Romanian 30 Man Squad

These fellas could actually make life hard for whoever intends coming second in Pool C.
Their depth is slowly improving and it is only once every four years they get their best together.
Round 1 should be their "Final" with their best XV against Italy.

Versatility Romania's priority

From correspondents in Bucharest, Romania
August 15, 2007

ROMANIA has announced its 30-strong Rugby World Cup squad, naming 18 players who play for French clubs.

Romania, in Pool C with cup favourite New Zealand, Scotland, Italy and Portugal, is contesting its sixth consecutive tournament. The side is yet to qualify for the knockout stages.

French-born team manager and joint coach Robert Antonin said the final selections had been made on the basis of versatility.

"Versatility is a key element to have in hand for such a competition," he said following three squad training camps ahead of Romania's departure for France next Monday.

That opened the door for three reserve players - prop Silviu Florea, back rower Cosmin Ratiu and half-ack Marin Dumbrava to book their tickets for France.

The Romanians will head first for the Pyrenees for high-altitude training before travelling to Agen, where the 22-strong squad for their World Cup opener against Italy will be named.

Agence France-Presse

Romania Squad

Forwards:

Petru Balan (Biarritz, France), Bogdan Balan (Montauban, France), Cezar Popescu (Agen, France), Petrisor Toderasc (Brive, France), Silviu Florea (Beziers, France), Marius Tincu (Perpignan, France), Razvan Mavrodin (Pau, France), Sorin Socul (Pau, France), Cristian Petre (Beziers, France), Valentin Ursache (Arad), Augustin Petrichei (Biziers, France), Ovidiu Tonita (Perpignan, France), Cosmin Ratiu (Cosmin Bucharest), Florin Corodeanu (Grenoble, France), Alexandru Manta (Castres, France), Alexandru Tudori (Dinamo Bucharest)

Backs:

Valentin Calafateanu (Dynamo Bucharest), Lucian Sirbu (Biziers, France), Ionut Dimofte (Arad), Ionut Tofan (Limoges, France), Romeo Gontineac (Aurillac, France), Csaba Gal, Marin Dumbrava and Dan Vlad (Steaua Bucharest), Catalin Fercu and Ion Teodorescu (Arad), Gabriel Brezoianu (Bordeaux, France), Iulian Dumitras (Pau, France), Florian Vlaicu and Catalin Nicolae (Steaua Bucharest)

Club of Origin:

Club/ (Forward/Back)/ Number

French Clubs

Beziers (3+1) 4
Pau (2+1) 3
Perpignan (2+0) 2
Agen (1+0) 1
Aurillac (0+1) 1
Biarritz (1+0) 1
Bordeaux (0+1) 1
Brive (1+0) 1
Castres (1+0) 1
Grenoble (1+0) 1
Limoges (0+1) 1
Montauban (1+0) 1

Romanian Clubs

Steaua Bucharest (0+5) 5
Arad (1+3) 4
Dynamo Bucharest (1+1) 2
Cosmin Bucharest (1+0) 1

Interestingly the Italians just pipped the Romainians for the last spot in the Six Nations when the series was expanded.

I think this Pool C will be some of the closest matches in the pool series this RWC.

Scotland, Italy and Romania all capable of the second spot.

My Mum's Romanian friend says that if the team had more funding and better infrastructure that they would be an awesome team...but he still thinks they're pretty awesome anyway haha :D