psychic duck
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The Cardiff Blues are trialling 3 Romanian players confirmed yesterday.
Andrei Ursache - 28 years old - 8 caps - Loosehead Prop/Tighthead Prop
Only took up rugby aged 20, after being persuaded by his younger brother Valentin Ursache (Romania's lock and was named in the Pro D2 Dream Team last season). Made his debut in the ENC this year (with the absence of Romania's first choice props Mihai Lazar of Castres and Paulica Ion of London Welsh) and did well, keeping his place in the side for the entire year. He is predominantly a loosehead prop, but also plays tighthead prop quite often.
The Romanian scrum has actually become underrated by many due to the lesser amount of Romanians in the top leagues these days, but in fact it is as strong as the Georgian scrum, and is a strong aspect of the game for them.
In the IRB Nations Cup this year, Ursache played all three games for Romania, and the Oaks scrum was on great form. They won a penalty try to beat Italy A, and were also giving the Italians all kinds of trouble even with their own put in that match, they also got the upper hand in the scrum against the Argentina Jaguars, although the Argentines managed to avoid conceding so many penalties despite going backwards.
The Romanian scrum has been tremendous all year, but it's a collective effort with the other front rowers, so I don't know whether it is Ursache in particular helping this. But if it was him who was the main man in the good scrum, then this could be a good trial for the Cardiff Blues. He won't cost much at all, and must be an improvement on Campese Ma'afu, who has been routinely destroyed every time I saw him play for Fiji.
Viorel Lucaci - 26 years old - 12 caps - Flanker
Another player who has broken into a much improved Romanian side of 2012. He's a big 6 foot 3 inch, no nonsense flanker, who seems to enjoy the physical side, especially rucks and ball carrying, a style of play which sees him often bloodied (this year he had to have 13 stitches to his head after a cut to the head). Looked quite good behind a dominant pack this year for Romania, I haven't seen him behind a poor front row though (which he would likely get at the Cardiff Blues). Plays all three back row positions, but normally either 6 or 7, has swapped them all year for Romania.
Petru Tamba - 21 years old - Uncapped - Loosehead prop
Hadn't head of this kid before as he hasn't played for the national team. But on research, he was the U20 Romania captain previously, and is a short compact prop and compares himself to Thomas Domingo.
Having a look at some Eastern European forwards to bulk up the Blues pack is an idea no doubt proposed to them by Kingsley Jones, who has said openly that clubs are missing out on bargains by not scouting in Eastern Europe. These players also are very cheap compared to the likes of buying a Super Rugby player. Jones was also most likely involved in advising Lyn Jones of London Welsh getting Kirill Kulemin of Russia and Paulica Ion of Romania.
Andrei Ursache - 28 years old - 8 caps - Loosehead Prop/Tighthead Prop
Only took up rugby aged 20, after being persuaded by his younger brother Valentin Ursache (Romania's lock and was named in the Pro D2 Dream Team last season). Made his debut in the ENC this year (with the absence of Romania's first choice props Mihai Lazar of Castres and Paulica Ion of London Welsh) and did well, keeping his place in the side for the entire year. He is predominantly a loosehead prop, but also plays tighthead prop quite often.
The Romanian scrum has actually become underrated by many due to the lesser amount of Romanians in the top leagues these days, but in fact it is as strong as the Georgian scrum, and is a strong aspect of the game for them.
In the IRB Nations Cup this year, Ursache played all three games for Romania, and the Oaks scrum was on great form. They won a penalty try to beat Italy A, and were also giving the Italians all kinds of trouble even with their own put in that match, they also got the upper hand in the scrum against the Argentina Jaguars, although the Argentines managed to avoid conceding so many penalties despite going backwards.
The Romanian scrum has been tremendous all year, but it's a collective effort with the other front rowers, so I don't know whether it is Ursache in particular helping this. But if it was him who was the main man in the good scrum, then this could be a good trial for the Cardiff Blues. He won't cost much at all, and must be an improvement on Campese Ma'afu, who has been routinely destroyed every time I saw him play for Fiji.
Viorel Lucaci - 26 years old - 12 caps - Flanker
Another player who has broken into a much improved Romanian side of 2012. He's a big 6 foot 3 inch, no nonsense flanker, who seems to enjoy the physical side, especially rucks and ball carrying, a style of play which sees him often bloodied (this year he had to have 13 stitches to his head after a cut to the head). Looked quite good behind a dominant pack this year for Romania, I haven't seen him behind a poor front row though (which he would likely get at the Cardiff Blues). Plays all three back row positions, but normally either 6 or 7, has swapped them all year for Romania.
Petru Tamba - 21 years old - Uncapped - Loosehead prop
Hadn't head of this kid before as he hasn't played for the national team. But on research, he was the U20 Romania captain previously, and is a short compact prop and compares himself to Thomas Domingo.
Having a look at some Eastern European forwards to bulk up the Blues pack is an idea no doubt proposed to them by Kingsley Jones, who has said openly that clubs are missing out on bargains by not scouting in Eastern Europe. These players also are very cheap compared to the likes of buying a Super Rugby player. Jones was also most likely involved in advising Lyn Jones of London Welsh getting Kirill Kulemin of Russia and Paulica Ion of Romania.
