland - Andorra | 32 - 9 | Bern, Switzerland |
| 21-Mar-2009 | Andorra - Armenia | 36 - 10 | Andorra la Vella, Andorra |
| 4-Apr-2009 | Switzerland - Serbia | 6 - 12 | Nyon, Switzerland |
| 2-May-2009 | Lithuania - Serbia | 50 - 9 | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 9-May-2009 | Armenia - Lithuania | 19 - 24 | Abovyan, Armenia |
| 10-Oct-2009 | Lithuania - Andorra | 40 - 12 | Šiauliai, Lithuania |
| 24-Oct-2009 | Serbia - Switzerland | 13 - 8 | Belgrade, Serbia |
| 31-Oct-2009 | Lithuania - Armenia | 25 - 01 | Klaipėda, Lithuania |
| 22-Nov-2009 | Switzerland - Armenia | 18 - 0 | Switzerland |
| 29-Nov-2009 | Andorra - Serbia | 21 - 7 | Andorra la Vella, Andorra |
| 3-Apr-2010 | Armenia - Andorra | 26 - 17 | Abovyan, Armenia |
| 10-Apr-2010 | Armenia - Serbia | 20 - 19 | Abovyan, Armenia |
| 17-Apr-2010 | Switzerland - Lithuania | Postponed2 | Switzerland |
| 24-Apr-2010 | Serbia - Lithuania | 5 - 773 | Serbia |
| 8-May-2010 | Andorra - Switzerland | 10 - 0 | Andorra la Vella, Andorra |
1 Armenia were unable to show up for the match due to a pilot's strike in Armenia; Lithuania were awarded a 25-0 victory and Armenia received a point for the loss.
2 The match was originally scheduled for 17 April 2010, but was postponed due to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
3 Lithuania's win in this match set a new world record in men's International Rugby for the most consecutive wins with 18 wins.
Table - Division 3B
| Promoted to 3A for 2010–2012 and Qualified for 2011 RWC Qualifying | |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||
| 1 |  Slovenia (71) | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 143 | 121 | +22 | 20 |
| 2 |  Hungary (64) | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 202 | 146 | +56 | 18 |
| 3 |  Denmark (67) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 149 | 148 | +1 | 16 |
| 4 |  Norway (78) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 111 | 130 | -19 | 14 |
| 5 |  Austria (92) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 87 | 147 | -60 | 12 |
Matches
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
| 13-Sep-2008 | Slovenia - Hungary | 32 - 26 | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| 27-Sep-2008 | Norway - Hungary | 15 - 26 | Ekebergsletta, Oslo, Norway |
| 11-Oct-2008 | Norway - Austria | 11 - 3 | Ekebergsletta, Oslo, Norway |
| 18-Oct-2008 | Hungary - Denmark | 39 - 12 | Kecskemét, Hungary |
| 01-Nov-2008 | Denmark - Slovenia | 19 - 25 | Odense Atletikstadion, Odense, Denmark |
| 08-Nov-2008 | Austria - Slovenia | 9 - 18 | Hohe Warte Stadium, Vienna, Austria |
| 11-Apr-2009 | Denmark - Norway | 20 - 18 | Odense Atletikstadion, Odense, Denmark |
| 18-Apr-2009 | Hungary - Austria | 25 - 13 | Esztergom, Hungary |
| 25-Apr-2009 | Austria - Denmark | 6 - 27 | Trauner Stadion, Traun, Austria |
| 25-Apr-2009 | Slovenia - Norway | 14 - 10 | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| 10-Oct-2009 | Hungary - Slovenia | 17 - 11 | Pecs, Hungary |
| 17-Oct-2009 | Slovenia - Austria | 13 - 15 | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| 17-Oct-2009 | Norway - Denmark | 15 - 8 | Fana stadion, Bergen, Norway |
| 31-Oct-2009 | Denmark - Hungary | 27 - 18 | Odense, Denmark |
| 14-Nov-2009 | Austria - Norway | 9 - 12 | Vienna, Austria |
| 24-Apr-2010 | Denmark - Austria | 24 - 13 | Denmark |
| 01-May-2010 | Hungary - Norway | 34 - 17 | Esztergom, Hungary |
| 15-May-2010 | Slovenia - Denmark | 14 - 12 | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| 15-May-2010 | Austria - Hungary | 19 - 17 | Vienna, Austria |
| 22-May-2010 | Norway - Slovenia | 13 - 16 | Aksla Stadion, Ålesund, Norway |
Table - Division 3C
| Promoted to 3B for 2010–2012 and Qualified for 2011 RWC Qualifying |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||
| 1 |  Israel (81) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 257 | 59 | +198 | 24 |
| 2 |  Greece (UR) | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 145 | 141 | +4 | 18 |
| 3 |  Bulgaria (82) | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 162 | 162 | +0 | 18 |
| 4 |  Luxembourg (94) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 96 | 150 | -54 | 12 |
| 5 |  Finland (95) | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 79 | 227 | -148 | 8 |
Greece were ranked ahead of Bulgaria based on 56-36 aggregate score in two head to head matches as the series was drawn 1-1.
