Romanian Rugby

[Croket66]

It seems that the last match of the Bucharest Wolves, the home one against Newcastle Falcons on January 24, will be played in the city of Cluj on the 5-star Cluj Arena. I think this is a smart move, the pitch in Bucharest is likely to be unplayable in January and it's an opportunity to make rugby more popular outside the capital. This is not official yet but if it proves to be true then Newcastle also deserves respect for accepting the change.

It will also be the last match of the Bucharest Wolves because the Superliga champions (currently CSM Baia Mare) will play in the Challenge Cup from now on.

Edit: in the meantime the FRR has confirmed that the match will be played on Cluj Arena, so it's now official.

Nice!
Baia Mare will play the last round of a new qualifying tournament.
home 18/04/2015 ; away 02/05/2015

Baia Mare will play the winner of the pool B with Enisey-STM (Russia), Mogliano (Italy) and CDUL (Portugal) while Rovigo will play the winner of the pool A (Viadana, Calvisano and the spanish team El Salvador)
http://estxv.blogspot.fr/2014/12/et-finalement-la-3e-coupe-deurope-voit.html

 

[dragos03]

Too bad no other team from the Superliga was invited to this tournament. But since it was the Italians who organised this, I can't blame them for avoiding some of the stronger opponents. An Italian club will win Pool A but the favorites in Pool B are Baia Mare and Enisey-STM. The official release from Rugby Europe lists the Bucharest Wolves as the Romanian representative but I assume it's just a mistake.

Baia Mare has a new online store: http://magazin.rugbybaiamare.ro/index.php

Catalin Fercu has scored his first try for Saracens Storm (it's the last one in the video) and he was involved in most of the other tries scored by his team. Hopefully he will get a chance to play in the Premiership soon:


25 years ago, rugby players Florica Murariu and Radu Durbac were killed while taking part in the Romanian Revolution of 1989 when communism fell. Both were national team players, Murariu was the captain of the Oaks with 70 caps and took part in most of the famous wins of the era (such as the 15-0 win vs France in 1980). Three other rugby players have also been killed during the events of 1989, all of them from Rapid Bucharest: Petre Astafei, Florin Butirii and Bogdan Stan. RIP.

 

[dragos03]

It was confirmed in a press conference today that Baia Mare will play in the Challenge Cup next season instead of the Bucharest Wolves. Baia Mare will compete in four competitions next season, as there will be three domestic ones (this clarifies a confusing announcement previously made by the FRR):
- the Superliga will start on March 29 with the same 7 teams. It will be interrupted on May 30 to allow the national team to prepare for the RWC with an extended squad. It will resume after the World Cup and the final will be played on November 29 on one of the stadiums in Transylvania (most likely in Cluj or Alba Iulia).
- the top division clubs will enter the quarter-finals of the Romanian Cup on September 19. The final will be played on October 3 in a town in Moldova (the Romanian province, not the independent republic).
- a new domestic competition will take place while the internationals prepare for the RWC. It will consist of the 7 Superliga clubs and an 8th one selected from the best players of the second division. They will be split in two groups, the competition starts on June 13 and the final will be on September 5 on Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest.
- Baia Mare will play on April 18 (home) and May 2 (away) in the Challenge Cup playoff against either Enisey-STM (Russia), CDUL (Portugal) or Mogliano (Italy).

Also, Tongan flanker Sione Vaiomounga will remain at Baia Mare for at least one more year. He has been forced to retire from rugby by a very severe renal illness that can't be treated in Tongan hospitals so the club has decided to continue to pay the costs and employ him as coach of one of their youth teams.

Baia Mare's president gave some details about the conditions required to play in the Challenge Cup:
- a home stadium with at least 3000 seats (stands without seats don't count) and other upgraded facilities (investments will be made at the Lascar Ghinet Stadium to respect all the requirements).
- a squad of 38 players of which at least 10 front rowers
- no more than 2 non-Eu players in the squad, apparently many non-EU countries are excepted from this rule (such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa). However, players from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Georgia are considered non-EU so Baia Mare's transfers for the next season will consider that issue.

 

[dragos03]

Some news:
- Catalin Fercu (Saracens) and Alex Gordas (Worcester Warriors) have played tonight in the Aviva A-League semifinals. They both won and will meet in the final of the competition.
- Baia Mare has released scrumhalf Samosoni Taufa and winger Shane Michael Spring. They have also lost flanker Sione Vaiomounga (had to quit rugby) and centre Csaba Gal (who will transfer to U Cluj).

