Romanian Team Named For Saturday

The Romanian management, under the direction of Frenchmen Daniel Santamans and Robert Antonin, have named their team and replacements for Saturday’s permanent tsb International against Ireland.

Romanian captain Sorin Socol at Thursday’s training session at Wanderers RFC

The Romanian management, under the direction of Frenchmen Daniel Santamans and Robert Antonin, have named their team and replacements for Saturday’s permanent tsb International against Ireland.

The starting XV shows two changes from the side that beat Canada 22-20 in Bucharest last Saturday – Romania’s first win over the Canucks in three meetings since 1991.

Centre Ionut Tofan, who plays his club rugby with French Division Two outfit Metro Racing, comes into the Romanian backline. He replaces Romeo Gontineac with Valentin Maftei shifting from outside to inside centre.

The other switch sees experienced scrum-half Petre Mitu, a former captain, drafted in for Lucien Sirbu, another Metro Racing player, at number 9. Sirbu drops back to the bench.

Mitu has not played for Romania since starting against Georgia in March 2003. Agen lock Sorin Socol will captain his country for the tenth successive time on Saturday.

Out of the fifteen, only three players play their rugby at home in Romania. The others, including impressive props Petru Balan and Pepe Toderasc, all operate in France.

Interestingly, full-back Catalin Fercu, one of the home-based players, scored a try on his Test debut against Canada last week. Fercu, who only turned 19 in September, captained Romania at the 2005 IRB Under-19 World Championships in Durban.

Dan Vlad, who came off the bench to kick the late match-winning conversion in that 22-20 win against Canada, is amongst the replacements again.

Saturday’s clash is the eighth meeting between Ireland and Romania since 1986. Ireland have won all seven to date – 1998 saw Romania put on their best performance, losing 53-35 at Lansdowne Road.

The teams have played each other at both of the last World Cups – Ireland 45 Romania 17, Gosford (RWC2003); Ireland 44 Romania 14, Lansdowne Road (RWC1999).

ROMANIA TEAM AND REPLACEMENTS TO PLAY IRELAND (Sat, Nov 26, Lansdowne Road, kick-off 12.30pm):

15 – Catalin Fercu (Contor Zenner Arad (Rom))
14 – Gabriel Brezoianu (Dax)
13 – Ionut Tofan (Metro Racing)
12 – Valentin Maftei (Aurillac)
11 – Ioan Teodorescu (University Cluj (Rom))
10 – Ionut Dimofte (Contor Zenner Arad (Rom))
9 – Petre Mitu (Tarbes)
1 – Petru Balan (Biarritz Olympique)
2 – Marius Tincu (Pau)
3 – Pepe Toderasc (Brive)
4 – Sorin Socol (Agen), Captain
5 – Cristian Petre (Tarbes)
6 – Florin Corodeanu (Grenoble)
7 – Alexandru Manta (Pau)
8 – Ovidiu Tonita (Perpignan)

Replacements:
16 – Cezar Popescu (Tarbes)
17 – Marcello Socaciu (Rovigo)
18 – Costica Mersoiu (Perigueux)
19 – Cosmin Ratiu (Dinamo Bucharest (Rom))
20 – Lucien Sirbu (Metro Racing)
21 – Xabi Gal (University Cluj (Rom))
22 – Dan Vlad (Steaua Bucharest (Rom))