Romanian Rugby

[Jayatron]

Superliga Day 10

RCM Timisoara - Steaua 21-13 (7-7)
Tries: Madalin Lemnaru, penalty try, Daniel Carpo / Sakalia Sosefo
Conversions: Gabriel Conache (3) / Stefan Patrascu
Penalties: - / Danut Dumbrava (2)
Man of the match: Daniel Carpo
Full match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGodcNLVhSk&list=UUr9zhnwmEgwHR6QW3onmVOQ

Dinamo - Farul Constanta 10-23 (3-18)
Tries: Andrei Cristea / Eseria Vueti (3)
Conversions: Teodor Nitu / Florin Vlaicu
Penalties: Siotame Manu / Florin Vlaicu (2)
Man of the match: Eseria Vueti
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H77i-BGotn0

U Cluj - CSM Bucuresti 19-29 (12-12)
Tries: Cristian Murgoci / Niculae Barbu (2), Cosmin Ratiu, Valentin Ivan
Conversions: Ionut Dimofte / Daniel Statulescu, Marian Ispir (2)
Penalties: Ionut Dimofte (3) / Daniel Statulescu
Dropgoals: Ionut Dimofte / -

The league will take a long break now due to the international tests (Romania plays in the IRB Nations Cup against Ireland A, Russia and Uruguay). The clubs will continue to play with weaker squads in the Romanian Cup, which also includes second division teams.

In other news, Alin Petrache has been elected as president of the Romanian Olympic Commitee. As a result, he will resign from his position of president of the Romanian Rugby Federation (FRR). I think Petrache has done an amazing job at the FRR and has managed to revive Romanian rugby from the brink of collapse. I hope he will be able to increase funding for rugby from his new position and that another good administrator will be elected at the helm of the union.

Not sure if I should continue with these updates on Romanian rugby, the interest seems to be very low.

No don't do that. I check this thread every day, I find it hugely interesting. Just because I don't comment doesn't mean I don't read it. Keep it up.

 

[BasqueBete]

Your posts are gold

 

[Big Ewis]

yeah, just stop man, like, nobody gives a shhit really...I mean let's be honest...nahhh kidding, kidding !! I do check it out occasionally, it's interesting to see the sport from all over the world although of course we're focused on our respective countries and regions most of the time...

 

[Tmartin995]

Sorry if i've missed it, but do you know how many teams Romania are going to send into the qualifying tournament for the European Rugby Challenge cup? If so I'm guessing it will the top so many teams in terms of league positioning?

 

[dragos03]

Good to see that this topic has some readers

Nobody knows anything certain about that qualifying tournament. It is rumored to consist of 8 teams in total, I guess Romania could send two. Could be either the top two clubs in the league or maybe the champion club and a Bucharest Wolves development team made up from players from the rest of the clubs. Anyway, this competition will be a significant financial burden to the clubs because the costs are likely to be high for no financial gain. I don't know how many teams will have the funds to take part in it. The worst case scenario is that none of the clubs will afford it and we will end up with only Bucharest Wolves, which is financed by the union.

 

[dragos03]

The 7s national team for the Lyon 7s has been announced:

Antonescu Marius
Ivan Valentin
Varvara John
Barbu Niculae
Filip Andrei
Ispir Marian
Neaga Alexandru (all from CSM Bucuresti)
Apostol Adrian (Farul Constanta)
Dinis Cristian (Baia Mare)
Burcea Stelian (RCM Timisoara)
Bucurescu Andrei (Dinamo)
Dumitrache Alin (Steaua)

Romania will be the underdog in a pool with Portugal, Russia and Spain.

 

[dragos03]

The Romanian squad for the IRB Nations Cup has been annouced, it's an experimental team without the best players but it includes some yougsters with a lot of potential.

Props
Pungea Horatiu (Scarlets)
Pristavita Constantin (Baia Mare)
Badiu Ionel (Carcassone)
Tarus Alexandru (RCM Timisoara)

Hookers
Capatana Eugen (RCM Timisoara)
Turashvili Otar (Farul Constanta)

Locks
Poparlan Valentin (RCM Timisoara)
Sirbe Marius (Tarbes)
Drenceanu Marian (RCM Timisoara)

Flankers
Macovei Mihai (Massy)
Nistor Vlad (Castres)
Lucaci Viorel (Steaua)
Lazar Dorin (RCM Timisoara)

Number 8
Carpo Daniel (RCM Timisoara)

Scrum half
Surugiu Florin (CSM Bucuresti)
Ivan Valentin (CSM Bucuresti)

Fly Half
Lazar Filip (St. Jean d'Angely)

Centers
Vlaicu Florin (Farul Constanta)
Gal Csaba (Baia Mare)
Dascalu Robert (Steaua)
Ilie Andrei (Farul Constanta)

Wingers
Dumitru Ionut (Steaua)
Hihetah Stephen (Baia Mare)
Ionita Florin (Steaua)

Fullbacks
Statulescu Daniel (CSM Bucuresti)
Conache Gabriel (RCM Timisoara)

According to the local media, fullback Catalin Fercu (RCM Timisoara) will move to the Saracens this summer.

 

[dragos03]

Former players of Bucharest club Grivita Rosie have celebrated yesterday (June 14) 50 years since they won the European Champions Cup (1964) by beating French champions Mont de Marsan 10-0 in Bucharest. Grivita Rosie scored two tries by Mihai Oblemenco and Viorel Morariu, both converted by Valeriu Irimescu (a converted try was only worth 5 points at that time). After 59 minutes, French captain Andre Boniface was sent off by Italian referee Silvio Pozzi for punching a Romanian player repeatedly but he refused to leave the pitch. As a result, the match was not resumed and the partial result became official. Mont de Marsan's president later apologized for this incident while the French federation suspended Boniface indefinitely (but since he was a key member of the French national team, he was pardoned three months later when the Five Nations started).

Grivita Rosie starters in the final: 1. Grigoriu, 2. Manole, 3. Th. Rădulescu – 4. Stoenescu (cpt.), 5. M. Rusu – 6. V. Morariu, 7. Demian, 8. Iliescu – 9. Stănescu, 10. Oblemenco – 11. Teodorescu, 12. Wusek, 13. Dragomirescu-Rahtopol, 14. Balcan, 15. Irimescu. All the surviving members of the team were awarded medals and diplomas during the half-time break of the Romania vs Uruguay match in the IRB Nations Cup on Friday.

A photo from the match

The European Champions Cup was an ancestor of the Heineken Cup/RCC with an interesting format: the Anglo-Saxon clubs refused to participate, while the French champions were qualified straight to the final. The other clubs played knockout matches for the other spot in the final. In 1964, a total of 7 clubs took part: RC Hilversum (Netherlands), TSV Victoria Linden (West Germany), RUC Casablanca (Morocco), Spartak Praga (Czechoslovakia), SSR Rovigo (Italy), Mont-de-Marsan (France) and Griviţa Roşie (Romania). To reach the final, Grivita won against RUC Casablanca in the quarterfinals (27-0) and TSV Victoria Linden (18-3) in the semifinals.

Sadly, Grivita did not adapt well to the pro era and today they play in the 3rd Division of Romanian rugby.

 

[dragos03]

According to unofficial information, Canada, USA and Japan will visit Bucharest in November.

 

[dragos03]

Some news:
- winger Stefan Ciuntu (28 years old, 34 caps for Romania and 50 points scored) has been forced to quite rugby due to a new knee knjury. He was on excellent form in the league and was about to be selected again for the national team after a long absence when this injury has ended his career.
- fullback Catalin Fercu (RCM Timisoara) will not sign for the Saracens, the Romanian club doesn't want to release him.
- the Oval 5 Beach Rugby Tournament organised this week in the seaside resort Mamaia aims to break the European record for the largest one-week competition. They also hold the current record for last year's tournament, when 992 players were registered. This year the organisers want to attract over 1000 registered players in various age groups and old boys.

