Team news ahead of the glorified training tournaments the IRB Nations Cup opening in Bucharest on Friday and the IRB Tbilisi Cup opening in Tbilisi this Saturday.
Emerging Ireland v Russia 
Vene: Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Kickoff: 17:00 (local), 14:00 (GMT)
Kickoff: 17:00 (local), 14:00 (GMT)
For Emerging Ireland:
Emerging Ireland have selected an odd mish mash of players at all sorts of different point in their career. There are youngsters with little experience, impressive players on the very near fringes of the full Ireland team, journeymen who's time as a potential international may have probably passed, and journeymen who have hardly been in contention for international spots.
However Ireland are producing more depth than they were a few years ago and there are some solid enough players, along with some real talent such as Craig Gilroy and Tommy O'Donnell that makes this side strong favourites for this game and the tournament.
However Ireland are producing more depth than they were a few years ago and there are some solid enough players, along with some real talent such as Craig Gilroy and Tommy O'Donnell that makes this side strong favourites for this game and the tournament.
Starting XV: 15 Johne Murphy; 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Andrew Conway; 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Paul Marshall; 1 Callum Black, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Michael Bent; 4 Michael Kearney, 5 Dave Foley; 6 Dominic Ryan (c), 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Robin Copeland.
Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 John Ryan; 18 Billy Holland, 19 Sean Dougall; 20 Luke McGrath, 21 JJ Hanrahan, 22 Brendan Macken.
For Russia:
In his first match fully in charge Raphaël Saint-André is giving some new players some games in what is a training tournament with a lot of the Bears best players absent. Top players such as Vladimir Ostroushko, Vasily Artemyev, Denis Simplikevich, Kirill Kulemin, Andrei Ostsrikov were all not named in the squad for the tournament, nor were first choice starters such as Andrei Igretsov, Yury Kushnarev or Dimitri Gerasimov.
In addition to that, other first choice players who are in the squad such as the Tsnobiladze brothers have been left on the bench, so in all there are only 6 starters left from the side that secured the top 3 ENC finish beating Portugal in Sochi. So Russia are testing second string and reserves just as much as other Eastern European nations are.
Fresh players being tested include Sevens player German Davydov who will make his debut, Ramil Gaisin who will make his first start at fly half, and new front rowers Stanislav Selskiy and Sergey Sekisov who have 1 start between them for Russia which was in the training tournament 2 years ago. Given the strength of the side and following last year's poor results in this tournament, Russia will go into this game big underdogs.
In addition to that, other first choice players who are in the squad such as the Tsnobiladze brothers have been left on the bench, so in all there are only 6 starters left from the side that secured the top 3 ENC finish beating Portugal in Sochi. So Russia are testing second string and reserves just as much as other Eastern European nations are.
Fresh players being tested include Sevens player German Davydov who will make his debut, Ramil Gaisin who will make his first start at fly half, and new front rowers Stanislav Selskiy and Sergey Sekisov who have 1 start between them for Russia which was in the training tournament 2 years ago. Given the strength of the side and following last year's poor results in this tournament, Russia will go into this game big underdogs.
Starting XV: 15 Igor Klyuchnikov; 14 Mikhail Babaev, 13 German Davydov, 12 Alexei Makovetskiy, 11 Igor Galinovskiy; 10 Ramil Gaisin, 9 Alexander Yanyushkin; 1 Alexey Volkov, 2 Stanislav Selskiy, 3 Sergey Sekisov; 4 Alexander Voytov (c), 5 Denis Antonov; 6 Andrey Garbuzov, 7 Andrey Temnov, 8 Victor Gresev.
Replacements: 16 Valery Tsnobiladze, 17 Grigory Tsnobiladze, 18 Alexander Bezverkhov; 19 Artem Fatakhov, 20 Pavel Butenko; 21 Alexei Shcherban, 22 Sergey Yanyushkin.
Replacements: 16 Valery Tsnobiladze, 17 Grigory Tsnobiladze, 18 Alexander Bezverkhov; 19 Artem Fatakhov, 20 Pavel Butenko; 21 Alexei Shcherban, 22 Sergey Yanyushkin.
Romania v Uruguay 
Vene: Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Kickoff: 19:00 (local time), 16:00 (GMT)
For Romania:
Lynn Howells has been a consistent selector since taking full charge of the side last year, but he is going into this tournament fielding some of the most experimental sides he has done in his tenure. In all there are 8 changes to the starting lineup that lost to Georgia in March, with the players not involved tending to also be Romania's best players such as Catalin Fercu, Mihai Lazar and Paulica Ion.
