Romanian Rugby

[dragos03]

Three of the Moldovan hookers - Arhip, Dorogan and Orghianu - can also play at tighthead. As usual, Moldova can field a very strong pack for a Tier 3 nation, with many professional players. Their backs are awful though, Golubenco is the only one with some skills.

 

[Thingimubob]

Three of the Moldovan hookers - Arhip, Dorogan and Orghianu - can also play at tighthead. As usual, Moldova can field a very strong pack for a Tier 3 nation, with many professional players. Their backs are awful though, Golubenco is the only one with some skills.

Interesting! Arhip is a quality tighthead in a high level tournament, seems odd that you'd shift him away from that position.

 

[dragos03]

Interesting! Arhip is a quality tighthead in a high level tournament, seems odd that you'd shift him away from that position.

True, but Vadim Cobilas is also a quality tighthead in a high level tournament and he can't play hooker - so by shifting Arhip both can be starters.
Anyway, even when Arhip and Cobilas are missing, Moldova has a very powerful scrum at their level and they destroy opposition packs.

 

[amz]

About Moldova, where is their English born with Moldovan descents? He was a good kicker and could have helped to have him along a dominant pack.

In other news, Alexandru Tarus (tighhead prop, Timisoara Saracens) signed with Beziers.

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/trans...rolongations-annoncees_sto5305445/story.shtml

 

[Croket66]

About Moldova, where is their English born with Moldovan descents? He was a good kicker and could have helped to have him along a dominant pack.

In other news, Alexandru Tarus (tighhead prop, Timisoara Saracens) signed with Beziers.

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/trans...rolongations-annoncees_sto5305445/story.shtml

AFAIK, Craig Felston pushed against the moldovan federation about the money for his travel so the federation decided to not selected him again...
Now he plays in Spain for Belenos

Good move for Tarus, I hope Timisoara will able to replace him

 

[dragos03]

Tarus has signed for Beziers but he has a contract with Timisoara until December 2016. Probably the club will let him go but I've heard that they are annoyed that the player did not ask for their permission in advance. It will be tough for them to replace their best two props, Saulo and Tarus.

According to rumours, hooker Eugen Capatana and lock Valentin Popirlan had offers from Pro D2 as well but they were offered lower wages than what they currently earn at Timisoara, so they both refused. Fercu also had an offer from Pro D2 but chose to return to his former club. I've heard that flanker Viorel Lucaci (Steaua) was in talks with a French club as well.

 

[dragos03]

Here is the Romanian squad for the match against Germany. Honestly, I expected more experiments in this fixture. This will be the retirement match of legendary flanker Ovidiu Tonita, a veteran of 5 World Cups and former champion of France.

1.Constantin Pristavita (Stiinta Baia Mare)
2. Eugen Capatana (Timisoara Saracens)
3. Horatiu Pungea (Oyonnax)
4. Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara Saracens)
5. Marius Antonescu (Tarbes)
6. Ovidiu Tonita (Carcassonne)
7. Viorel Lucaci (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
8. Stelian Burcea (Timisoara Saracens) (C)
9. Valentin Calafeteanu (Timisoara Saracens)
10. Jody Rose (Timisoara Saracens)
11. Stephen Shennan (Timisoara Saracens)
12. Florin Vlaicu (Calvisano)
13. Paula Kinikinilau (Timisoara Saracens)
14. Adrian Apostol (Stiinta Baia Mare)
15. Ionut Botezatu (Stiinta Baia Mare)

Subs : 16. Andrei Radoi (Timisoara Saracens), 17. Mihai Dico (Stiinta Baia Mare), 18. Paul Rusu (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare), 19. Johan Van Heerden (Stiinta Baia Mare), 20. Andrei Gorcioaia (Valence d'Agen), 21. Tudorel Bratu (Dinamo), 22. Ovidiu Melniciuc (U Cluj), 23. Florin Ionita (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)

 

[amz]

Yes, I'd have liked to see more experiments too or at least Dumitru starting. Hopefully we will have other forwards in the squad for match vs Georgia (Lazar, Ursache brothers, Macovei, Paulica).

 

[dragos03]

Yes, we need our strongest squad against Georgia, Surugiu should be there as well. Georgia will have a cohesion advantage over us anyway, since they have used most of their best players in the other matches as well, unlike us.

I don't want to insult the other teams but Romania vs Georgia is the only real test of this competition for both our national teams and I expect Georgia to also field their best lineup, including Gorgodze.

