EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP RUGBY: Romania Face Portugal

04.02.2012
Portugal v Romania in Bucharest (ENC 1A)

Venue: Estadio Nacional Arco del Triunfo

Referee: S.Mancini (Italy)

Preview
Now that the Georgia-Ukraine test match was postponed and now rescheduled for June, this is the opening salvo of the ENC 1A competition, round 2.

This competition may well become a little more wide open with the announcements from Russia and Georgia that they will be fielding development XV’s and keep their main side for the June window. These ENC matches will still be classified as test matches.

Romania and Portugal hold 2nd and 3rd places at the half way stage of the competition. Both sides have introduced a few newcomers to test rugby. Portugal introduce Ricardo and Tadjer in the starting 15, whilst Marques may start off the bench.

Romania introduce Dinis, Catuna and Badalicescu in the starting 15, whilst Gorcioaia could well earn his first cap off the bench.

Romania were very disappointing in their Rugby World Cup effort in New Zealand. They also had a poor 2007 campaign. Portugal failed to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup after promising so much in 2007.

Both teams will need to make an impression if they have any chance of overtaking Georgia on the points table.

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	5	5	0	0	168	35	133	2	0	22
ROMANIA	5	3	0	2	166	69	97	3	2	17
PORTUGAL	5	3	0	2	113	98	15	1	1	14
RUSSIA	5	2	0	3	100	98	2	1	2	11
SPAIN	5	2	0	3	90	175	-85	1	1	10
UKRAINE	5	0	0	5	61	225	-164	0	0	0

Last Five Encounters
05.02.2011 Portugal 24-17 in Lisbon (ENC 1A)
20.03.2010 Romania 20-9 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
21.03.2009 Portugal 22-21 in Bucharest (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1)
15.03.2008 Romania 21-15 in Bucharest (ENC 1)
01.12.2007 Romania 23-8 in Lisbon (ENC 1)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-Romania 18th, Portugal 23rd
Europe Table-Romania 8th, Portugal 10th

IRB Ranking Points
Romania 63.98, Portugal 59.30

Prediction: Romania by 7 points

Teams

PORTUGAL

15		António Aguilar	GD Direito
14		Adérito Esteves	GD Direito
13		Frederico Oliveira	CD University Lisboa
12		Carl Murray	CD University Lisboa
11		Bernardo Silveira	CD University Lisboa
10		Yannick Ricardo	Castanet, France
9		Pedro Leal	Nice, France
8		Juan Severino	Santboiana, Spain
7		Julien Bardy	Clermont-Auvergne, France
6		Vasco Uva	GD Direito
5		Gonçalo Uva	GD Direito
4		David dos Reis	Nimes, France
3		Jorge Segurado	GD Direito
2		Michael Tadjer	Massy, France
1		João Junior	CD University Lisboa
16		Vasco Marques	CD Universitário do Porto
17		Joao Mateus	A. Académica de Coimbra
18		José Leal da Costa	Agronomia
19		Rui D’Orey	GD Direito
20		Luis Sousa	GD Direito
21		Francisco Pinto	CD University Lisboa
22		José Lima	Agronomia
		COACH: Errol Brain

ROMANIA

15		Iulian Dumitras	Lourdes, France
14		Madalin Lemnaru	Universitatea de Vest Timisoara
13		Csaba Gal	CSM Baia Mare
12		Cristian Dinis	CSM Baia Mare
11		George Catuna	CSM Baia Mare
10		Danu Dumbrava	Steaua Bucharesti
9		Valentin Calafeteanu	Universitatea de Vest Timisoara
8		Daiel Carpo	Universitatea de Vest Timisoara
7		Viorel Lucaci	Steaua Bucharesti
6		Mihai Macovei	CSM Baia Mare
5		Cristian Petre	St. Ettienne, France
4		Valentin Ursache	Aix en Provance, France
3		Vlad Badalicescu	Dinamo Bucaresti
2		Marius Tincu (Capt.)	Perpignan, France
1		Mihaita Lazar	Aix en Provance, France
16		Andrei Radoi	CSM Baia Mare
17		Andrei Ursache	CSM Baia Mare
18		Alin Coste	Bourg en Bresse, France
19		Andrei Gorcioaia	Castelsarrasin, France
20		Florin Surugiu	CSM Bucaresti
21		Constantin Gheara	RC Farul Constanța
22		Florin Vlaicu	Steaua Bucharesti
		COACH: McDowell