Saturday, March 27, 2010

INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY IN BUCHAREST

27.03.2010
Spain v Romania in Bucharest (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Venue: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf

Preview
The Spain-Romania test match is a catch up game that was postponed from February 6 due to a snow covered pitch. Nothing is hinging on this game. Romania only need the point for turning up to move past Portugal and take the vital third place in ENC 1. Romania will then wait 'till May for the result of the Ukraine-Lithuania match, the Playoff for 1st ENC 2A v Best-of-The-rest. Contrary to what I wrote on Friday's post, Romania will play the winner of that match to decide who will play the other repechage team (Asia 2 v Uruguay) later in the year.

Romania's biggest hurdle will be motivation. Having already qualified for the repechages they could be caught off guard by a Spanish side seeking to win two in a row.

Last Five Encounters
07.02.2009 Romania 19-10 in Madrid (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
23.02.2008 Romania 17-11 in Madrid (ENC 1)
10.03.2007 Romania 50-14 in Bucharest (ENC 1)
14.10.2006 Romania 43-20 in Madrid (WCQ Europe R5, Pool B)
06.03.2004 Romania 50-10 in Bucharest (ENC 1)
Spain last defeated Romania in 1992. In Madrid they won 6-0.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Romania 7th, Spain 11th

Prediction: Romania, struggling, by 8 points.

Teams

17[1]

Spain
15 Pedro Martin (Aviron Bayonnais, France)
14 Benjamín Pardo (Vrac Quesos Entrepinares)
13 Juan Cano (CRC Madrid)
12 Javier Canosa (CRC Madrid)
11 Ignacio Martín (Parma R.C., Italy)
10 Manuel Mazo (CR Ciencias)
9 Hernán Quirelli (CR La Vila)
8 Matthew Cook (C.R. La Vila)
7 Federico Negrillo (Bera Bera R.T)
6 Rafael Camacho (CR Ciencias)
5 Jesús Recuerda (CR Ciencias)
4 Leandro Fernandez.-Aramburu, Capt. (CR Ciencias)
3 Jesús Moreno (Bourdeaux Begles, France)
2 José Mª.Bohorquez (CR Ciencias)
1 Anthony Pradalie (Perigueux, France)
Replacements
16 Marco Pinto (ASM Clermont Auvergne, France)
17 David Gurgenadze (CRC Madrid)
18 César Bernasconi (CRC Madrid)
19 Carlos Souto (CR El Salvador)
20 Sale Ibarra (CR El Salvador)
21 Iván Criado (CR El Salvador)
22 Ignacio Gutiérrez (Vrac Quesos Entrepinares)
Head Coach: Geoff Glynn

Adapted from http://www.ferugby.com/

86[1]

Romania
15. Florin Vlaicu (Steaua Bucuresti)
14. Catalin Fercu (CSU Arad)
13. Ionut Dimofte (Baia Mare)
12. Robert Dascalu (Steaua Bucuresti)
11. Stefan Ciuntu (Baia Mare)
10. Iulian Dumitras (Albi, France)
9. Lucian Sarbu (Somillau, France)
8. Daniel Carpo (Farul Constanta)
7. Mihai Macovei (Baia Mare)
6. Viorel Lucaci (Steaua Bucuresti)
5. Cristian Petre (AS Beziers, France)
4. Sorin Socol, Capt. (FC Oloronais, France)
3. Dragos Dima (FC Oloronais, France)
2. Bogdan Zebega (Steaua Bucuresti)
1. Cezar Popescu (Saint Medard en Jalles, France)
Replacements
16. Andrei Radoi (Baia Mare)
17. Mihaita Lazar (Saint Etienne, France)
18. Valentin Ursache (Baia Mare)
19. Cosmin Ratiu (Dinamo Bucuresti)
20. Valentin Ivan (Dinamo Bucuresti)
21. Danut Dumbrava (Steaua Bucuresti)
22. Csaba Gal (Baia Mare)
Head Coach: Serge Lairle

Adapted from http://frr.ro/2010/03/26/schimbari-in-echipa-romaniei-inainte-de-meciul-cu-spania/

1 comment:

  1. Romania will then wait 'till May for the result of the Ukraine-Lithuania match, the Playoff for 1st ENC 2A v Best-of-The-rest. Contrary to what I wrote on Friday's post, Romania will play the winner of that match to decide who will play the other repechage team (Asia 2 v Uruguay) later in the year.

    Actually, I think it's even more complicated than that - Romania (or, in the unlikely event of an upset, Ukraine or Lithuania) will play Tunisia, the African runners-up, to win the right to meet the Asia 2-Uruguay winners for the 20th world cup spot.

    ReplyDelete