Saturday, June 5, 2010

RUGBY TEST MATCH: Romania About To Take Another Step

05.06.2010
Ukraine v Romania in Botosani (WCQ Europe R5, Semi-final, 2nd leg)

Venue: Municipal Stadium

Referee:

Preview
Romania are only a win against Ukraine away from progressing to the Rugby World Cup repecharges. They defeated Ukraine away 33-3 on 22 May and it looks a formality for them to progress.

Things got worse for the Ukraine after the Romanian team was announced. Coming into the starting lineup are French-based veterans Manta and Socol, who played from the bench in the first game, who is captain. Also back is experienced winger Fercu giving the Romanian team an even more solid look that the unit that won easily in Kiev.

Alexandru Manya 2007 RWC
Alexandru Manta will cause problems for Ukraine. Image thanks to www.abc.net.au

The Romanians have plenty to play for. Firstly, they play in front of their home crowd. Not in Bucharest, but in Botosani. The Romanians will again host the IRB Nations Cup in a weeks time. Players will be wanting to impress as competition for places is fierce.

After that they play against Tunisia in the first of the repecharge World Cup qualifying games. Following that, and most predict an easy run for the Romanians against Tunisia, they should tackle Uruguay (who themselves should find Kazakhstan easy in their repecharge match) for that final place in the Rugby World Cup.

For the Ukraine all that is left is pride. They haven't a hope of defeating Romania by 34 points or more (which they need to do to progress). What they will want to do is improve the margin of defeat by less than thirty points and prove that they will be worthy opponents in next years European Nations Cup. Their squad is unchanged from the first leg match.

Previous Encounters
22.05.2010 Romania 33-3 in Kiev (WCQ Europe R5; Semi-Final 1st leg)
03.06.2006 Romania 58-0 in Kiev (ENC 1)
19.03.2005 Romania 97-0 in Bucharest (ENC 1)
30.05.1998 Romania 39-17 in Kiev (WCQ Europe, Pool 2, Rnd B)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Europe Table-Romania 7th, Ukraine 15th
IRB Points-Romania 67.10, Ukraine 54.35

Prediction: Romania by 45

Teams

86[1]

Romania
15. Florin Vlaicu (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) Age 23, 30 tests
14. Stefan Ciuntu (CSM Baia Mare) 23, 22
13. Robert Catalin Dascalu (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) 25, 26
12. Csaba Gal (CSM Baia Mare) 24, 21
11. Catalin Fercu (CSU Arad) 23, 32
10. Danut Dumbrava (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) 28, 43
9. Valentin Ivan (CS Dinamo Bucuresti) 21, 4
8. Alexandru Manta (Lyon, France) 32, 30
7. Daniel Ianus (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) ?, 1
6. Stelian Burcea (CSU Arad) 26, 22
5. Valentin Ursache (CSM Baia Mare) 24, 24
4. Socol Sorin, Capt. (FC Oloronais, France) 31, 52
3. Silviu Florea (US Montauban) 32, 23
2. Bogdan Zebega (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) 25, 18
1. Cezar Popescu (Saint Medard en Jalles) 32, 38
Replacements
16. Andrei Radoi (CSM Baia Mare) 22, 4
17. Samuel Maris (CSA Steaua Bucuresti) ?, 1
18. Marius Sirbe (Tarbes, France) ?, 1
19. Sergiu Ursache (Casino di Venezia, Italy) ?, 1
20. Florin Surugiu (CSM Bucuresti) ?, 1
21. Ionut Dimofte (CSM Baia Mare) 25, 39
22. Ionut Botezatu (CSM Baia Mare) 22, 7
Coaches: Romeo Gontineac and Steve McDowell

http://frr.ro/2010/06/04/sase-schimbari-in-echipa-romaniei-pentru-meciul-retur-cu-ucraina/

Ukraine Squad
Orlov Віта (Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk, Russia)
Evigney Chaika (RC Kredo 63)
Vitaly Dotsenko (RC Aviator)
Sergei Garkavy (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vladyslav Grabovsky (RK Sokol)
Nikolai Kirsanov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleg Kosarev (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vyacheslav Krasylnyk (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Maksym Kravchenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleksandr Lomakin (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Jaba Malaguradze (RC Kredo 63)
Pavlo Masyukov (RCKredo-63)
Andrei Melnikov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Demen Mikola (RC Aviator)
Serge Monastir (RC Kredo 63)
Dmytro Mukhin (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vyacheslav Ponomarkenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Serhiy Sukhykh (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleksandr Tsapenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Serhiy Tserkovny (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Maksym Tyurikov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Eduard Vertiletsky (RC Kredo 63)
Bogdan Voloshin (RK Sokol)
Sergei Yanchiy (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Ievgen Zapolsky (RK Sokol)
Head Coach Valeri Kochanov

http://rugby.org.ua/index.php?newsid=533

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