Romanian Rugby

[dragos03]

Bucharest Wolves squad for the match against Newport Gwent Dragons:

Props
Constantin Pristavita (Baia Mare)
Paul Rusu (Baia Mare)
Mihai Dico (Baia Mare)
Silviu Vasiliu (Universitatea Cluj)
Vlad Badalicescu (Farul Constanta)

Hookers
Alexandru Oancea (Baia Mare)
Otar Turashvili (Farul Constanta)

Locks
Paul Ailenei (Baia Mare)
Johannes Van Heerden (Baia Mare)
Petre Neacsu (Farul Constanta)
Onal Agiacai (Farul Constanta)

Back row
Constantin Ene (Baia Mare)
Razvan Ailenei (Baia Mare)
Sean Morrell (Baia Mare)
Alexandru Mitu (CSM Bucuresti)
Vali Mototolea (Farul Constanta)
Viorel Lucaci (Steaua)

Scrum half
Florin Surugiu (CSM Bucuresti)
Valentin Ivan (CSM Bucuresti)
Grigoras Diaconescu (Steaua)

Fly half
Michael Wiringi (Baia Mare)
Filip Lazar (Steaua)

Centre
Robert Dascalu (Steaua)
Florin Vlaicu (Farul Constanta)
Andrei Ilie (Farul Constanta)
Claudiu Ionita (Steaua)

Winger
Ionut Botezatu (Baia Mare)
Robert Neagu (Farul Constanta)
Adrian Apostol (Farul Constanta)
Ionut Dumitru (Steaua)

Fullback
Luke Samoa (Baia Mare)
Daniel Statulescu (CSM Bucuresti)

It's interesting to see Wiringi in the squad, he was supposed to start training again only in January.

The match will start at 13.00 local time. All the gate money from this match will be donated for charity.

 

[Croket66]

Looks a stronger squad than the first two games

 

[dragos03]

I agree, it looks stronger. Even guys like Vasiliu, Neacsu or Neagu have a bit of international experience now. But it's still much weaker than in previous seasons due to the missing Timisoara players and I think some of the guys listed are not fully recovered yet (Wiringi, Lucaci, Dumitru, Ene, also Sean Morrell who did not play at 100% in the Cup final).

 

[dragos03]

Timisoara owner Dan Dinu claims that an active All Black might sign for the club tomorrow (but he would only arrive in January). I wonder what he means by that, could it be a former All Black who's still active or maybe a guy selected by the Maori All Blacks? Surely a player selected by the main NZ squad would not sign for Timisoara. He also said that 3 of the best Romanian players in the league will sign for the club.

Dinu added that number 8 Daniel Carpo will leave the club. Carpo is out with an injury and (according to rumours) he will move to CSM Bucuresti. Other rumours are that lock Valentin Popirlan and scrum half Valentin Calafeteanu could also leave Timisoara, they are in talks with Farul Constanta (but Popirlan is also wanted by foreign clubs).

It seems that from next season Timisoara will use the same shirt model and colours as the Saracens.

In other news, the FRR has started a massive program to introduce rugby in schools in all counties of Romania where the sport is not present at all. County-wide rugby tag school competitions have been played, hopefully youth clubs for the contact version of the sport will be set up to give the players a chance to progress.

Also, local TV station Digi Sport has bought the rights to broadcast the European Rugby Champions Cup, I wonder if this includes the rights to the Challenge Cup? Maybe Digi will be allowed to broadcast the matches of the Bucharest Wolves.

 

[Andre8]

So curious to know which All Black is going to Romania..keep us updated

 

[dragos03]

Great news - even if there has been no official announcement from the FRR yet, the Bucharest Wolves vs Newport Gwent Dragons match this weekend is scheduled to be broadcasted live by DigiSport1 (Digi has bought ERCC rights for the next three seasons), streaming should be available.

