The Czech Republic kept alive their hopes of remaining in the region's Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifying picture with a 19-5 victory over Poland in their European Nations Cup Division 2A encounter in Warsaw on Sunday.
The win takes the Czechs to 10 points in the standings, four behind Poland and six behind leaders Ukraine but with a game in hand on both of their rivals for the crucial top spot, which would earn a play-off with Lithuania next May.
This means that the Czech Republic must win all three of their remaining games - against Moldova, Belgium and Ukraine - and hope that their final opponents also lose on the road to the Moldovans. This would give them 19 points and Ukraine 18.
Even if the Czechs fail to win all of their matches and Ukraine lose both of theirs, the Ukrainians would still finish top, Poland only able to reach 18 points and the two defeats by Ukraine in their head-to-head tussles would count against them.
With the victory in Warsaw, the Czech Republic do, however, remain in contention for an immediate return to the top tier of the European Nations Cup, having been relegated last year. They also climb two places to 33rd in the latest IRB World Rankings.
This climb means that they not only now trail Morocco by just 0.06 rating points, but also sit one place above Poland, their hosts having slipped three places on the back of the defeat on home soil.
New high for Bulgaria
The three other European Nations Cup matches over the weekend were not part of the region's RWC 2011 qualifying process, but were still equally important to those involved with Croatia and Bulgaria both taking over top spot in their respective divisions.
Croatia have leapfrogged the Netherlands at the top of Division 2B after a 23-9 victory over Latvia in Riga and also climbed one place to 42nd, swapping places with Kenya. Latvia, still waiting a first win in the competition, fall two places to 61st.
Bulgarian fans, meanwhile, had two reasons to smile on Saturday after their side beat Luxembourg 25-12 in Pernik to take over top spot in Division 3C from Israel and also climb two places to a new high of 82nd in the IRB World Rankings. The defeat leaves Luxembourg still occupying 94th spot, albeit now closer to bottom side Finland.
The other encounter did not result in a change at the top of Division 3A with Lithuania still four points clear despite Serbia making it two wins in a row against Switzerland with a 13-8 victory in Belgrade.
However Serbia, who had never beaten Switzerland before their 12-6 win back in April, do now sit above their visitors in the rankings after climbing three places to 57th and condemning Switzerland to a two place fall to 59th.
