Romanian Rugby

[dragos03]

Oaks captain Mihai Macovei got cited for alledged foul play in the Canada match...

I guess World Rugby must be really desperate to make sure Italy wins on Sunday. Probably the 4-day turnaround wasn't considered enough of a handicap, now they also want to take out our key player who inspired and led the awesome comeback in the previous match.

 

[amz]

Do anybody have any clue about what tackles he was cited? I expected maybe Calafeteanu to be cited but Macovei?

 

[dragos03]

I have no idea. But Macovei is the leading tackler of the RWC so far, with 42 tackles made. If they were looking for a reason to ban him from the vital Italy match, they must have found a dodgy one among them.

The way Romania has been treated by World Rugby before and during the RWC has been disgusting:
- no proper tests to prepare for the competition. Despite having played in every RWC, our last Tier 1 test was in 2006. Instead of giving us more opportunities to grow, we got less: the Romanian club was removed from the Challenge Cup despite not being the worst of that competition.
- awful schedule of the group matches, one of the worst of all teams involved.
- hostile refs, with 3 yellow cards in 3 games, 2 of those (Ion's card vs France and especially Fercu's card vs Canada) were ridiculous.
- key players have been cited, first was V. Ursache after the France match (one match ban) and now Macovei.

 

[amz]

Another bad news, Surugiu out for 8 weeks; we'll play Italy with Calafeteanu and Bratu on the bench.

 

[dragos03]

I really hope Howells tries something different and starts with Wiringi at 9. Mike has all the skills for that position and has played there before at Baia Mare. In the matches against Ireland and Canada (after Surugiu's replacement), Wiringi usually reached rucks and passed the ball ahead of the slow Calafeteanu. I'm sure he would speed up our attacks and defend much better.

 

[amz]

I really hope Howells tries something different and starts with Wiringi at 9. Mike has all the skills for that position and has played there before at Baia Mare. In the matches against Ireland and Canada (after Surugiu's replacement), Wiringi usually reached rucks and passed the ball ahead of the slow Calafeteanu. I'm sure he would speed up our attacks and defend much better.

I thought at this too

 

[amz]

2 weeks ban for Macovei

 

[lynx54321]

Can't believe this. Does anyone know which tackle it was actually for? Will Ursache be in?

6. Ursache
7. Burcea
8. Carpo

 

[amz]

I'd go for:
6. Burcea
7. Ursache
8. Carpo

Nistor and Lucaci on bench

 

[dragos03]

During RWC 2007 at Marseille, Romania lost to Italy 24-18 because after the Oaks took the lead in the second half the referee decided to award everything in Italy's favour. The order had to be preserved.

This time, the robbery has started even before the match. Macovei was suspended for a tackle that happened right in front of Barnes, who awarded just a penalty to Canada. Isn't citing supposed to cover severe offfences that were not noticed during the match? There was nothing severe about this tackle, no intent and it wasn't dangerous for the opponent who played the whole 80 minutes.

It's just a shameful decision of World Rugby to give Italy extra chances by taking out Romania's best player and leader on the pitch. A Romanian win would upset the traditional order, forcing Italy to go through the qualifiers to get to the next RWC and questioning the entire unfair system of international rugby.

Italy was already helped by the schedule that gives them a longer rest period, was this ban really needed? Apparently WR thinks the Oaks are still a very dangerous opponent to Italy, that makes me proud.

Hopefully, this decision will only motivate the team more. Daniel Carpo states it on his blog:
http://danielcarpo.com/2015/10/08/victorie-victorie-dar-care-sunt-sacrificiile/

I'd go with:
6. V. Ursache
7. Lucaci
8. Carpo

with Burcea and Nistor on the bench. I'm curious who will be the new captain.

We never get any Tier 1 tests, we deserved an equal chance at least once every 4 years at the World Cup. Come on the Oaks!

 

[amz]

Oaks lineup for Italy:

1. Lazar
2. Turashvili
3. Paulica
4. Poparlan
5. Van Heerden
6. Ursache
7. Lucaci
8. Macovei
9. Calafeteanu
10. Wiringi
11. Botezatu
12. Vlaicu
13. Kinikinilau
14. Lemnaru
15. Fercu

Subs:
16. Radoi
17. A. Ursache
18. Horatiu Pungea
19. Carpo
20. Burcea
21. Bratu (debut)
22. Gal
21. Apostol

I would have expected Ionita and not Apostol on wing. Macovei did appealed the decision and we will wait for the decision...

 

[dragos03]

Macovei's appeal was rejected (why did he even bother doing it...). Carpo will start at number 8, with Marius Antonescu on the bench (RWC debut). Vali Ursache will lead the Oaks in this match.

Shame on World Rugby and shame to all Tier 1 supporters who don't give a **** about the unfair treatment of the minnows and consider it normal.