 

[dragos03]

Bucharest Wolves starters against the Dragons:
1. Constantin Pristavita (Baia Mare)
2. Otar Turashvili (Farul Constanta)
3. Silviu Vasiliu (U Cluj)
4. Johan Van Heerden (Baia Mare)
5. Petre Neacsu (Farul Constanta)
6. Alexandru Mitu (CSM Bucuresti)
7. Sean Morrell (Baia Mare)
8. Razvan Ailenei (Baia Mare)
9. Florin Surugiu (CSM Bucuresti)
10. Florin Vlaicu (Farul Constanta) - captain
11. Ionut Botezatu (Baia Mare)
12. Florin Ionita (Steaua)
13. Catalin Dascalu (Steaua)
14. Robert Neagu (Farul Constanta)
15. Luke Samoa (Baia Mare)

The match will be broadcasted live by DigiSport1, pirate steams should be available.

In other news, there will be a special domestic competition next season. The Superliga clubs will play in it without their national team players (who will have a special training schedule) and there will be an 8th team under federal coach Daniel Mitrea, made by by the best players from the second division clubs. This 8th squad will be financed by the union and play its home matches in Bucharest, they willl also play in the Romanian Cup.

According to rumours, fullback Luke Samoa (Baia Mare) will sign for CSM Bucuresti.

 

[Croket66]

In other news, there will be a special domestic competition next season. The Superliga clubs will play in it without their national team players (who will have a special training schedule)

Very surprising, the 2015 Super Liga will be weak... I hope it will be benefit for the national team in RWC...

there will be an 8th team under federal coach Daniel Mitrea, made by by the best players from the second division clubs. This 8th squad will be financed by the union and play its home matches in Bucharest, they willl also play in the Romanian Cup.

Great news

According to rumours, fullback Luke Samoa (Baia Mare) will sign for CSM Bucuresti.

Wow, strong signing if true. Any news about the all black to Timisoara?

 

[dragos03]

As far as I understood it, there will be a short Superliga from March to May and then this alternate competition will start while the national team players prepare for the RWC. No news about the All Black

The Bucharest Wolves vs Dragons match has been moved to the Ghencea Stadium because the Arcul de Triumf pitch is unplayable after one week of continuous snow and rain. I suspect the Ghencea pitch will also be in a very bad shape, so a mud struggle is to be expected, these conditions could favour the Wolves. It seems that the match will still be on TV.

 

[dragos03]

Bucharest Wolves - Newport Gwent Dragons 10-37 (10-13)

Poor effort from the Wolves who started by leading 10-0 and then scored no points until the end. Vlaicu in particular was awful and his mistakes allowed the Dragons to take control of the match. Also, two of the best players in the first 30 min got injured and had to be replaced (Vasiliu and Morrell). The only positive is that all of our youngsters played well, in particular the front rowers, Mototolea and R. Ailenei. Also, Italian referee Vivarini is an absolute clown (not biased, just incompetent), every time he was sent to Bucharest he made a mess of the match.

 

[amz]

Wolves lineup vs Dragons (away game):

15 FB Luke Samoa
14 W Adrian Apostol
13 C Catalin Dascalu
12 C Andrei Ilie
11 W Ionut Botezatu
10 FH Florin Vlaicu
9 SH Gregorus Diaconescu
1 P Constantin Pristavita
2 H Otar Turashvili
3 P Vlad Badalicescu
4 L Paul Ailenei
5 L Onal Ageacai
6 F Vali-Catalin Mototolea
7 F Johann Van Heerden
8 N8 Razvan Ailenei

Replacements
16 Alexandru-Claudiu Oancia
17 Mihai Dico
18 Silviu Vasiliu
19 Petre Neacsu
20 Alexandru Mitu
21 Florin Surugiu
22 Filip Lazar
23 Florin Ionita

I don't understand why Howells keeps Botezatu; also I think Filip Lazar should get a chance, a full match.

 

[dragos03]

Botezau is fine, dunno why Vlaicu and Apostol are starting. But Filip Lazar made the bench at least while Andrei Ilie will get his first start at this level (as well as Paul Ailenei I think). With this weak squad (and 7 changes from last week's match), the Wolves might lose heavily but it will still be an useful match for testing purposes.

In other news, the rumored All Black at Timisoara would be a back line player (wing/centre) to replace Sosene Anesi but nothing has been signed yet. The new players will only be announced in January.

 

[amz]

Vlaicu is there for kicking, that's all. Samoa it isn't in his best from, in fact I think he was one of the weakest Wolves' player last week.

As for rumors, I'll add two: Samoa and Andrei Ilie might move to CSM Bucuresti next season.