Despite the absentees, Romania has not seen a lot of young talent breakthrough into the first choice side in recent times so there is a good chance for some younger players to be tested, and potentially if all goes well put a case forward to inclusion in the future.
Constantin Pristavita, who has just turned 21, is a promising prospect who will get some starts in this tournament. Whilst with Fercu rested, Gabriel Conache who although has never won a cap aged 23, has been highly thought of amongst observers of the SuperLiga who have been wanting him to get a chance which he will have here.
Romania have not really fully settled on a fly half in recent times, and Valentin Calafeteanu is taking a rest during this tournament and a 24 year old Filip Lazar will make his debut in the pivotal position. Also Daniel Statulescu could make his debut from the bench, and Alexandru Tarus could expand on his 1 cap.
Whilst there is a lot of inexperience in the side, there is also a return for 29 year old Daniel Carpo for the first time in a year, he starts ahead of youngster Vlad Nistor who was on the bench during the ENC. Otar Turashvili returns after sitting out the ENC and scrum half Vali Ivan is also recalled for the first time in 4 years ahead of Ciprian Caplescu.
Of the first choice players remaining, Mihai Macovei will still lead the side, along with more experienced players such as Viorel Lucaci, Florin Vlaicu, and Valentin Poparlan who will help add some substance for the experimental options to work around. The tournament will be a testing ground for Howells, and the Oaks fortunes will be dependant on the success his second string and youth has.
Lynn Howells has been a consistent selector since taking full charge of the side last year, but he is going into this tournament fielding some of the most experimental sides he has done in his tenure. In all there are 8 changes to the starting lineup that lost to Georgia in March, with the players not involved tending to also be Romania's best players such as Catalin Fercu, Mihai Lazar and Paulica Ion.
Despite the absentees, Romania has not seen a lot of young talent breakthrough into the first choice side in recent times so there is a good chance for some younger players to be tested, and potentially if all goes well put a case forward to inclusion in the future.
Constantin Pristavita, who has just turned 21, is a promising prospect who will get some starts in this tournament. Whilst with Fercu rested, Gabriel Conache who although has never won a cap aged 23, has been highly thought of amongst observers of the SuperLiga who have been wanting him to get a chance which he will have here.
Romania have not really fully settled on a fly half in recent times, and Valentin Calafeteanu is taking a rest during this tournament and a 24 year old Filip Lazar will make his debut in the pivotal position. Also Daniel Statulescu could make his debut from the bench, and Alexandru Tarus could expand on his 1 cap.
Whilst there is a lot of inexperience in the side, there is also a return for 29 year old Daniel Carpo for the first time in a year, he starts ahead of youngster Vlad Nistor who was on the bench during the ENC. Otar Turashvili returns after sitting out the ENC and scrum half Vali Ivan is also recalled for the first time in 4 years ahead of Ciprian Caplescu.
Of the first choice players remaining, Mihai Macovei will still lead the side, along with more experienced players such as Viorel Lucaci, Florin Vlaicu, and Valentin Poparlan who will help add some substance for the experimental options to work around. The tournament will be a testing ground for Howells, and the Oaks fortunes will be dependant on the success his second string and youth has.
Replacements: 16 Eugen Capatana, 17 Alexandru Tarus; 18 Dorin Lazar, 19 Vlad Nistor; 20 Robert Dascalu, 21 Vali Ivan, 22 Daniel Statulescu.
For Uruguay:
Following a win over Spain and a better than expected series with the USA, Pablo Lemoine has been testing a wider group of players in the South American Championship and now in this tournament. Just like all the other teams, they will not be full strength.
Following a win over Spain and a better than expected series with the USA, Pablo Lemoine has been testing a wider group of players in the South American Championship and now in this tournament. Just like all the other teams, they will not be full strength.
In all there only 5 players from the lineup that drew with the USA remain in the lineup for this game. The lineup is inexperienced and a lot more similar to the weakened lineup that played Argentina last month.
Starting XV: 15 Gastón Mieres; 14 Santiago Gibernau, 13 Joaquín Prada, 12 Alberto Román, 11 Gaston Gibernau; 10 Alejo Durán, 9 Guillermo Lijtenstein; 1 Alejo Corral, 2 Nicolás Klappenbach (c), 3 Juan Echeverría; 4 Cristofer Soares de Lima, 5 Franco Lamanna; 6 Juan de Freitas, 7 Diego Magno, 8 Alejandro Nieto.
