Romanian Rugby

[amz]

King's Cup will kick off at the end of this week and the program is the following (in Romanian):
https://www.super-liga.ro/2017/07/3...ebuta-pe-5-august-vezi-programul-competitiei/

This is an experimental competition so 3 Under 23 players should be in the lineup.

Other news from clubs:

CSM Bucuresti signed as forward coach ex-Farul player Lasha Tavartikladze (possible he was recommended by Bradley).
http://csmbucuresti.ro/lasha-tavartkiladze-noul-antrenor-de-inaintare-al-tigrilor/
Rumor is they also signed 3 Romanian forwards after they failed to sign players from Iasi

Timisoara Saracens signed ex-U20, ex-RC Barlad (Second Division) scum-half Gabriel Rupanu:
http://obiectivvaslui.ro/gabriel-rupanu-transferat-la-timisoara-saracens/

Baia Mare signed few U18 players for next 7 years:
Sergiu Lucaciu - center (b. 1999)
Mihai Matei - lock (last time at Tarbes academy, born 1997)
Vlad Visan - lock (1,97 cm, 115 kgs!) - until recently he played in England (b. 1999)

U Cluj will participation in King's Cup which means that they have the finances to continue in Super Liga.

Bucovina Suceava new coach still to be announced official but rumor is will be Marius Coltuneac:
http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/13865.html
He have 2 caps and played in France in 2000s for few years. He is replacing Constantin Vlad who was Suceava's coach for 27 years. However, it seems Mr. Vlad will stay around the team for a while and he participated to the meeting

Poli Iasi will skip King's Cup and struggle to rebuild the team as they have only 18 players under contract now (and only 2 frontrowers). Apparently Plai will stay with them for next season as they didn't wanted to release him to Dinamo.

An interesting meeting and first of this sort took place last week in Bucharest with coaching representatives of Super Liga clubs: George Sava ( head coach CSM Baia Mare ) Eugen Apjok ( head coach CSM Bucuresti ) Danut Dumbrava ( head coach CSA Steaua ) Cosmin Ratiu ( head coach Politehnica Iasi ) Cristian Sauan and Horea Himpea ( manager and head coach CS Universitatea Cluj ) Vlad Constantin ( manager CSM Bucovina Suceava ) Cristian Hildan ( CS head coach Dinamo ) and Sosene Anesi ( backs coach SCM Timisoara ).
https://www.super-liga.ro/2017/08/0...t-pentru-afla-noutatile-legate-de-licentiere/

The meeting was mostly about club licensing procedures, coaching licensing, new laws of the game and collaboration with National team staff and collaboration between SL team staffs. Other topic:
- long term strategic plan for Oaks
- involvement of national staff in player's training and various requirements for clubs related to preparation of test players.
- national team staff offered themselves to travel to clubs to have few training sessions with clubs

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Good that the union and Superliga are looking to work closer together. Bad for Iasi and Plai. He will not have the platform to show his talents if there are financial issues there.

Also glad the Kings Cup games will be in the hot summer rather than the Superliga ones. Hopefully this can maybe be more of a gentle pre-season for the international players and they have a longer break.

I feel sorry for the Suceava coach. 27 years the coach and he won't get a crack at the Superliga!

 

[amz]

I feel sorry for the Suceava coach. 27 years the coach and he won't get a crack at the Superliga!

As far as I know it was his choice but he'll stay around the club (possible as manager) to ease the transition.

 

[amz]

CSM Baia Mare announced their squad for 2017 - 2018 season:

Props
Mihai Dico 16.08.1987 1,87 m 100 kg România
Domițian Mureșan 01.08.1995 1,86 m 120 kg România
Waisea Nailago 28.03.1989 1,89 m 129 kg Fiji
Constantin Mardare Pristăviță 23.05.1993 1,89 m 111 kg România
Paul Rusu 10.09.1984 1,78 m 115 kg România
Silviu Sebastian Suciu 16.10.1991 1,85 M 124 kg România

Hookers
Florin Bârdașu 23.09.1991 1,74 m 104 kg România
Ovidiu Cojocaru 19.11.1996 1,76 m 100 kg România
Iuri Natriashvili 25.01.1984 1,80 m 105 kg Georgia

Locks
Marius Dănilă 08.03.1987 1,95 m 114 kg România
Andrei Iurea 01.12.1996 1,94 m 105 kg România
Dumani Siphosethu Mtya 14.03.1985 1,94 m 114 kg Africa de Sud
Florian Roșu 20.04.1993 1,92 m 105 kg România
Johannes Van Heerden 09.12.1986 1,96 m 118 kg Africa de Sud
Mihai Matei 12.11.1997 1,94 m 97 kg România

