Romanian Rugby

[dragos03]

Farul Constanta has signed NRL convert Sam Gerry-Burgess from South Sydney Rabbitohs, not sure on what position he will be used.

The league restarts this weekend with the following matches:
CSM Bucuresti vs Dinamo (July 19, 10:00 local time, live on http://www.rugbytv.ro)
Farul Constanta vs RCM Timisoara (July 19, 10:00 local time, live on TVR2 and http://www.rugbytv.ro)
Steaua vs Baia Mare (July 19, 17:00 local time, live on http://www.rugbytv.ro)

 

[dragos03]

Suprising results at the restart of the Romanian Superliga:

CSM Bucuresti - Dinamo 18-12
A harder than expected win for the hosts who had to fight really hard for it. Sadly, Moldovan international centre Ion Cavcaliuc (Dinamo) has suffered a very serious spinal injury.

Farul Constanta - RCM Timisoara 21-15
The champions scored two tries (Poparlan and Kinikinilau) but Florin Vlaicu converted all the 7 penalties earned by the hosts and secured the win for Farul. Timisoara had many key players missing due to injuries, among them star fullback Catalin Fercu and former All Black Sosene Anesi.

CSM Bucuresti has lost young lock Marius Antonescu who has signed a pro contract with Tarbes (Pro D2). They have also decided not to sign prop Campbell Johnstone, who was apparently considered not good enough (a sad end for a former All Black). They have signed six new players in the summer break:
- Georgian tighthead prop Irakli Ulumberlasvili (Aia Kutaisi)
- South African prop/hooker Thabiso Mngomezulu (ex-Eastern Province, Vodacom Cup)
- South African lock Mtya Dumani Siphosethu (ex-Western Province, Currie Cup)
- scrum half Alexandru Tigla (RC Barlad, capped by Romania 7s)
- South African fly half/centre Jeff Taljard (ex-SWD Eagles, Currie Cup)
- Australian fly half/fullback Dylan Taikato-Simpson (ex-West Harbour, Shute Shield)

Also, U Cluj has signed young Serbian international flanker Stefan Djordjevici from Partizan Belgrade (Cluj has a partnership with the Serbian club). Not sure about this, but I think he could be the first Serbian player to earn a pro rugby contract.

U Cluj has also transferred tighthead Silviu Vasiliu from St. Jean D'Angely. Both him and Djordjevici started today for the club in the 59-9 win against Poli Iasi in the Romanian Cup.

 

[dragos03]

Superliga Day 11:
CSM Bucuresti - Dinamo 18-12
Farul Constanta - RCM Timisoara 21-15 (full match here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPY5pkwxGRM&list=UUr9zhnwmEgwHR6QW3onmVOQ)
Steaua - Baia Mare 19-22
Highlights of the round: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EInk5xINNM&list=UUr9zhnwmEgwHR6QW3onmVOQ

Superliga Day 12:
Baia Mare - Farul Constanta 28-3
RCM Timisoara - CSM Bucuresti 26-17 (full match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCpCEDgt6Q&list=UUr9zhnwmEgwHR6QW3onmVOQ)
Dinamo - U Cluj 31-25

Standings:
1. Baia Mare 43p
2. RCM Timisoara 38p
3. Farul Constanta 34p
4. CSM Bucuresti 26p
5. Steaua 17p
6. Dinamo 10p
7. U Cluj 6p

Transfer news:
RCM Timisoara has signed Tongan international winger/fullback Mateo Malupo (6 caps for Tonga, ex-Northland, ITM Cup)
Farul Constanta has added two players to their squad:
- Samoan international lock/flanker Daniel Crichton (4 caps, ex-Otago, ITM Cup)
- Georgian winger Alexander Tuchashvili (ex-Armia Tbilisi), he was the top scorer of the Georgian league this season

 

[dragos03]

Superliga Day 13:
U Cluj - RCM Timisoara 26-46
CSM Bucuresti - Baia Mare 16-17
Farul Constanta - Steaua 21-22

After these results, Baia Mare, RCM Timisoara, Farul Constanta and CSM Bucuresti have qualified for the playoffs.

New Zealand fly half Michael Wiringi has suffered a fracture and will be out for at least three months. This is a severe blow to his club (Baia Mare) and also the Romanian national team. The IRB has recently confirmed Wiringi's eligibility for the Oaks and he was expected to be included in the Romanian squad for the November internationals. Fly half is a problem position for the Oaks and none of the players tested by Lynn Howells in recent matches was good enough.

 

[Draggs]

How is Howells getting on in Romania? IIRC their performances in 2011 were less than what we were hoping for, has he helped at all?

 

[dragos03]

Howells has done an excellent job in my opinion, Romania has only lost four games with him in charge in the last two years, easily qualifying for the RWC and has managed surprising wins against teams ranked much higher by the IRB (such as Tonga). He is very involved in the local rugby and you can often spot him in the stands during Superliga matches. Despite his age, Howells is not a conservative coach and is always experimenting new players and tactics, he is not afraid to test very young players and some of his selections have surprised everyone (such as the selection of a young winger from the second division this spring).

He thinks that Romania needs results above all at this stage. In many interviews he said that teams must always play to their strengths so he has implemented a simple gameplan to make the most of the forward might of the Oaks. It's not pretty but it works. There are some Romanian fans who think we should use our backs more but I agree with Howells - we need the results and at the moment the forward play is our biggest asset. I suspect he was going to try a wider gameplan in the November tests but the very unfortunate injury of Wiringi might force him to change his plans.

