June International Test: Romania v Brazil (24/06/2017)

[amz]

Venue: ARCUL DE TRIUMF, Bucharest
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Time: 19:00 Romanian timezone
Live streaming:
https://www.rugbytv.ro/ (in Romanian)
https://ww2.brasilrugby.com.br/pages/ao-vivo (in Portuguese)
​

Lineups:

Romania:

1. Ionel Badiu (Carcassonne)
2. Andrei Radoi (Timisoara Saracens)
3.Andrei Ursache (Carcassonne)
4. Johannes Van Heerden (Stiinta Baia Mare)
5. Marius Antonescu (Colomiers)
6. Andrei Gorcioaia (Massy)
7. Vlad Nistor(Albi)
8. Mihai Macovei (C) (Colomiers)
9.Florin Surugiu (Steaua Bucuresti)
10. Luke Samoa (Stiinta Baia Mare)
11. Jack Cobden (CSM Bucuresti)
12.Sione Fakaosilea (Stiinta Baia Mare)
13.Paula Kinikinilau (CSM Bucuresti)
14. Fonovai Tangimana (Timisoara Saracens)
15. Marius Simionescu (Timisoara Saracens)

Subs:
16. Ovidiu Cojocaru (CSM Baia Mare)
17. Constantin Pristavita (Stiinta Baia Mare)
18.Alexandru Gordas (CSA Steaua)
19. Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara Saracens)
20. Viorel Lucaci (Steaua Bucuresti)
21.Tudorel Bratu (Dinamo Bucuresti)
22. Florin Vlaicu (Steaua Bucuresti)
23. Ionut Dumitru (Steaua Bucuresti)

Brazil:

1. Jonatas Santos Paulo (Bandeirantes)
2. Yan Rosetti (C) (Club Universitario de Buenos Aires)
3. Pedro Bengalo (Desterro)
4. Cleber Dias (Poli)
5.Gabriel Paganini (Bandeirantes)
6. Joao Luis Da Ros (Desterro)
7. Arthur Bergo (SPAC)
8. Andre Arruda (Desterro)
9. Lucas Duque (Sao Jose)
10. Joshua Reeves (Jacarei)
11. Jacobus De Wet (Poli)
12. Moises Duque (Sao Jose)
13. Felipe (Sao Jose)
14. Laurent Bourda-Couhet (Bandeirantes)
15. Daniel Sancery (Sao Jose)

Subs:

16. Endy Willian (Curitiba)
17. Lucas Abud de Andrade(Poli)
18. Matheus Rocha (Jacarei)
19. Matheus Wolf (Joaca Rugby Club)
20. Nicholas Smith (SPAC)
21. Matheus Daniel (Jacarei)
22. Robert Tenorio (Pasteur)
23. Guilherme Coghetto (Desterro)

 

[Brigantine]

Brazil will regret this one. It's gotta be a candidate for 100 pointer.

EDIT: Ahh, so it's essentially Romania A. Ok, perhaps a fair-ish fight then. How many caps in Romania's starting XV there?

 

[amz]

We expected that Howells will pick more young players in first XV. We have there Simionescu (20 yo), Nistor (22) and coming from the bench Cojocaru (21 yo) who'll probably make his debut. This match was of a special interest for us because we expected to see more young players being given a chance.

Bratu, Gordas, Pristavita are also young players , but I am surprised that Iurea (21 yo, lock forward) and Popa (21 yo center) are not rhere after they traveled to Japan and Canada and were on bench. They played last year in Nations Cup and November tests so even if they're young, they don't lack experience at all. Popa actually debuted in starting XV vs Canada last year and he did a great job for such a young player.

I don't know much about Brazil. I watched some of their games but I can't really say how good they are since they won vs Canada without players from Europe or versus Portugal which have a very young team and is rebuilding. However, I find impressive they have a team made only from players from their championship (with one exception) even if some of them played in Europe at some point but decided to go back, show I think that clubs are interested to develop players.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

From what I have seen from Brazil they are very inconsistent and play much better at home. Sancery and Duque can both show tremedous flashes of ability and flair but I don't expect them to get much of a platform to perform. They can also get tired later in games.

I expect Romania to dominate as that looks a surprisingly strong selection from Howells. I think they will win by around 35 points (I'd have said more if it was a larger field).

To be honest Howells has done so well since November that I have lost any right to question his decision-making around selections even if I rarely understand them. I think it is reasonable for him to limit the exposure of 21 year olds to the international scene as they'll still be very young come the RWC. Their time will come, particularly with the residency rules thankfully changing.

I'm a little puzzled why this game wasn't played in Brazil instead. I would have thought that would be better for all concerned.

 

[John Rafael]

IMO, CBRu preferred this game in Romania for two reasons:

1- Prevent the local media from criticizing the team. In case of a defeat as host, probably the criticism would be rough. Brazilians do not care about rugby, but they hate losing in any sport. Even more so when some media vehicles are emphatic at ridiculing other sports than football, volleyball, basketball or F1.

2. Analyze the structure of Romanian Rugby, in search of experiences that can be used in the Local League.

I hope Brazil may learn a lot from this game. Because it does not seem possible to wait for a positive result. I'll be happy with a not-so-elastic point difference.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Ah, a spying mission to learn about a Tier 2 domestic league would make some more sense of the location. It sounds like the Superliga is not without some financial problems but it is clear to me it is a very positive factor in Romania's gradual ascent up the world rankings (and I don't think they are finished yet).

Good to have a Brazilian perspective on the forum. Welcome! Sorry to hear that some of the Brazilian sports media is quite immature. Hopefully the rapid progress you are making on the field continues and makes them sit up and take rugby seriously.

 

[amz]

Welcome to the forums and I agree with Bruce, it's good to have a Brazilian perspective; maybe you'll post more about Brazilian news here:
https://www.therugbyforum.com/forums/tier-two-three-rugby.157/
It is certainly interesting what is happening there!

I suspected that too about deciding to have the first match here although it would have made more sense to be played in Brazil as Oaks were in Canada one week ago. Local public could have seen a different team and style of rugby compared with those from Americas Championsip but Brazilians are hot blooded Latins so makes sense that a heavy defeat home might have looked to bad for an uneducated public.

Also it's good for us to have one match home again, I kind of missed Nations Cup. I hope Tupis felt welcomed here and I can tell there is much curiosity regarding Brazil's rugby.

Btw, Planet Rugby give Romania +20 so they seem much more optimistic compared with posters from here

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Direct link:
https://www.rugbytv.ro/2017/06/24/romania-brazilia.html

Game due to kick off.

 

[Brigantine]

Final result: Romania 56-5 Brazil

So Brazil got a try, and managed to keep it well short of 100 points. Are there highlights somewhere?

 

[amz]

I am still looking myself for it. Broadcaster made a mistake and feed wasn't available on rugbytv.ro .

Hopefully Brazilians learned something from this, otherwise it was a training with public. Good debut in starting XV from 20 yo fullback Simionescu, he played well and first match for young hooker Cojocau.

Oaks took foot of the gas in second half which is understandable considering the heat which was unusually high for this time of the year (37C +)

 

[amz]