Belgium claimed local bragging rights – and 27th place in the latest World Rugby Rankings – in dramatic fashion after flanker Baptiste Lescarboura scored his second try in injury-time to earn his country their sixth straight win in fixtures against the Netherlands.
Ill-discipline and inaccuracy off the kicking tee cost the home side dear in the European Nations Cup 2016 Division 1B fixture, with three yellow cards and five missed kicks at goal hampering their efforts.
A penalty try and eight points from the boot of full-back Nicolas Meeus saw Belgium race into a 13-0 lead after 23 minutes before Meeus’s opposite number, Leon Koenen, replied with a three-pointer for the Dutch.
Lescarboura then went over for his first try on 27 minutes to make it 18-3 to the Black Devils, but Netherlands hit back with 15 unanswered points to go into the break all-square, wingers Pieter Mol and Pascal van Overeem both scoring while the visitor’s prop Julien Massimi spent time in the sin-bin. Koenen kicked his second penalty and tagged on the conversion to van Overeem’s try.
Neither side troubled the scoreboard in the second half until fly-half Storm Carroll handed the Netherlands the lead for the first time in the match with a 77th minute penalty, but the Netherlands’ hopes of a first win over Belgium since 2004 vanished when Lescarboura scored with time almost up.
Belgium’s gain of 1.08 points sees them leapfrog Moldova, Germany and Chile, who all drop a place, while Netherlands fall to 33rd in the rankings with Poland, Brazil and the Czech Republic the beneficiaries.
Belgium are now two wins from two in Division 1B, putting them third behind leaders Moldova and Poland who have both played a game more. Netherlands are second from bottom after their second straight loss of the season with a visit from unbeaten Moldova to come this weekend.
Photo: Wim Peperkamp/Netherlands Rugby Union
