Romanian Rugby

[amz]

I think that's our plan Heavy defeat for Tonga, I didn't expected at this margin tbh. Will be a very interesting match and as difficult as the match vs Samoa.

I'm glad we finished with 5 U23 players on the field and 20 yo Simionescu had such a good game, that was quite a gamble by Howells.

 

[amz]

Some changes in the squad for Tonga due to injury or rotation of players:

Players out: Mihai Macovei (Colomiers), Andrei Ursache (Carcassonne), Andrei Gorcioaia (Massy), Marius Antonescu (Tarbes) and Valentin Calafeteanu (CSM Bucuresti)
Players in: Alexandru Tarus (Sale Sharks), Vlad Neculau (Timisoara Saracens), Florin Bardasu (CSM Stiinta Baia Mare), Adrian Motoc (Racing 92), Kuselo Moyake (CSA Steaua) si Gabriel Rupanu (Timisoara Saracens).

Squad for Tonga match:

PROPS:
Constantin Pristavita (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Alexandru Gordas (CSA Steaua)
Alexandru Tarus (Sale Sharks)
Ionel Badiu (Timisoara Saracens)
Mihaita Lazar (Castres)

HOOKERS:
Andrei Radoi (Timisoara Saracens)
Ovidiu Cojocaru (Baia Mare)
Florin Bardasu (Baia Mare)

LOCKS:
Johannes Van Heerden (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Ionut Muresan (Timisoara Saracens)
Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara Saracens)
Adrian Motoc (Racing 92 Metro)

BACKROW:
Cristi Chirica (Stiinta Baia Mare)
Vlad Nistor (Albi)
Moyake Kuselo (CSA Steaua)
Stelian Burcea (CSM Bucuresti)
Vlad Neculau (Timisoara Saracens)

SCRUM-HALVES:
Florin Surugiu (CSA Steaua )
Tudorel Bratu (CS Dinamo)
Gabriel Rupanu (Timisoara Saracens)

FLY-HALVES:
Florin Vlaicu (CSA Steaua)
Luke Samoa (Timisoara Saracens)

CENTERS:
Jack Umaga (Timisoara Saracens)
Paula Kinikinilau (CSM Bucuresti)
Sione Fakaosilea (Stiinta Baia Mare)

WINGS:
Ionut Dumitru (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Jack Cobden (CSM Bucuresti)
Tangimana Fonovai (Timisoara Saracens)
Fili Lomani (Dinamo Bucuresti)

FULLBACKS:
Sabin Stratila (CSA Steaua Bucuresti)
Marius Simionescu (Timisoara Saracens)

STAFF:
Lynn Howells - head coach
Massimo Cuttitta - forwards coach
Rob Moffat - backs coach
Olivier Rieg - pshyio

10 U23 players, not bad

 

[amz]

Samoan traditional dance at the party after the match:



Have to say, Samoans were very fair play team

 

[amz]

Some old games from RWC 1991:

Canada 19 - 11 Romania

(black white because of French SECAM system)

Romania 17 - 15 Fiji


Romania was scoring the tries and Fiji was kicking at posts or drop goal

 

[amz]

Oaks spent their free day before the last test of year among kids from Saint Nicholas School in Bucharest:
https://www.facebook.com/rugbyroman...42479193269/10155951360293270/?type=3&theater

And finished with an evening to theather:
https://www.facebook.com/rugbyroman...42479193269/10155951360293270/?type=3&theater

 

[amz]

Teams for Romania - Tonga test:

Arcul de Triumf
18:00 Romanian timezone


ROMANIA

1. Lazar (Castres)
2. Radoi (Timisoara Saracens)
3. Tarus (Sale Sharks)
4. van Heerden (Stiinta Baia Mare)
5. Poparlan (Timisara)
6. Chirica (Baia Mare)
7. Nistor (Albi)
8.(C)Burcea (CSM Bucuresti)
9.Surugiu (Steaua Bucuresti)
10.Vlaicu (Steaua Bucuresti)
11.Dumitru (Steaua Bucuresti)
12.Fakaosilea (Stiinta Baia Mare)
13.Kinikinilau (CSM Bucuresti)
14.Tangimana (Timisoara Saracens)
15.Simionescu (Timisoara Satacens)

Subs:
16. Badiu (Timisoara Saracens)
17. Bardasu (Stiinta Baia Mare)
18. Gordas (Steaua Bucuresti)
19. Motoc (Racing 92)
20. Moyake (Steaua)
21. Bratu (Dinamo Bucuresti)
22. Umaga (Timisoara Saracens)
23. Lomani (Dinamo)

TONGA

1. Latu Talakai (Waikato)
2. Sione Lea (Taranaki)
3. Paea Fa'anunu (US Dax)
4. Leva Fifita (Waikato)
5. Steve Mafi (Castres)
6. Sione Kalamafoni (Leicester)
7. Tukulua Lokotui (Beziers)
8. Ma'ama Vaipulu (Castres)
9. Tane Takulua (Newcastle)
10. George Taina (Counties Manakau)
11. Cooper Vuna (Worchesters Warriors)
12. Siale Piutau (Bristol)
13. Nafi Tuitavake (Northampton)
14. Penikolo Latu (Waikato)
15. Atieli Pakalani (Leicester)

Subs:
16. Sione Lolohea (Pakuranga)
17. Jethro Felemi (North Harbour)
18. Leo Halavatua (Angouleme)
19. Onehunga Havilili Kaufusi (Western Force)
20. Michael Faleafa (Northland)
21. Sione Vailanu (Saracens Storm)
22. Shinisuke Tu'umoto'oa (Daito Bunko University)
23. David Halaifonua (Gloucester)

 

[amz]

Oaks visiting a school:

 

[amz]

Super Liga is on hold but Romanian Cup continues and the results from 25.11.2017 are the following:

CS Universitatea Cluj - CS Dinamo Bucuresti 26-22

Big surprise of the day after few close matches of U Cluj they finally have a win vs a Dinamo side that didn't missed many players departed to Oaks. Good one for a group of very young players who recently got closer and closer results against more experienced opposition like 28-17 loss last round versus CSA Steaua.

