1998–99 FIRA Tournament

The 1998–99 FIRA Tournament, was a rugby union tournament organized by the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA).

1998–99 FIRA Tournament
Date26 September 1998 – 12 June 1999
Tournament statistics
ChampionsNot awarded
1997–1998 (Previous) (Next) 1999–2000

The tournament did not assign a champion. Only minnow teams participated, because Romania, Georgia, Morocco, Portugal and Netherlands were still involved in qualification for Rugby World Cup.

The teams were divided into different division and Pools. Russia won the Gold or Division 2.

"GOLD" (Division 2) edit

Admitted to 2000 Division 2
Admitted to 2000 Division 3
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1   Russia 3 3 0 0 167 39 +128 9
2   Ukraine 3 2 0 1 77 83 −6 7
3   Czech Republic 3 0 1 2 53 97 −44 4
4   Poland 3 0 1 2 49 127 −78 4
26 September 1998
Czech Republic  22–27  Ukraine
Prague

24 October 1998
Poland  18–18  Czech Republic
Bydgoszcz

1 May 1999
Ukraine  37–18  Poland
Kyiv

8 May 1999
Russia  43–13  Ukraine
Trud Stadium, Penza

15 May 1999
Poland  13–72  Russia
Gdańsk

29 May 1999
Czech Republic  13–52  Russia
Vyškov

"SILVER" (Division 3) edit

Pool 1 edit

The two matches scheduled in Serbia and Montegnegro were cancelled due to the Kosovo War.

Admitted to 2000 Division 2
Admitted to 2000 Division 3
Admitted to 2000 Division 4
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1   Germany 4 4 0 0 97 30 +67 12
2   Tunisia 4 3 0 1 106 33 +73 10
3   Belgium 4 2 0 2 76 64 +12 8
4   Luxembourg 4 1 0 3 20 124 −104 6
5   Yugoslavia 2 0 0 2 12 60 −48 2
10 October 1998
Belgium  12–6  Yugoslavia
Brussels

11 October 1998
Germany  13–6  Tunisia
Hanover

24 October 1998
Tunisia  23–9  Belgium
Tunis

25 October 1998
Germany  54–7  Luxembourg
Heusenstamm

6 March 1999
Belgium  38–8  Luxembourg
Brussels

25 April 1999
Germany  27–17  Belgium
Heidelberg

1 May 1999
Luxembourg  5–32  Tunisia
Cessange

8 May 1999
Tunisia  45–6  Yugoslavia
Tunis

22 May 1999
Yugoslavia  not played  Germany

25 April 1999
Yugoslavia  not played  Luxembourg

Pool 2 edit

Admitted to 2000 Division 2
Admitted to 2000 Division 4
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1   Croatia 4 4 0 0 204 17 +187 12
2   Slovenia 4 3 0 1 65 88 −23 10
3   Austria 4 2 0 2 68 86 −18 8
4   Hungary 4 1 0 3 56 91 −35 6
5   Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 0 0 4 38 149 −111 4
10 October 1998
Bosnia and Herzegovina  5–74  Croatia
Zenica

10 October 1998
Slovenia  16–12  Hungary
Ljubljana

17 October 1998
Austria  26–19  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vienna

7 November 1998
Hungary  3–39  Croatia
Kecskemét

7 November 1998
Slovenia  25–9  Austria
Ljubljana

24 April 1999
Bosnia and Herzegovina  11–15  Slovenia
Vogošća

15 May 1999
Croatia  56–9  Slovenia
Ploče


22 May 1999
Croatia  35–0  Austria
Zagreb

29 May 1999
Austria  33–7  Hungary
Vienna

Pool 3 edit

Admitted to 2000 Division 2
Admitted to 2000 Division 3
Admitted to 2000 Division 4
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1   Denmark 3 3 0 0 125 15 +110 9
2   Latvia 3 2 0 1 48 46 +2 7
3   Sweden 3 1 0 2 25 37 −12 5
4   Lithuania 2 0 0 2 16 116 −100 2
17 October 1998
Latvia  18–13  Sweden
Riga

31 October 1998
Denmark  19–9  Sweden
Copenhagen

7 November 1998
Latvia  0–23  Denmark
Riga

8 May 1999
Lithuania  10–30  Latvia
Vilnius

12 June 1999
Sweden  3 – 0
withdraw
  Lithuania
Enkoping

29 May 1999
Denmark  83–6  Lithuania
Copenhagen

"BRONZE" (Division 4) edit

Admitted to 2000 Division 3
Admitted to 2000 Division 4
Place Nation Games Points Table
points
played won drawn lost for against diff.
1    Switzerland 4 4 0 0 123 45 +78 12
2   Andorra 4 2 0 2 65 39 +26 8
3   Israel 4 2 0 2 58 84 −26 8
4   Monaco 4 1 0 3 58 92 −34 6
5   Bulgaria 4 1 0 3 39 83 −44 6
26 September 1998
Andorra  14–15   Switzerland
Andorra-la-Vella

31 October 1998
Bulgaria  5–3  Andorra
Sofia

21 November 1998
Switzerland  48–8  Bulgaria
Nyon

27 February 1999
Andorra  29–6  Monaco
Andorra-la-Vella

3 April 1999
Switzerland  40–7  Israel
Monthey

10 April 1999
Monaco  16–20   Switzerland
Montecarlo

24 April 1999
Bulgaria  10–11  Israel
Sofia

29 May 1999
Israel  27–15  Monaco
Ra'anana

12 June 1999
Monaco  21–16  Bulgaria
Montecarlo

12 June 1999
Israel  13–19  Andorra
Ra'anana

Bibliography edit

  • (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).
  • "Minor Tournaments FIRA Tournament 1998/99". The Rugby Archive. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.