 

[dragos03]

Superliga Day 14:
Baia Mare - U Cluj 31-24
Steaua - CSM Bucuresti 27-16
RCM Timisoara - Dinamo 26-7

Steaua - CSM Bucuresti full match:


This was the last round of the regular season, the playoff (and play-out) will begin this weekend.

Regular season standings:
1. Baia Mare 51p
2. RCM Timisoara 48p
3. Farul Constanta 35p
4. CSM Bucuresti 27p
5. Steaua 26p
6. Dinamo 10p
7. U Cluj 7p

According to a document leaked to the local press, current champion club RCM Timisoara has threatened to sue the FRR because it wasn't allowed to play in the Challenge Cup. The club also claim they have been invited to play in the domestic league of a 6N country (I assume it can only be Italy).

 

[amz]

According to a document leaked to the local press, current champion club RCM Timisoara has threatened to sue the FRR because it wasn't allowed to play in the Challenge Cup. The club also claim they have been invited to play in the domestic league of a 6N country (I assume it can only be Italy).

Very interesting thing, especially before the elections.

 

[dragos03]

Well, it seems there won't be any real elections. Harry Dumitras is the only candidate so he will be the new president of the FRR after August 26.

I personally don't like this choice. Dumitras was a great player, a decent coach and has worked a lot for Romanian rugby but in my opinion he lacks the manager skills and political connections needed for this position. I've heard he is very stubborn as well and he doesn't like to listen to the advice of others. But we'll see.

 

[amz]

I don't know Dumitras so well but I have the feeling he's a Manciurian candidate and others will actually pull the ropes. I expected F.Matei to run for this position although I think he was a very good executive and might be better to stay there.

 

[dragos03]

I don't know him well either so maybe what I've heard about him isn't true. I did briefly speak to him once or twice and he seemed to have a very strong personality so I doubt he will be someone else's puppet. I also like F. Matei a lot but he can be much more useful in his current position.

In other news, RCM Timisoara has retracted their accusations against the FRR and now blame the organisers of the Challenge Cup for not allowing them to participate in the competition. The real reasons still have not been revealed but the club did state that the Federation sent a comprehensive reply to their letter.

Due to their many injuries in the front row, RCM Timisoara have signed Fijian international prop Manasa Saulo (14 caps).

 

[MauriSca7]

I don't know him well either so maybe what I've heard about him isn't true. I did briefly speak to him once or twice and he seemed to have a very strong personality so I doubt he will be someone else's puppet. I also like F. Matei a lot but he can be much more useful in his current position.

In other news, RCM Timisoara has retracted their accusations against the FRR and now blame the organisers of the Challenge Cup for not allowing them to participate in the competition. The real reasons still have not been revealed but the club did state that the Federation sent a comprehensive reply to their letter.

Due to their many injuries in the front row, RCM Timisoara have signed Fijian international prop Manasa Saulo (14 caps).

It's sad to see that also in Romania there is so much political tricks in rugby

 

[dragos03]

Playoff results:
Baia Mare - CSM Bucuresti 34-16
RCM Timisoara - Farul Constanta 28-16

Play-out:
Dinamo - U Cluj 26-25

After the defeat at Timisoara, Farul has sacked head coach Neil Kelly, NZ fly half James Semple has also been removed from the squad. Veteran lock Cristian Petre will coach the club until the end of the current season.

In other news, more of the foreign players in the league have stated their wish to play in the Romanian national team. The latest are South African flanker Randall Morrison and NZ centre Johnny Sola.

 

[dragos03]

Results this weekend

Playoff
CSM Bucuresti - Farul Constanta 21-26
Baia Mare - RCM Timisoara 21-17

Play-out
Steaua - Dinamo 20-16

Baia Mare remain unbeaten this season and defeat the champions from Timisoara again, they will finish 1st in the playoffs and can be considered slight favorites to win the title this year.

 

[dragos03]

CSM Bucuresti vs Farul Constanta full match:


After the defeat at Baia Mare, RCM Timisoara's coach Danie de Villiers has been sacked. Former assistant Grainger Heikell will coach the club for now and Sosene Anesi might become his assistant. More information will be revealed in a press conference tomorrow. RCM has also named Cosmin Cioriciu as head coach of their academy.

 

[MauriSca7]

Timisoara's coach Danie De Viliers was fired today

 

[dragos03]

Scotland U19 - Romania U18 29-3

The match was played today in Bucharest. On Saturday, Scotland U19 will play against Romania U19 from 10.30 local time, the match should be streamed by www.rugbytv.ro

Another Superliga team has sacked their coaching team, at CSM Bucuresti both the head coach paul Healy and his assistant Daniel Neaga have been fired. Ovidiu Carcei will lead the club until a new appointement is made.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i'll be watching this, good luck dragos03 what is your predictions for this game ?

 

[dragos03]

Hard to make any prediction here. Romanian youth teams usually underperform but surely our U19 team will be stronger than the U18 one.

 

[dragos03]

Here's today's match in full in case you wanna watch it Scotty:
http://www.rugbytv.ro/2014/08/20/romania-u18-scotia-u19-20-08-2014.html

The Scots were leading 5-3 at half time but the Oaklings collapsed at the end.

A few pics: