Romanian Rugby

[dragos03]

I don't have a link, it's from Facebook comments. I agree, Moldova has huge potential.

Romania - Georgia 6-15
Congratulations to Georgia for winning the competition. Romania missed three easy penalties that could have resulted in a draw. I expected us to do worse given the depleted lineup. But honestly, this was an awful match all around. Both teams must improve drastically if they want good results at the World Cup.

The only positives for the Oaks after this were the full stadium (it appears the number of tickets sold exceeded the capacity, for the first time since 2010) and maybe the decent performance of the iprovised scrum against the top Georgian props.

 

[Croket66]

I don't have a link, it's from Facebook comments. I agree, Moldova has huge potential.

Romania - Georgia 6-15
Congratulations to Georgia for winning the competition. Romania missed three easy penalties that could have resulted in a draw. I expected us to do worse given the depleted lineup. But honestly, this was an awful match all around. Both teams must improve drastically if they want good results at the World Cup.

The only positives for the Oaks after this were the full stadium (it appears the number of tickets sold exceeded the capacity, for the first time since 2010) and maybe the decent performance of the iprovised scrum against the top Georgian props.

Romania played well the first two rounds, and looked very bad the last three rounds.
Georgia was average during all the competition and won all those games without shine...

 

[dragos03]

This competiton has no importance this season, these were just training games ahead of the RWC. And sadly, both ROM and GEO looked very poor yesterday. It was one of those matches where the feeling was no tries would have been scored even if it lasted an entire day. Despite some improvements, ROM and GEO backlines are still not a real threat in attack and even the usual strong ball carriers like Gorgodze or Lucaci were ineffective. My only hope is that the return of the key players who were missing this weekend will have a major impact (especially for Romania but the Georgians were also missing a few guys).

 

[Croket66]

It seems that the Farul withdraws from the Super Liga
What a sad news, especially only one week before the begin of the competition.
http://www.gazetadenavodari.ro/finantare-amanata-pentru-sportul-constantean/

I don't know if everything was done for the Farul is maintained in the Super Liga
This is the worst time for this news, I hope all best romanian players will find a new team very soon.

In other news, Timisoara presented its 6 new transfers
- Hayden O`Donnell, scrumhalf or flyhalf
- Catalin Vlădeanu, flanker
- Eduard Ciaparii, scrumhalf
- Samuel Cira, prop
- Dimitri Avramovic, winger
- Cătălin Robotă, prop

 

[dragos03]

The withdrawal of Farul is confirmed by some of their players. Seems they weren't paid in the last four months either

EDIT: it has now been confirmed by the FRR. The transfer window has been extended until March 26 to allow Farul players to sign for other clubs.
http://www.super-liga.ro/2015/03/23...ndita-din-cauza-retragerii-farului-constanta/

 

[Croket66]

http://observator.ro/stiri-din-sport-jucatorii-de-la-rcj-farul-si-au-gasit-alte-echipe-304775.html
From this link, 75% of Farul players signed for a new Super Liga team
Only 2 foreign players will not join a Super Liga team
All Super Liga teams, except Cluj, signed Farul players
coach Cristi Petre refused a new contract and looks for a new club, in Romania or in France

To be confirmed but I think Florin Vlaicu and Keith Masima signed for CSM Bucharest

 

[Croket66]

Steaua Bucharest signed from Farul
- Malakai Ravulo, flanker, 30 caps for Fiji
- Nemia Kenatale, scrumhalf, 29 caps for Fiji
- Eseria Vueti, number 8, Fiji A
- Petre Neacsu, lock
- Vali-Catalin Mototolea, flanker
The last two played for Bucharest Wolves this season

Here are Kenatale, Ravulo and Vueti with Steaua's jersey

 

[dragos03]

Very strong transfers for Steaua but I am surprised they did not sign any front rower from Farul, that was in my opinion the weak point of the team. Steaua could have been a real force with Tamba, Turashvili and Badalicescu.

Baia Mare has signed:
- winger Adrian Apostol (16 caps)
- South African lock Dumani Mtya (has played for CSM Bucuresti last season but was signed by Farul for the current one, Western Province is the biggest club on his CV)

The situation at Farul is very sad. It's a huge loss for Romanian rugby and also a small piece of European rugby history is gone. Not sure how many people on this forum know that Farul Constanta has played against Toulouse the first match of the Heineken Cup, in 1995. Hopefully they will return to the league after one year.

Edit: Vlaicu at CSM now confirmed
Onal Ageacai has also signed for CSM
Second division club CS Navodari has signed centre Constantin Gheara, young prop Razvan Olescu and three other young players who were supposed to go to Farul this season: Eduard Barbu, Dumitru Papaiane and Marian Nita

 

[Croket66]

Renaud Van Neel (flanker, 3 caps for Namibia) signed to Cluj

 

[dragos03]

Eugene Jantjies (38 caps for Namibia) has signed for Dinamo. Steaua has also signed fullback Sabin Stratila and winger Robert Neagu, two good prospects who have already played for the national team.