 

[dragos03]

Samoa was really bad last week but he has the excuse of not being used with the weather. Vlaicu however was even worse, his mistakes allowed the Dragons to take control of the match. I know he's there for the kicks but Filip Lazar can kick as well and there's also Samoa in the squad.

I've heard about Samoa moving to CSM but not about Andrei Ilie. He's a good prospect but I think CSM already has a lot of talent on his position.

The contract of prop Ionel Badiu at Carcassonne has been extended by 2+1 years.

 

[dragos03]

Some news:
- Farul Constanta has signed a partnership with French Pro D2 club Beziers. The French will help train the yougsters in Constanta county, a new club will be established in Constanta for players between 19-23 years (costs will be shared by Farul and Beziers), they will send some of their seniors to play for Farul and will assist the University of Constanta to create kinetotherapy training classes.
- FRR President Harry Dumitras said in an interview today that Romania might have two teams in the Challenge Cup qualifiers next season.
- I had a brief chat with Michael Wiringi before the Wolves vs Dragons match, he said he can't play in any of the remaining Challenge Cup matches but his recovery is going well. He becomes eligible for Romania in March, he hopes to be fully recovered by then and can't wait to play for the Oaks.
- 19 years old tighthead Alex Gordas is on the bench for Worcester Warriors against Nottingham tomorrow and will probably make his debut for the senior squad of the club.

 

[Croket66]

Some news:
- Farul Constanta has signed a partnership with French Pro D2 club Beziers. The French will help train the yougsters in Constanta county, a new club will be established in Constanta for players between 19-23 years (costs will be shared by Farul and Beziers), they will send some of their seniors to play for Farul and will assist the University of Constanta to create kinetotherapy training classes.
- FRR President Harry Dumitras said in an interview today that Romania might have two teams in the Challenge Cup qualifiers next season.
- I had a brief chat with Michael Wiringi before the Wolves vs Dragons match, he said he can't play in any of the remaining Challenge Cup matches but his recovery is going well. He becomes eligible for Romania in March, he hopes to be fully recovered by then and can't wait to play for the Oaks.
- 19 years old tighthead Alex Gordas is on the bench for Worcester Warriors against Nottingham tomorrow and will probably make his debut for the senior squad of the club.

Some great news here!
I think Romania might have 2 teams in Challenge Cup qualifiers because Tbilisi Caucasians have withdrawn from qualifying

 

[dragos03]

Crushing defeat for the Wolves, who lost 69-17 in Newport, the worst margin for them in years. The only positive is that they again scored 3 tries away and were close to an offensive bonus point but the 11 tries conceded are unacceptable. Good luck to the Dragons though, they care about this competition and have used close to their strongest lineup in all matches.

Other news:
- Timisoara mayor Nicolae Robu has again announced that a dedicated rugby stadium with 5000 seats will be built in the city next year. This is probably another empty promise though.
- RCM Timisoara is in talks with players from Australia and New Zealand for next season.
- winger Stephen Hihetah has played his first match as a starter for Doncaster Knights.

 

[Big Ewis]

I saw that result...how do you feel @dragos03 Romania are shaping up for this coming World Cup in less than 365 days ?

 

[dragos03]

That's hard to say. I think much depends on the training and test match schedule before the RWC. Nothing has been announced yet but I really hope Romania will play some proper tests to prepare for the competition and not just the usual IRB Nations Cup. If no key players get injured and there will be a long training camp with strong tests, I think the Oaks can do well and target 1-2 wins.

The Wolves result is not that surprising. They were missing 15 or so players (mainly due to the conflict between RCM Timisoara and the union) and the remaining squad was rotated from match to match. They have only trained together for a few days and these matches in December and January are during the off-season of Romanian rugby, so players lack match fitness. Looking at the match stats, some of the players tested have been awful, for example Luke Samoa and Grigoras Diaconescu have more missed tackles than successful ones, with both wingers also having a terrible tackle rate. At least this was an useful match because it showed the coach that some of them are not good enough for international rugby. Judging only from the match stats, others did quite well (Pristavita and Razvan Ailenei in particular). The good performance of R. Ailenei is probably the best news for Howells because he really needed an emerging number 8 after the long-term injury of Daniel Carpo.

 

[dragos03]

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.