 

[dragos03]

RCM Timisoara has signed five players for the new season, 3 foreigners and 2 Romanians, their names will be announced in a press conference in a few days. According to rumours, both Romanians come from Steaua, one of them is number 8 Daniel Ianus (12 caps) who will replace Daniel Carpo. The rumored All Black has not signed with the club but he might do it later, according to Dan Dinu "the player is engaged in several competitions". Timsoara's flanker Vasile Rus has been suspended for 10 months after verbally abusing the referee during the Romanian Cup final but the length of his suspension will probably be reduced after the appeal (the club admits that the behaviour of the player was unnaceptable).

Young prop Alex Gordas will miss the Aviva A-league final after he picked up a concussion in the semifinal.

 

[dragos03]

Various news:
- Catalin Fercu has won the Aviva A-league with Saracens Storm.
- fly half Michael Wiringi has signed a 2-year contract extension with Baia Mare.
- CSM Bucharest has hired James de Lacey (NZ) as Strength and Conditioning Coach. According to rumours, the club has also signed many new players and they want to create a reserve squad to play in the second division this season. Some of the players rumoured to join CSM: number 8 Daniel Carpo (RCM Timisoara) and young prop Octav Scolobiuc (CSM Suceava, capped by Romania U19).
- the second division might have more participants in 2015. Besides the 7 clubs that played in the competition last season the additions could be the reserve squad of CSM Bucharest, CS Manastur (Romanian-French club based in Cluj) and Stejarul Buzau. The format will be decided in a meeting at the FRR on January 21.

 

[Croket66]

Various news:
- Catalin Fercu has won the Aviva A-league with Saracens Storm.
- fly half Michael Wiringi has signed a 2-year contract extension with Baia Mare.
- CSM Bucharest has hired James de Lacey (NZ) as Strength and Conditioning Coach. According to rumours, the club has also signed many new players and they want to create a reserve squad to play in the second division this season. Some of the players rumoured to join CSM: number 8 Daniel Carpo (RCM Timisoara) and young prop Octav Scolobiuc (CSM Suceava, capped by Romania U19).
- the second division might have more participants in 2015. Besides the 7 clubs that played in the competition last season the additions could be the reserve squad of CSM Bucharest, CS Manastur (Romanian-French club based in Cluj) and Stejarul Buzau. The format will be decided in a meeting at the FRR on January 21.

Great if Stejarul is back!
Nice to see the progress of the CS Manastur

 

[dragos03]

Hopefully all the 3 new teams will get to play in the second division.

Another rumour: Timisoara has signed an Australian player capped by their 7s national team.

Here's the Bucharest Wolves squad that will play against Stade Francais this weekend:
1. Petru Tamba
2. Otar Turashvili
3. Vlad Badalicescu
4. Petre Neacsu
5. Cornel Tatu
6. Johan van Heerden
7. Constantin Ene
8. Razvan Ailenei
9. Florin Surugiu
10. Florin Vlaicu
11. Ionut Botezatu
12. Csaba Gal
13. Robert Dascalu
14. Florin Ionita
15. Dan Statulescu

16. Alexandru Oancea
17. Silviu Vasiliu
18. Constantin Pristavita
19. Onal Agiacai
20. Mihai Dico
21. Grigoras Diaconescu
22. Marian Apostol
23. Robert Neagu

With a weakened squad lacking match fitness (these players have not trained for one month and are overweight from the holidays) and a very strong opponent (the current leader of the Top 14), I don't think that the Wolves can avoid a very heavy defeat in Paris.

 

[dragos03]

Stade Francais - Bucharest Wolves 47-12 (14-12)
Honestly I expected a worse defeat against the Top 14 leaders (especially looking at their last result in the league, when they trashed Castres 49-13). The Wolves played well in the first half (Vlaicu missed a penalty right before half time that could have put them in the lead) but were overwhelmed after the break when I guess they ran out of gas as expected. 3 tries were conceded when the Wolves had a man in the bin (Surugiu).