Matches
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
| 04-Oct-2008 | Finland - Luxembourg | 19 - 27 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 11-Oct-2008 | Finland - Greece | 10 - 12 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 15-Nov-2008 | Bulgaria - Israel | 8 - 11 | Pernik, Bulgaria |
| 22-Nov-2008 | Greece - Israel | 10 - 25 | Zirineio Municipal Stadium, Kifissia, Greece |
| 29-Nov-2008 | Luxembourg - Bulgaria | 10 - 18 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| 21-Mar-2009 | Israel - Luxembourg | 30 - 0 | Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel |
| 11-Apr-2009 | Greece - Bulgaria | 41 - 18 | Alexandroupoli, Greece |
| 25-Apr-2009 | Bulgaria - Finland | 29 - 10 | Pernik, Bulgaria |
| 25-Apr-2009 | Luxembourg - Greece | 14 - 17 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| 02-May-2009 | Israel - Finland | 70 - 8 | Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel |
| 03-Oct-2009 | Finland - Bulgaria | 13 - 36 | Myllypuro, Helsinki, Finland |
| 24-Oct-2009 | Bulgaria - Luxembourg | 25 - 12 | Pernik, Bulgaria |
| 07-Nov-2009 | Luxembourg - Finland | 9 - 3 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| 27-Feb-2010 | Greece - Finland | 31 - 10 | Greece |
| 13-Mar-2010 | Greece - Luxembourg | 17 - 9 | Greece |
| 10-Apr-2010 | Israel - Bulgaria | 50 - 10 | Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel |
| 17-Apr-2010 | Israel - Greece | 39 - 0 | Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel |
| 24-Apr-2010 | Bulgaria - Greece | 18 - 15 | Pernik, Bulgaria |
| 01-May-2010 | Luxembourg - Israel | 17 - 19 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| 12-June-2010 | Finland - Israel | 6 - 13 | Myllypuro, Helsinki, Finland |
Table - Division 3D
| Promoted to 3C for 2010–2012 | |
| Place | Nation | Games | Points | Table points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| played | won | drawn | lost | for | against | difference | |||
| 1 |  Cyprus (UR) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 187 | 17 | +170 | 18 |
| 2 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina (89) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 113 | 48 | +65 | 14 |
| 3 |  Monaco (92) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 59 | 153 | -94 | 7 |
| 4 |  Azerbaijan (UR) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 27 | 168 | -141 | 5 |
On 23 September 2009, Slovakia withdrew from the remainder of the competition, and their record was expunged.
Matches
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
| 11-Oct-2008 | Monaco - Bosnia | 5 - 50 | Stade Val d'Anaud, Menton, France |
| 15-Nov-2008 | Slovakia - Bosnia | 32 - 46 | Slovakia |
| 22-Nov-2008 | Bosnia - Azerbaijan | 18 - 7 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia |
| 29-Nov-2008 | Azerbaijan - Cyprus | 3 - 37 | Sports Academy Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan |
| 06-Dec-2008 | Cyprus - Monaco | 24 - 3 | Episkopi, Cyprus |
| 31-Jan-2009 | Monaco - Azerbaijan | 38 - 12 | Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France |
| 14-Mar-2009 | Cyprus - Slovakia | 33 - 7 | Cyprus |
| 21-Mar-2009 | Slovakia - Monaco | 11 - 10 | Slovakia |
| 21-Mar-2009 | Bosnia - Cyprus | 6 - 8 | Zenica, Bosnia |
| 09-May-2009 | Azerbaijan - Slovakia | 6 - 0 | Baku, Azerbaijan |
| 10-Oct-2009 | Bosnia - Monaco | 23 - 8 | Kamberovica polje, Zenica, Bosnia |
| 07-Nov-2009 | Azerbaijan - Bosnia | 5 - 16 | Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan |
| 14-Nov-2009 | Monaco - Cyprus | 5 - 44 | Menton, France |
| 30-Jan-2010 | Azerbaijan - Monaco | 6 - 0 1 | Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan |
| 06-Mar-2010 | Cyprus - Azerbaijan | 50 - 0 | Paphos, Cyprus |
| 27-Mar-2010 | Cyprus - Bosnia | 15 - 0 | Paphos, Cyprus |
1 Monaco forfeited the match due to player illness; Azerbaijan received a 6-0 win, and Monaco were given a point for the loss.
See also
- European Nations Cup
- 2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division
- 2008-2010 European Nations Cup Second Division