 

[amz]

- fullback Catalin Fercu (RCM Timisoara) will not sign for the Saracens, the Romanian club doesn't want to release him.

I don't know if this is good or bad, probably bad for him as a player but might also mean that Timisoara is preparing for new euro cup.

 

[dragos03]

The first moves on the transfer market during the summer break have been announced: Baia Mare has released fullback Ionut Niacsu (5 caps) and has signed Daniel Brooks from Taranaki (ITM Cup) on a limited contract, he can play as fly half or fullback. Prop Paul Rusu has signed a 3-year contract extension. More transfers are expected at the club.

Flanker Mihai Macovei (Romania's captain) has signed for Massy (Pro D2) while prop Horatiu Pungea is on trial at Lyon (Top 14).

 

[Jono Mac]

Very interesting thread... I had no idea Romania had such a dynamic national setup & rich tradition.

I look forward to watching them in the RWC '15... it's going to be an interesting group!

 

[Jayatron]

No more news?

 

[dragos03]

Nothing interesting is happening at the moment, the league is on its summer break and after the IRB Nations Cup everyone went on holiday. But the Superliga resumes on July 19 so the clubs are back to training again, there should be some transfer news in the following days.

 

[dragos03]

The FRR has announced that Romania's entry in the Challenge Cup/Qualifying Competition will be Bucharest Wolves again. According to the Federation, champion club RCM Timisoara cannot enter because they do not meet all the requirements in the competition manual. They did not say what those requirements were but it is rumored on the Romanian forums that the EPCR has refused to allow a club based outside of Bucharest. If true, this is a shameful request that once again harms the development of pro club rugby in Romania. They follow the example of the ERC, who have denied Timisoara's participation in the last two seasons.

On July 22 the FRR General Assembly will meet in Bucharest to elect the new president of the union.

 

[dragos03]

The FRR has announced the real reason why Romanian champions RCM Timisoara can't play in the Challenge Cup: the EPCR requires clubs to have a squad of 38 contracted players, of which a minimum 10 front rowers and maximum 2 non-EU players (but players from many countries outside the EU don't count for that limit). Timisoara currently has a squad of 32, with 9 front rowers and 5 non-EU (seems that it's their Fijians and Tongans that count).

Baia Mare has announced all their transfers from the summer window today:
- Daniel Brooks, fly half, ex-Taranaki (ITM Cup)
- Giorgio Bernado Phillips, can play centre or wing, ex-Randwick, capped by Australia Schoolboys
- Razvan Ailenei, number 8, ex-U Cluj, capped by Romania A, he is one of the best prospects in the league
- Paul Ailenei, lock, ex-U Cluj
- Domitian Muresan, prop, ex-Metrorex Bucuresti
- Alexandru Palii, scrum half, has been offered a pro contract after being raised at the club

 

[dragos03]

Steaua has also announced four transfers:
- scrumhalf Grigoras Diaconescu (Saint Junien), capped by Romania A
- fullback Ionut Niacsu (Baia Mare), 5 caps for Romania
- prop Costin Neacsu (Dinamo)
- hooker Adrian Radu (Dinamo)

The clubs is also in talks with five other players, one is a Romanian international and the other four are Tongans. Many of Steaua's players are currently injured, among them winger Ionut Dumitru (out until the end of the season due to a shoulder injury, a very bad news for both Steaua and the national team) and captain Viorel Lucaci.

 

[amz]

I thought Diaconescu would stay more in France but I'm glad somehow he's back for Steaua youngsters, he can learn them one thing or two.

 

[dragos03]

I've always liked Diaconescu, too bad he was never given a chance at the national team.

Steaua has made another important transfer: fly half Filip Lazar (St. Jean D'Angely) who has earned his first 3 caps in the recent IRB Nations Cup.