Other news:
- the Romanian 7s U19 national team will travel to Canada in March and play several matches against Canada's U18 and U19 7s teams.
- second division winners RC Barlad could still play in the Superliga next season. The chance is very slim though, the final decision will be taken next week.
- the suspension of Saracens Timisoara flanker Vasile Rus was reduced, he will only miss the first 4 matches of the season. He was initially suspended for 10 months.
- winger Ionut Botezatu has signed a 3-year contract extension with Baia Mare.

 

[dragos03]

Farul Constanta has announced its first 3 transfers:
- prop Kamil Sobota (U Cluj)
- winger/fullback Viorel Zamfir (Steaua)
- Australian centre Keith Masima (has played for Eastern Suburbs and Randwick in the Shute Shield)

Farul will play four training matches in February to warm up for the league, two against Dinamo and two against Steaua.

 

[Croket66]

Timisoara signed 4 players
- Brian Sefanaia (centre/winger/fullback). An Tonga-born australian player, capped by Australia 7's, from North Harbour Rays
- Daniel Ianus (eightman), 12 caps for Romania, from Steaua Bucharest
- Bogdan Neacsu (prop/hooker), from Steaua Bucharest
- Vladut Zaharia (winger), a 19-years old player from Barlad (2d division)

Also, the coach Sosene Anesi (former all blacks) won the yo yo test and said he still ready to play to cover injuries

 

[dragos03]

Brian Sefanaia has also played Super Rugby for the Western Force, looks like a decent transfer. Ianus is also a good player, the other two are just prospects. Timisoara was announcing an All Black and 6 ITM Cup players, this is quite far from what I expected. According to rumours, hooker Cristi Cornei and lock Andrei Mahu will leave the club.

In other news, it seems Romania will play a test vs Kenya as a RWC warm-up. No disrespect to Kenya, but this is just ridiculous. Romania once again gets the worst schedule of all RWC nations from the IRB. Not only we never get to play against a Tier 1 nation but now it seems we won't even play against Tier 2 teams ahead of the world cup. It seems that the IRB is determined not to allow Romania any hope to progress.

 

[dragos03]

Bucharest Wolves squad against Newcastle in Cluj (the last match of the Wolves):
1. Petru Tamba
2. Otar Turashvili (C)
3. Vlad Badalicescu
4. Petre Neacsu
5. Cornel Tatu
6. Johan Van Heerden
7. Sean Morrell
8. Constantin Ene
9. Grigoras Diaconescu
10. Daniel Statulescu
11. Robert Neagu
12. Csaba Gal
13. Catalin Dascalu
14. Marian Apostol
15. Ionut Botezatu

16. Alexandru-Claudiu Oancea
17. Constantin Pristavita
18. Silviu Vasiliu
19. Onal Ageacai
20. Mihai Dico
21. Florin Surugiu
22. Ionut Niacsu
23. Andrei-Daniel Ilie

This is again a very weak squad with more experiments, such as Statulescu starting at 10 and Botezatu at 15. With Vlaicu missing there is no proper goal kicker in the team (I guess Statulescu will kick). Turashvili will be the captain of the Wolves.

Other news:
- the Ministry of Sport was supposed to give the rugby stadium in Baia Mare to the local authorities, who were willing to invest 300k EUR in it in order to meet Challenge Cup requirements. However, the Ministry has refused to give away the arena, so now the local city hall refuses any investments. This could force Baia Mare to play its European matches away from home.
- RC Barlad will not play in the Superliga next season because they lack the funds but their budget will be slightly increased as a reward for winning the second division. According to them, the minimum budget required to play in the Superliga is around 1 million euros. Barlad will have a budget of 700k RON (155k EUR) for 2015.
- second division club Poli Iasi has changed the entire staff and the local authorities have promised their support to secure Superliga promotion at the end of 2016.

 

[amz]

@dragos, there are also rumors that we'll play Tonga as RWC warm-up.

About Statulescu, he certainly trains as a kicker I think he did not had the opportunity to be first choice kicker at club.

 

[dragos03]

The Wolves lost 10-52 against Newcastle in the empty stadium in Cluj. A sad end for this team, it was a very weak lineup but the players did not seem to care much about the match. Baia Mare will surely do better next season.