We stil don't know where the former Farul front rowers (very good players in my opinion) will play.

The new season kicks off tomorrow:
Baia Mare vs CSM Bucuresti (March 28, 11.00 local time, live on TVR2)
Dinamo vs U Cluj (March 29, 11.00, www.rugbytv.ro)
Saracens Timisoara vs Steaua (March 29, 11.00, www.rugbytv.ro)

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Not sure if someone posted this already but i'll post it here.

Looks like Catalin Fercu is doing well at Saracens, this was pretty impressive

 

[dragos03]

A great tackle from Fercu indeed, that might have won the cup for the Saracens. He has only played in the minor competitions so far but will be on the bench against the Harlequins tomorrow due to his consistent performances.

The sad part was that he missed Romania's match against Georgia because of the LV Cup. In a RWC year, Romania needed to play all games with the full squad and we simply can't replace someone like Fercu.

In other news, Superliga refs will be sponsored by Ubisoft this season and their new kits look quite ridiculous in my opinion Still, the FRR continues to be much better at finding sponsors than the clubs.

 

[dragos03]

Baia Mare - CSM Bucuresti 19-5
Tries: Constantin Ene / Tiberiu Conache
Penalties: Luke Samoa (3) / -
Conversions: Luke Samoa / -
Dropgoal: Taniela Ratu / -

The match was closer than the score suggests but CSM's kickers missed 4 penalties and one conversion. CSM has a huge squad, today their second squad won away at Iasi in the second division 19-11, they had Samoan, Tongan and Moldovan internationals in the starting lineup.

 

[Croket66]

Baia Mare - CSM Bucuresti 19-5
Tries: Constantin Ene / Tiberiu Conache
Penalties: Luke Samoa (3) / -
Conversions: Luke Samoa / -
Dropgoal: Taniela Ratu / -

The match was closer than the score suggests but CSM's kickers missed 4 penalties and one conversion. CSM has a huge squad, today their second squad won away at Iasi in the second division 19-11, they had Samoan, Tongan and Moldovan internationals in the starting lineup.

Just watched the last 15 minutes of the game, the standard of the league looks very good
Do you know what was the lineup of the second team?

 

[dragos03]

Only the starters: Don, Tongia, Popovici, Soana, Romanov, Melinte, Taufui, Tooa, Tigla, Lama, Ispir, Prunaru, Plopeanu, Okati, Neaga. Their tries were scored by Marian Ispir, Alexandru Tigla and Atelea Okati.

Given the talent and experience in that lineup, it's not a bad result for Poli Iasi. This second team of CSM wouldn't get embarrased in the Superliga.

 

[Croket66]

Only the starters: Don, Tongia, Popovici, Soana, Romanov, Melinte, Taufui, Tooa, Tigla, Lama, Ispir, Prunaru, Plopeanu, Okati, Neaga. Their tries were scored by Marian Ispir, Alexandru Tigla and Atelea Okati.

Given the talent and experience in that lineup, it's not a bad result for Poli Iasi. This second team of CSM wouldn't get embarrased in the Superliga.

Wow... Tongia, Taufui, Tooa, Lama, Okati from these 5 pacific islanders, only Okati is listed in the first team IIRC
CSM Bucharest's squad is very strong

 

[dragos03]

Two dramatic matches today:
Saracens Timisoara - Steaua 30-28
Dinamo - U Cluj 16-14

Steaua played very well at Timisoara, they were leading at half time and could have won at the end (they missed two penalties in the final minutes).

Second division results:
CS Navodari - Stejarul Buzau 26-5
Stiinta Petrosani - RCM Galati 15-17
CSU Arad - CSM Bucovina Suceava 22-10
RC Barlad - Steaua II postponed

The second division will have 10 teams this season since Steaua will also enter a second squad in the competition (they ended up with many players after signing some from Farul).

 

[Vladimir12]

You do not know when the tournament will be in Bucharest?

We have written that will cover those teams as last year ...

Thanks for the invitation!

 

[dragos03]

If you mean the IRB Nations Cup, I guess it will be in June as usual. The other two teams will probably be Argentina Jaguars and Italy A but one of them might be replaced by Namibia. Also, I expect Romania to use the full squad in the tournament this year and not the usual A team/development squad.

In ther news, the second division could be more interesting than usual this season. The second squads of CSM Bucuresti and Steaua will raise the level of the competition, Poli Iasi seems to have a decent team, RCM Galati signed several Moldovan internationals, Navodari got some former Farul Constanta players, etc.

 

[Croket66]

I watched the rankings of the Super Liga : http://www.super-liga.ro/superliga/clasament/
What is the rule about bonus points?
Timisoara scored 4 tries and had 4 pts on the table. So I guess the rule is 3 more tries than the opponent like Top14? and not 4 tries or more
If it's the same rules than the Top14, the bonus loss is now for a 5 pts defeat or less (unlike 7 pts or less)