 

[psychic duck]

Macovei was suspended for a tackle that happened right in front of Barnes, who awarded just a penalty to Canada. Isn't citing supposed to cover severe offfences that were not noticed during the match? There was nothing severe about this tackle, no intent and it wasn't dangerous for the opponent who played the whole 80 minutes.

What time in the match was this incident?

 

[amz]

10:27 tackle on Canadian hooker, infringement of Law 10.4 (e)

 

[Colombia]

During RWC 2007 at Marseille, Romania lost to Italy 24-18 because after the Oaks took the lead in the second half the referee decided to award everything in Italy's favour. The order had to be preserved.

This time, the robbery has started even before the match. Macovei was suspended for a tackle that happened right in front of Barnes, who awarded just a penalty to Canada. Isn't citing supposed to cover severe offfences that were not noticed during the match? There was nothing severe about this tackle, no intent and it wasn't dangerous for the opponent who played the whole 80 minutes.

It's just a shameful decision of World Rugby to give Italy extra chances by taking out Romania's best player and leader on the pitch. A Romanian win would upset the traditional order, forcing Italy to go through the qualifiers to get to the next RWC and questioning the entire unfair system of international rugby.

Italy was already helped by the schedule that gives them a longer rest period, was this ban really needed? Apparently WR thinks the Oaks are still a very dangerous opponent to Italy, that makes me proud.

Hopefully, this decision will only motivate the team more. Daniel Carpo states it on his blog:
http://danielcarpo.com/2015/10/08/victorie-victorie-dar-care-sunt-sacrificiile/

I'd go with:
6. V. Ursache
7. Lucaci
8. Carpo

with Burcea and Nistor on the bench. I'm curious who will be the new captain.

We never get any Tier 1 tests, we deserved an equal chance at least once every 4 years at the World Cup. Come on the Oaks!

Tony Spreadbury was referee for the match you are talking about so I can guarantee you there was no intentional bias. Relieve yourself of that notion.

 

[amz]

Italia's squad
[url]http://www.onrugby.it/2015/10/09/rwc-20 ... o-parisse/[/URL]

1.Aguero
2.Manici
2.Cittadini
4.Geldenhuys
5.Furno
6.Favaro
7.Minto
8.Zanni
9.Gori
10.Allan
11.Venditti
12.Benvenuti
13.Campagnaro
14.Sarto
15.McLean

 

[FrankHeaven]

Hi all, my first post here and wanted to say thanks to everyone who keeps this thread updated with news about Romanian rugby.

I have been fascinated with the game in Romania since the early 1980s, when they brought some welcome variety to a sport dominated by English-speaking countries. (I say this even though I am English.) The wins over Wales and Scotland in particular stick in my memory.

I post comments on rugby articles elsewhere on the web - particularly The Guardian - and try to speak up for rugby in Romania and other 'Tier 2' countries. I think it is a disgrace the way competitions like the 6N and RC are closed off to other rugby-playing nations.

Anyway, I have a couple of questions:
1. Apart from what is on YouTube, is there any footage anywhere of Romania's games from the golden era of the 1980s?
2. Many people think that Romania were competitive in the 1980s because they were effectively full-time professionals, playing for the army and police teams. Can anyone verify this?

 

[TheOvalBall]

I honestly hope countries like Romania and Georgia enter the six nations. It would be awesome!

 

[dragos03]

Anyway, I have a couple of questions:
1. Apart from what is on YouTube, is there any footage anywhere of Romania's games from the golden era of the 1980s?
2. Many people think that Romania were competitive in the 1980s because they were effectively full-time professionals, playing for the army and police teams. Can anyone verify this?

1. Not really. Public broadcaster TVR has the matches in the archive and sometimes show parts of them.
2. It's partially true, top sportsmen did that in all sports in the communist countries. But they were not full-time pros like today's players are, more like semi-professionals (they all still had a job on paper).

 

[dragos03]

The Oaks have returned to Bucharest.

I think this has been a positive RWC for Romania. We lost to Italy but it was more due to inexperience in defence and exhaustion. Against Italy, the Oaks dominated overall, with 62% territory and 63% possession. Romania also managed to score 19 unanswered points in 15 minutes (3 tries), against a Tier 1 nation.

The Oaks played against Ireland, France and Italy, a miniature 6 Nations. The aggregate result was 14-38. I think that's not bad considering all the factors: Romania's total lack of previous Tier 1 test experience, huge hostile crowds, short turnarounds for two of these matches, some questionable referee decisions and citings (such as the yellow card vs France or Macovei's suspension for the final match), etc. With more proper tests to blood our youngsters and fair scheduling, the Oaks could really be competitive against these nations. I think it's inevitable that the Six Nations will be opened up, the only question is when. The performance of every minnow at this RWC, when even Namibia or Uruguay were able to compete much better than expected, can no longer be ignored.