 

[argie]

Uruguay will face Romania twice in 2016.
The first test match will be in the Nations Cup on June 10 to 17.
The last will be on November 12, 19 or 26 (to confirm the date).
http://www.referi.uy/los-teros-suben-un-escalon-n880042

 

[dragos03]

I don't mind playing against Uruguay but what's the point of two matches in one year? While all the other Tier 2 nations get at least one Tier 1 test this year, we don't even get three Tier 2 opponents in November?

There were rumours that we might play the Maori All Blacks in November but we get Uruguay instead, this is ridiculous.

 

[argie]

Maori All Blacks?. It isn't a test match.

 

[amz]

Maori All Blacks?. It isn't a test match.

Indeed but I think they're as strong as a Tier 1 team.

Today at Iasi, Romania 61 - 7 Germany

tries by:
Kinikinilau (3)
Shannon
Burcea
Lucaci
Tonita
Apostol

And a big THANK YOU to legendary Ovidiu Tonita who retired today from test rugby:

https://twitter.com/RugbyRomania/status/708659920829292544

 

[dragos03]

Solid win for the Oaks, our backs look better and better. I like our insistence to play running rugby, even if it would have been very easy to just overpower the Germans with our forwards. Solid performance from some of our youngsters like Antonescu, Bratu and Melniciuc. Insane run from Capatana at our third try, hopefully someone will make a video of it.

Thank you, Ovidiu Tonita, you are a legend of Romanian rugby

 

[dragos03]

Here's the charge of hooker Capatana that lead to the 3rd try:
[video]https://www.facebook.com/rugbyromania/videos/10154025257868270/[/video]

 

[tommyc121]

craig ten for moldova who is actually english. how come he playing for moldova does he have moldovan parents or adopted? or something find strange how he playing for them

 

[Croket66]

craig ten for moldova who is actually english. how come he playing for moldova does he have moldovan parents or adopted? or something find strange how he playing for them

His grandmother was moldovan

 

[amz]

Romanian squad for match versus Georgia. It is not sure if this is the entire squad or other players will be called:

Props:
Constantin Pristavita (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Paul Rusu (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Mihai Dico (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Cosmin Manole (Dinamo)
Horatiu Pungea (Oyonnax)

Hookers:
Andrei Radoi (Timisoara Saracens)
Eugen Capatana (Timisoara Saracens)
Tudor Butnariu (Politehnica Iasi)

Second row
Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara Saracens)
Johan Van Heerden (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Marius Antonescu (Tarbes)

Backrow:
Viorel Lucaci (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Vlad Nistor (Castres Olympique)
Andrei Gorcioaia (Valence d’Agen)
Stelian Burcea (Timisoara Saracens)
Dorin Lazar (Timisoara Saracens)

Scrum-half:
Valentin Calafeteanu (Timisoara Saracens)
Tudorel Bratu (Dinamo)
Alexandru Tigla (CSM Bucuresti)

Fly-half:
Jody Rose (Timisoara Saracens)
Ovidiu Melniciuc (U Cluj)

Centers:
Paula Kinikinilau (Timisoara Saracens)
Florin Ionita (CSA Steaua)
Florin Vlaicu (Calvisano)
Ionut Balaban (CSS Barlad)

Wingers:
Adrian Apostol (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Ionut Dumitru (CSA Steaua)
Stephen Shennan (Timisoara Saracens)
Marian Ispir (CSM Bucuresti)

Fullback:
Ionut Botezatu (Stiinta Baia Mare)

D. Lazar, brother of M. Lazar (Castres) was called up for this game along with young hooker of Politehnica Iasi who was invited last week just to train with Oaks. Probably Howells liked him and he is getting the first call but it's very unlikely he'll debut to Tbilisi.

Injured players: Fercu, Lemnaru, Turashvili, Stratila. Pungea is under observation.

It's not sure if this is the entire squad or other players will be called.

 

[amz]

craig ten for moldova who is actually english. how come he playing for moldova does he have moldovan parents or adopted? or something find strange how he playing for them

Wiki says grandfather was Moldovan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Felston

he plays for Moldova as for example Anscombe plays for Wales, Catrogiovanni and Parisse for Italy etc.

 

[dragos03]

This is a very weak squad, surely more players will be added. Going to Tbilissi without our best forwards would be just a waste of time, the Georgians have called all of their top players and will just grind us down with scrums and mauls since our 3rd/4th choice props won't get parity with the Georgian starters.

Our backs have improved a lot but I don't think they are yet strong enough to win a match by themselves, especially since the Georgians have a solid defense and we will be missing 3 backline starters (Fercu, Surugiu, Lemnaru).

I'm all for testing youngsters like Butnariu but not in a match like this.