Backrow
Răzvan Ailenei 04.02.1992 1,90 m 110 kg România
Cristian Marian Chirică 09.04.1997 1,91 m 95 kg România
Constantin Ene 08.08.1984 1,87 m 108 kg România
Sean Morrell 23.08.1985 1,89 m 110 kg Fiji
Feofaaki Holoia 29.03.1990 1,92 m 106 kg Tonga
Vlad Vișan 11.11.1999 1,97 m 115 kg România

Scrum-half
Alexandru Neculai Pălii 25.02.1995 1,78 m 90 kg România
Bidzina Shamkaradze 02.10.1983 1,69 m 82 kg Georgia
Alexandru Țiglă 19.02.1993 1,78 m 90 kg România

Fly-Half
George Paul Oprea 30.08.1993 1,93 m 106 kg România

Center
Sione Fakaosilea 13.01.1987 1,86 m 118 kg Tonga
Michael Doneghan 06.05.1991 1,90 m 98 kg Scoția
Alexandru Bucur 24.04.1994 1,83 m 92 kg România
Sergiu Lucaciu 13.03.1999 1,80 m 80 kg România

Wing
Adrian Apostol 11.03.1990 1,84 m 86 kg România
Mihai Lămboiu 25.07.1997 1,81 m 83 kg România
Sikuea Taliauli 14.07.1995 1,88 m 98 kg Tonga

Fullback:
Ratu Taniela Maravunawasawasa 30.04.1986 1,83 m 89 kg Fiji
Ionuț Botezatu 12.12.1987 1,82 m 90 kg România

Staff
George Sava – Head Coach
Vasile Lucaci – Assistant Coach
Silviu Duma - Manager
Teodor Buzatu – Video analist
Adrian Manolache – Academy Coach
Sione Vaiomounga – Academy Coach
Marius Peride – Medic
Ioan Ionel Pop – preparator fizic
Codrin Despea – masor
Sebastian Cozmuța - kinetoterapeut


Timisora Saracens announced they signed Mesake Doge (Prop) - Fiji

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

An ageing front row and Oprea does not convince me, but I will be shamelessly switching allegiance to Baia Mare this year, because of their fans (none of this football nonsense with Steaua), because they are not from the capital and because of having a Scottish player in their squad. I'm also interested in seeing Sava with a bit more resources. Luke Samoa will be a huge loss. Looks like they have more Romanians than I remember last year and a few young lads.

 

[amz]

Baia Mare transfered 3 juniors from other teams or from abroad so I presume they have a long term programe and also last two years they signed young players and gave them game time (Chirica, Iurea, Cojocaru)

 

[amz]

Timisoara Saracens - CSA Steaua, King's Cup, live now:

https://www.privesc.eu/arhiva/77430

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Timisoara Saracens - CSA Steaua, King's Cup, live now:

https://www.privesc.eu/arhiva/77430

I caught one Steaua try. Looks even hotter than last summer there!

Reading the news that Sucovea and CSM have both pulled out of the Kings Cup. I'm keeping everything crossed as it seems only Timisoara, Steaua and Dinamo have not had financial issues so far this year.

 

[amz]

It's surprising Cluj it's fine but they will have a lot of ex-juniors.

Iasi and CSM imo are just victims of local political quarrels, it is not about the money. Suceava still have administrative issues, it was quite a steep learning curve for them to go to the next level from administrative point of view but there are signs they'll be fine eventually.

About the match, heat was a big issue indeed, was around 40 Celsius today especially in the respective area so probably at the time of the game was around 33 - 35 already.

 

[amz]

Johannes Van Heerden is on trial to Tolouse.

http://www.rugby-transferts.com/joueur-a-lessai-stade-toulousain-150895/

Young academy player Motoc on bench for Racing Metro:
http://www.racing92.fr/fr/Equipe_Pr...e_depart_Ciel_et_Blanc-Actualite-49-5093.html

Super Liga 2017-2018 will start with 7 teams because Bucovina Suceava failed to secure the budget required for first tier competition.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A shame for Suceava. Instant success for Baia Mare. Beating Timisoara with Matt Williams at the helm, then Steaua is a good start for Sava. It'd be great if Superliga could produce a top class Romanian (I presume) coach so they don't always have to have foreign coaches for the national side.

 

[amz]

Super Liga will kick off tomorrow with 3 matches, full program of this year matches can be found here:

https://www.super-liga.ro/superliga/program-rezultate/

I don't get why all matches are now moved on Saturday, without the match from Sunday which was usually broadcasted by Dolce and compared with last season, only one match will be broadcasted by official television and not two as we were used to.

Not sure what is behind this decision. Also I think is odd to schedule rounds without matches in Bucharest. Considering that there are 3 clubs in capital city, we could have had at least one playing home in about every round.

 

[amz]

Super Liga season kicked off this week-end with three matches.

