Rugby Europe Championship 2026 - Round 2: Preview

After a dramatic opening round, highlighted by Germany’s shock victory, attention now turns to whether more surprises could be on the horizon. Here is a closer look at each matchup and how they might unfold.

Germany return to action full of confidence after last weekend’s 30–24 home win over Romania in Heidelberg. That result marked their first victory over a Rugby World Cup qualified nation since 2017 and lifted them from 35th to 31st in the world rankings.

Their next challenge comes in Dessau at the Paul Greifzu Stadium, where they face another Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifier, Portugal. The visitors climbed from 20th to 19th in the rankings following an emphatic 47–17 bonus point win away to Belgium in round one.

Portugal, known as Os Lobos, will be without influential scrum-half Samuel Marques. His absence offers Germany encouragement, especially on what is expected to be a demanding surface in Dessau. Even so, Portugal’s depth and attacking quality mean the hosts will need another exceptional performance to claim a second consecutive upset.

Pool A action sees Spain host Switzerland at the Estadio Nueva Balastera in Palencia.

Spain opened their campaign with an impressive 51–33 away victory over the Netherlands. Switzerland, meanwhile, were beaten 54–3 at home by defending champions Georgia. When these sides met in pool play last year, Spain ran out 43–13 winners in Switzerland. With World Cup qualification already secured for next year, Los Leones enter as clear favourites.

In their debut season at this level, the Swiss claimed a historic win over Germany to avoid finishing bottom of the table. Their spirited showing against Georgia was also more competitive than many anticipated, particularly on paper. With emerging talent and a strategy of encouraging players to develop within the French system, they continue to build steadily.

Spain will be without Inaki Mateu due to a calf injury, with Oriol Marsinyac stepping in. While that adjustment could cause minor disruption, Spain’s strength in depth should see them remain firmly in control.

At the National Rugby Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands host Georgia. The Dutch began Pool A with a high scoring defeat against Spain and now face arguably the toughest test in the competition. Georgia have long set the standard in the Rugby Europe Championship and defeated the Netherlands 40–7 when the teams met in last year’s pool stage.

Georgia will again be without La Rochelle standout Davit Niniashvili, a factor that may offer the hosts a sliver of hope. Nevertheless, the Lelos boast formidable depth and physicality across the squad. The Netherlands do possess intriguing talent, including halfbacks Maxime van Hilst and Vikas Meijer, who both represent Cardiff Metropolitan University in the Super BUCS competition. Even so, Georgia are expected to prove too strong.

The weekend concludes in Pool B with Romania hosting Belgium at the Emil Alexandrescu Stadium in Iași. Both sides are seeking their first win of the 2026 campaign.

Romania will be eager to respond after their narrow defeat to Germany. When these teams met in pool play in 2025, Romania secured a 31–14 victory, and they will likely start as favourites once more on home soil.

Belgium came close to World Cup qualification and pushed Samoa hard in Dubai, yet they appear to be carrying the effects of that near miss into this European campaign. Their 30 point defeat to Portugal in round one suggested a team still searching for consistency.

Much may depend on Romania’s response to last week’s disappointment. If they can regroup quickly, home advantage should give them the edge in what promises to be a competitive contest.