Replacements: 16 Carlos Arboleya, 17 Mateo Sanguinetti; 18 Mathías Braun, 19 Fernando Bascou; 20 Agustín Alonso, 21 Jerónimo Etcheverry, 22 Federico Favaro.
Replacements: 16 Carlos Arboleya, 17 Mateo Sanguinetti; 18 Mathías Braun, 19 Fernando Bascou; 20 Agustín Alonso, 21 Jerónimo Etcheverry, 22 Federico Favaro.
Georgia v Spain 
Vene: Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi
Kickoff: 17:00 (local time), 13:00 (GMT)
For Georgia:
Milton Haig has stuck more to his to core squad than expected although he is giving mostly bench and reserve players a run out. Only 5 players remain from the side that beat Romania to secure the ENC top spot last March.
Many were expecting a more youthful team, and although there is youth in the side with the likes of Zurab Zhvania given a start and youngsters Giorgi Mchedlishvili (uncapped), Lasha Lomidze (1 cap) plus teenager Muraz Giorgadze (uncapped) in the squad, there is also surprising amount of space for older players who had fallen out of favour to get a recall. 29 year old Revaz Gigauri gets his first call up since he had a difficult game over 2 years ago away in Spain and Sandro Todua gets his first call up for a year.
Most of the best players are absent, but there are a few first choice players like Tamaz Mchedlidze, Davit Kacharava, Kote Mikautadze and Dimitri Basilaia. Realistically, this should be more than a good enough side to comfortably dispatch the side that Spain have gone for.
Starting XV: 15 Beka Tsiklauri; 14 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13 Davit Kacharava, 12 Revaz Gigauri, 11 Sandro Todua; 10 Lasha Malaguradze, 9 Giorgi Begadze; 1 Zurab Zhvania, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 3 Davit Kubriashvili; 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 5 Kote Mikautadze; 6 Shalva Sutiashvili (c), 7 Giga Tkhilaishvili, 8 Dimitri Basilaia.
Replacements: 16 Simon Maisuradze, 17 Giorgi Mchedlishvili; 18 Lasha Lomidze, 19 Givi Berishvili; 20 Giorgi Rokhvadze, 21 Lasha Khmaladze, 22 Muraz Giorgadze.
Replacements: 16 Simon Maisuradze, 17 Giorgi Mchedlishvili; 18 Lasha Lomidze, 19 Givi Berishvili; 20 Giorgi Rokhvadze, 21 Lasha Khmaladze, 22 Muraz Giorgadze.
For Spain:
Coach Santiago Santos has gone with a much changed very reserve ridden side. Only 2 players from the starting lineup that hosted Georgia during the failed World Cup qualification campaign are returning to face them again. 12 of the 15 starters have less than 10 caps, and there is a total of 9 caps on the bench all belonging to one player in Agustín Ortiz.
Coach Santiago Santos has gone with a much changed very reserve ridden side. Only 2 players from the starting lineup that hosted Georgia during the failed World Cup qualification campaign are returning to face them again. 12 of the 15 starters have less than 10 caps, and there is a total of 9 caps on the bench all belonging to one player in Agustín Ortiz.
Only Jesús Moreno and Jaime Nava could be said to be experienced, and Nava has played his entire career in the backs but is out of position at number 8. Most of the team is reserves and second stringers from the ENC. This is possibly the most depleted team of any at these training tournaments, they will struggle to challenge to win a game.
Starting XV: 15 Javi Carrión; 14 Alberto Díaz, 13 Ignacio Gutiérrez, 12 Dan Snee, 11 Sergio Fernández; 10 Mariano García, 9 Facundo Munilla; 1 Francisco Sanz, 2 Juan Anaya, 3 Jesús Moreno; 4 Alejandro Blanco, 5 Victor Sánchez; 6 Manuel Mora, 7 Adam Newton, 8 Jaime Nava (c).
Replacements: 16 Agustín Ortiz, 17 Romain Asensi; 18 Guillermo Espinós, 19 José Luis del Valle; 20 Francisco Coplet, 21 Alejandro Gutiérrez, 22 Pablo Fontes.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Ortiz, 17 Romain Asensi; 18 Guillermo Espinós, 19 José Luis del Valle; 20 Francisco Coplet, 21 Alejandro Gutiérrez, 22 Pablo Fontes.
The other game in the Tbilisi Cup takes place after this one and is between Emerging Italy, a side largely of Eccellenza players, and Argentina Jaguars a third string Pumas side.
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