Biggest match was the eternal derby , Steaua 27 - 19 Dinamo. (will update with highlights later).
match stats:
https://www.super-liga.ro/informatii-meci/?im=4373

To be noted that soccer fans stayed away of this match and we didn't see any incidents compared with last year.

The match was quite balanced and although Dinamo seriously strengthen the team this year Steaua was simply better, not by a very elaborate game but because of their players. Tudorel Bratu scored two tries for Dinamo which is encouraging for Oaks scrum-half after a mediocre last season but he missed few kicks. Boldor scored a very nice try after the break when he spotted a big gap in Dinamo's defense.

In last minutes, after Steaua was sanctioned with two yellows (Robert Neagu, Ionut Dumitru), Dinamo scored another try but they couldn't close the gap.

Some of Dinamo's new players are:
Ekuasi Tevita, Tonga, Eightman
Divan Ferrguson, SA, center
Merab Matavka, Georgia, hooker
Gerald Sibanda, Zimbabwe, wing (Zimbabwe Sevens)
Albert Stiopei, ex. RO U20, back from Italy, wing/fullback
Ovidiu Sarbe, from Timisoara academy, fly-half
Adrian Ionut Chiper, U Cluj, prop
Marcel Rusu, lock, Timisoara academy

Steaua's new signings:
Ionut Dumbrava, Steaua ex-fly-half who played his entire career there is the new coach of the team.
Soana Marian, ex. CSM Bucuresti/RO U20, lock
Pasalan Andrei, RO U18/Steaua Academy, backrow
Ika Tuihakavalu, Tonga, center
Melecciu Ionut, ex-Iasi/RO U20, hooker

CSM Stiinta Baia Mare 59 - 5 Universitatea Cluj
match stats:
https://www.super-liga.ro/informatii-meci/?im=4369

Little to say about this match, it was an expected easy win of the hosts. U Cluj is not in a good shape, they managed to find the money for this season SL after they lost one of the main sponsors last season but the team is filled with academy players who didn't even finished their junior career so they're expected to be the main "favorite" for last spot. 3 tries were scored in last 15 minutes so at least Cluj tried to contain the score as much as possible.

New signings from CSM Baia Mare are listed in a post above and U Cluj promoted players from academy, 12 players born in 1998 and 2 in 1997 and one new player probably from CS Manastur (2nd division), a French lock, Vincent Loitier.

CSM Bucuresti 22 - 22 Poli Iasi
full match:
https://www.privesc.eu/arhiva/77615
selection of most important phases:

match stats:
https://www.super-liga.ro/informatii-meci/?im=4371

No doubt, this is the surprise of the round. After the participation was in tatters because of financing and coach Sava and many players left from Iasi, the students from Iasi start with a blast and nearly won away versus one team that it is considered to be a contender.

It was also an entertaining match to watch. CSM started well and they scored a try trough Hinckley Vaovasa and than Iasi tighthead Matase was sin binned. Plai kept the team in game by scoring two penalties however CSM scored a penalty try and become obvious that Iasi's pack, especially the frontrow will have a hard day at the office. Ex. U20 wing Iliuta who started from CSM scored a try which was disallowed due to touching the line. All looked in control for hosts but before the end of the first half, Plai scored a try, converted the points and than scored a drop goal thus reducing the difference to 1 pts.

Must say that Iasi bench was filled with very young players so their options were quite limited and it was obvious that the key of the match will be how the pack will resist, especially in scrums, because lineout and breakdown seemed to be an issue for CSM and not for the visitors. Although CSM scored another try (Carpo) following a lineout near opposition 22, Vaovasa failed to score the two points and Iasi come back trough Plai who scored two more penalties (2 from 5) . In the last minute, veteran captain of Iasi, openside Drusca was about to score a try but he was touched down over the try line after his legs were out of the field of play so the try was disallowed. Man of the match is certainly Plai who kept the team in the game despite missing some points and personally I think the two veterans Bisoc (lock) and Drusca (openside, flanker) have a great contribution as the pack, although lacking some bench options managed to outplay CSM at the breakdown and in lineout. I also liked young loosehead Cretu, 19 yo player with good physical presence who played the entire match. Even if it was a draw it is a big result for the visitors and from their new head coach, Adrian Ratiu, at his first match (he is still listed as a player)

From CSM I liked young backrow Mario Arvinte and I didn't understand why he was subbed in second half. Generally Iasi played much faster and with ball in hand and I probably they would have been a play off team if they would have been able to keep their team from last season.

Iasi new signings:
Colev Alexandru, prop, Rep. of Moldova
Matase George, prop (RC Barlad, second division)
Cretu Andrei, prop (Tomitanii), 19 yo player who was impressive at his debut in SL
Panzaru Mihnea, lock (Timisoara academy)
and a bunch of junior players (born 1999), some of them coming from the bench at the end of the game.