Timisoara Saracens - CSA Steaua Bucuresti 41-7

Video here

Matt Williams and forwards coach Roach left the club before this match after the loss vs CSM Bucuresti from last week and it looks like the team was pretty happy about this. There were rumors that him and players aren't getting along well. However this isn't the only reason as the club have also financial problems due to misuse of funds by Timisoara City Hall so the funding coming from there is at least for the moment suspended. This is not affecting only rugby but all sports team from Timisoara (football, basketball, handball) This is somehow similar with what happened to Farul Constanta but I think Timisoara will continue because a big portion of their budget come from private money. There wasn't an official statement of the club regarding this issue but some cuts were obvious as some backroom stuff left, they moved back on their old stadium which is in outskirts of city and now the coaching team. Anesi will take over and there are no hints until when he'll be in charge; sadly I expect some players to go too.

Big score for them and they showed a lust for play so have to be something true about coach Williams.

CSM Stiinta Baia Mare - CSM Bucuresti 22-15

Expected win by home team, Sava is rotating a lot, especially in the backline. Haven't seen the game so I can't comment much

https://www.super-liga.ro/cupa-romaniei/program-rezultate/

Match from Seniors National Division (2nd Tier)



Tomitanii 46 - 6 RC Barlad

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Seems my instincts on Matt Williams doing badly weren't too far off. A pity as I'd have hoped an international coach with his pedigree would have made Timisoara progress. Bring back Grainger Heinkell!

A shame about the funding too, fingers crossed it is resolved. I am surprised at the public funding for the league. I wonder what is the political justification for using public funds for different clubs?

 

[amz]

It is up to counties' councils or city halls (and not central authorities) to fund sports; some fund handball, some football, some rugby, it depends from town to town. This funding does not exclude private funding. For example, Baia Mare is traditionally a handball and rugby city and football is neglected, rarely gets some funding. It's up to every local body to decide if they can help a club or not.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

It is up to counties' councils or city halls (and not central authorities) to fund sports; some fund handball, some football, some rugby, it depends from town to town. This funding does not exclude private funding. For example, Baia Mare is traditionally a handball and rugby city and football is neglected, rarely gets some funding. It's up to every local body to decide if they can help a club or not.

Thanks. Sounds like a very different culture to Scotland where money spent on sport, even with the aim of increasing participation in sport to address appalling child obesity, is frowned upon in the media.

 

[amz]

We had that here too but since corporations don't put money into sports at all, somebody has to step in and give some help. However, tighter control over money spent on sports is expected. That's the short story. We had so many clubs before 1989 because every company (all state owned back then) had a sport club. Most of this structures were destroyed in 90s and 2000s so a rebuild was needed but since the sports bases are still state owned some sort of support is normal otherwise all would stay empty.

 

[Brigantine]

Any predictions for Timisoara vs Calvisano today?

Calvisano probably need it more. Timisoara looks like a better team based on past results.
Last time this fixture happened was April last year. Timisoara won 36-23, and then also won a return leg 28-17.

So something similar this time?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I would love to see an improvement the Italian sides, even a fraction of the improvement in their Pro14 sides. I expect a comfortable Timisoara win if they have resolved their dressing room issues by removing Matt Williams. The financial problems means they may also fight hard to play for a job with another team (if the worst came to the worst).

Streaming is possibly on the link below at 1200hrs GMT

http://rugby-timisoara.ro/meci/ro/99/Timisoara-Saracens-vs-Pataro-Rugby-Calvisano.html

 

[amz]

Normally Timisoara would be favorites but with the terrible luck they had in past year I am not so sure, Calvisano improved seriously. Dressing room issues, financial issues, lots of injuries which meant that they couldn't field a full first XV since the beginning of the season etc. There are signs that financial problem will be solved until the end of the year but I believe it when I will see it.

There is a new player in their squad, Kevin Luiters (last time to Pumas in SA according with wikipedia) and he is Allister Coetzee's nephew. I'm curious if he was signed at the recommendation of Chester Williams and if this signals a come back of their most successful coach so far.

 

[amz]

I am a little surprised we won, Timisoara didn't played well, Fonovai was red carded but the team pulled themselves together in last minutes and managed to conserve the final score 15 - 13.

Weather was awful in second half, blizzard.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I am a little surprised we won, Timisoara didn't played well, Fonovai was red carded but the team pulled themselves together in last minutes and managed to conserve the final score 15 - 13.

Weather was awful in second half, blizzard.

I was out until the last 15 mins but couldn't get the stream to work, ironically it was frozen. Weather looked positively Siberian! Fair play to Calvisano for not doing a "Stade Francais".

 

[amz]

First half was fine and snowing started in the second half and if I remember well it was 10 - 10. But pitch wasn't frozen.

 

[amz]

An interview with Michel Doneghan from Stiinta Baia Mare:
http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/the-...nia-87689?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

He seems very optimistic despite the fact that his not a started in club's first XV.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

An interview with Michel Doneghan from Stiinta Baia Mare:
http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/the-...nia-87689?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

He seems very optimistic despite the fact that his not a started in club's first XV.

What ungodly conditions are these that he must endure in Romania. No Irn Bru!?

Seems like a happy chappy, so good luck to him. He'd have no chance of getting a Scotland call up with their selection policies unless he became a world beater, so why not?