 

[dragos03]

The FRR has announced an extended squad of 46 players that will prepare for the Rugby World Cup:

Props
Ion Paulica (Perpignan)
Lazar Mihaita (Castres)
Tamba Petru (Farul Constanta)
Ursache Andrei (Carcassonne)
Pristavita Constantin (Baia Mare)
Tarus Alexandru (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Badiu Ionel (Carcassonne)
Pungea Horatiu (Lyon)

Hookers
Capatana Eugen (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Radoi Andrei (Ealing)
Turashvili Otar (Farul Constanta)
Oancea Alexandru (Baia Mare)

Locks
Popirlan Valentin (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Sirbe Marius (Blagnac)
Coste Alin (Carcassonne)
Antonescu Marius (Tarbes)
Van Heerden Johannes Petrus (Baia Mare)

Backrow
Ursache Valentin (Oyonnax)
Macovei Mihai (Massy)
Lucaci Viorel (Steaua)
Carpo Daniel (CSM Bucuresti)
Nistor Vlad (Castres)
Burcea Stelica (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Morrison Randall Anthony (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Tonita Ovidiu (Aix-en-Provence)
Leonte Bogdan (Bourgoin)
Rus Vasile (RCM Saracens Timisoara)

Scrumhalves
Surugiu Florin (CSM Bucuresti)
Diaconescu Grigoras (Steaua)
Calafeteanu Valentin (RCM Saracens Timisoara)

Fly halves
Wiringi Michael (Baia Mare)
Rose Jody (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Manole Dorin (Orthez)

Centres
Vlaicu Florin (Farul Constanta)
Gal Csaba (U Cluj)
Dascalu Robert (Steaua)
Kinikinilau Paula Fakavainga (RCM Saracens Timisoara)

Wingers
Lemnaru Madalin (RCM Saracens Timisoara)
Dumitru Ionut (Steaua)
Ionita Florin (Steaua)
Neagu Robert (Farul Constanta)
Botezatu Ionut (Baia Mare)
Apostol Adrian (Farul Constanta)

Fullbacks
Fercu Catalin (Saracens)
Stratila Sabin (Farul Constanta)

There are several major surprises in the list: Jody Rose, Randall Morrisson, Bogdan Leonte (he has been capped by France 7s so I don't know if he can play for Romania), Vasile Rus (who makes the extended squad after a major scandal and suspension) and also the very young Sabin Stratila who doesn't even have much Superliga experience. However, it's not clear if this list is final, there might be some changes after the start of the domestic league.

 

[Croket66]

I'm also surprised to see Stratila... I expected (and hoped) Gabriel Conache.
Also, I didn't expected Morrison and Rose...
I don't know how Leonte can play for Romania

 

[dragos03]

Looks like Howells doesn't like Conache but there were still a few other options more likely than Stratila (like Statulescu or Niacsu). The selection of Vasile Rus ahead of Alex Mitu or Razvan Ailenei is also very strange.

As for Leonte, maybe World Rugby is lenient with eligibility ahead of the RWC.

 

[amz]

New players for CSM Baia Mare, in brackets their last club/clubs:

Ionut Stan, Romania, prop, 21 yo (Rugby Botticino, Calvisano)
Catalin Pastrama , Romania,prop, 26 yo (Farul Constanta)
Nau Sioeli , Tonga, center, 27 yo, (UP Country Lions) - 18 caps for Tonga
Keeghan Sefton New Zealand, winger/fullback, 21 yo, (South’s Rugby Union Brisbane)
Nigel Genia, Australia, scrum-half, 24 yo (West Brisbane Rugby Union) - Will Genia's brother
John Luatua, Australia, center 24 yo (Westcombe Park RFC).

 

[dragos03]

Six transfers at Baia Mare:
- prop Ionut Stan, a young player who has learned his rugby at Calvisano in Italy
- prop Catalin Pastrama (Farul Constanta) - I think this is a good transfer, he has not played much last season but he did well every time
- Tongan centre Nau Sioeli (18 caps for Tonga according to the club, I found nothing about him, there is an old Tongan scrum half with the same name)
- NZ wing/fullback Keeghan Sefton (Souths)
- Australian scrum half Nigel Genia (has played for Reds A in the PRC and once for the senior Reds team, he is the brother of the famous Will Genia)
- Australian centre John Luatua (found nothing about him)

Fullback Luke Samoa has not joined the squad yet (he is in talks with CSM Bucuresti) and Baia Mare threaten to suspend him if he refuses to do so.

Edit: did not notice that amz has already posted this