CSM new signings:
Eugen Apjock, ex. CSM Stiinta Baia Mare, head coach
Lasha Tavartkiladze, forwards coach, Georgia
Lasha Azaladze, Georgia, lock
Omar Baliashvili, Georgia, prop
Vasile Balan, prop, ex. Poli Iasi
Nigel Genia, scrum-half, Australia (he also played one season for Baia Mare)
Iulian Hartig, prop, RO U20, ex. Baia Mare
Alexandru Oancea, hooker, ex. RC Grivita, Baia Mare, debuted for Oaks in 2015 but was out following a heavy injury, he come back last season in 3rd division and now is with CSM.
Paul Petucher, prop, ex. U Cluj
Marius Pocris, prop, ex. Baia Mare
Tuicakau Livinai, fullback, Fiji
Vaovasa Hinckley, fly-half, New Zealand
Winter Riley, lock, ex Perth Spirit, Australia U20.

Some news from National Seniors Division (second tier):

Bucovina Suceava will stay in this league for another season and won't promote in Super Liga as local authorities support was not certain.

Tomitanii signed two experienced players:
Catalin Sasu, prop, ex. Poli Iasi, ex. Farul
Johnny Sola, center, ex. CSM Bucuresti

Friendly match:
Saracens 49 - 0 (35 - 0 at half time) Timisoara

Timisoara played a friendly match vs Europe's champions. The team fielded was rather experimental some academy players and Rupanu (ex. U20 scrum-half) had a good game but Simionescu (FB, ex. U20) was kind of a liability in defense as he fumbled most of the long kicks.

Later edit:

Later edit: I identified some of the other Timisoara's young players who entered on the pitch in second half (the stream quality wasn't the best): ex-RO U20 Vlad Neculau (backrow), Marius Iftimiciuc (lock) and Oaks young center Florin Vladut Popa.

Stream:

second half:

 

[Croket66]

Great to see a team from Constanta playing a senior championship.
Young guys will learn a lot from Sasu and Sola

 

[amz]

They played last season in third division which is a senior league too, actually played both their U20 league and third division along with Dinamo U20

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Good that Iasi can put up a fight. Could be a three way fight for the last semi-final place if they can avoid injuries (I assume they will have the least squad depth given their money issues).

A shame that none of the Timisoara guys sound like they put themselves in position to catch the eye of Saracens management for a possible development placement or something.

 

[amz]

Yes, Poli Iasi squad depth will be tested, this is only the first round and Tongan eightman Moa was injured and didn't looked like a light one. But I hope that they get away with that until the winter break and afterward they can try to strengthen the pack. At least the financial part seems OK.

About Timisoara, scrum-half Rupanu and those youngsters coming from the bench did pretty well actually, only Simionescu fumbled too many balls.

Steaua - Dinamo highlights


FRR appointed the staff of Romania U20 squad which is preparing for European U20 Trophy from 2018.
Fergus Pringle, Head Coach
Cristian Hîldan, Assistant Coach (also head coach of Dinamo)
Florin Tașcă, Conditioning Coach

 

[amz]

Not 1st of April:
http://www.asierugby.net/la-coree-du-sud-affrontera-la-georgie-et-la-roumanie-en-nove.php

Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Brazil would comfortably beat Korea and there are a host of REC and Trophy sides that could give a touring Korea a game. Maddening. Romania and Georgia will have to try and hit treble figures to discourage this sort of nonsense.

 

[amz]

So far is only a post on a blog unconfirmed by anyone. I really hope won't be confirmed. Nothing against SK but simply they're too far of this level, they are not even close of Japan A. However, some matches with such opponents for a Romania A team would be interesting.

Back to local championship, Round 2 was played this week-end.

CS Politehnica Iasi 20 - 47 CSA Steaua Bucuresti

Hosts started quite well, with a quick try but they were failed by the players who were outstanding in first round vs CSM. First Plai kicked in an opponent from his own 22 which lead to Steaua's second try in the beginning of the match than the pack didn't resist and lost especially the set piece. If first round the lineout worked well for Iasi, this time the only played who seemed capable to stop Steaua in lineout was junior flanker Chiriac who won even against throw.

Full match available here: https://www.privesc.eu/arhiva/77616

CS Universitatea Cluj 12 - 50 CSM Bucuresti

Again a match of two halves, in the first part Cluj was able to contain CSM but they lost heavily the second half.

Timisoara Saracens 23 - 15 CSM Stiinta Baia Mare

First half was abysmal for both team, the match was a forwards battle which was stopped at every phase by the ref for repeated infringements and personal mistakes. Baia Mare entered the second half with a small advantage but Timisoara come back strongly after the break in a second half that was quite spectacular despite the storm that started at the end of the match which put serious difficulties especially to the kickers.