Cotter shares his views on Romania's rugby future

NEWS: Minnows Romania can return to the days when they were a match for top-tier rugby teams like France if the government invests in the sport, ‘The Oaks’ consultant Vern Cotter has told AFP.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Romania claimed the scalps of France on two occasions, and Wales and Scotland.

They have slipped down the order since then with Georgia replacing them as the European danger team from outside rugby’s top tier.

However, they have a chance to show their worth as they return to the World Cup having benefitted from Spain being ejected for fielding an illegible player.

Ironically it was Romania who missed the 2019 edition – the only one they have failed to appear at – for the same reason.

Cotter, who is one of the most respected names in the game and guided Clermont to the Top 14 title in 2010, joined up with the squad a month ago.

“Romania were not expecting to be at the tournament and are going to make the most of it,” said Cotter.

“The rugby team is the only national team from Romania in a global tournament.

“The footballers have not appeared in a World Cup since 1998, to put it in some perspective.

“There has been a tendency in Romania to invest in Olympic Games sports in order to win medals.

“The focus now should be in investing in team sports, by creating the pathways and facilities. That way you get the best out of the teams and individuals,” says Cotter.

The 61-year-old New Zealander, who guided Scotland to the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals where they lost in controversial fashion to Australia, said the spark had to come from the government “as there is a willingness to move forward”

“The task is to try to get the politicians aligned as the federation is desperate to see rugby grow culturally,” he said.

“Romania has always had rugby clubs and the sport needs nurturing.”

Cotter says in order to grow the clubs need to be playing against top-level competition regularly.

“Italy have a couple of teams, who found it tough at the start but have got better and better,” said Cotter.

“Their standards have risen due to the academy and they now have the professional avenues they need.

“Romania’s main clubs need to have competition regularly against the best of Georgia, Portugal, Spain and hopefully after that Europe-wide.”

– ‘Dark places’ –

Despite the challenges Cotter leapt at the chance to be involved after being left kicking his heels when he stepped down as Fiji coach in February.

Beginning their campaign against Ireland, the world’s number one-ranked team, in Bordeaux on Saturday certainly represents a huge challenge but Cotter says the benefits are immeasurable.

“A French player once said that in playing the Irish he had learned more in one match than he had in three years of training,” said Cotter

“That is what these boys need. This is in the sport’s terminology ‘a learning experience’.

“We follow the Irish with an even tougher opponent in terms of physicality the Springboks, then the speed of the Scots mixed with physicality.

“What I hope is that we take the right trajectory so that we build and by the time we get to Tonga we give the best of ourselves.”

Cotter, whose contract with Super Rugby franchise The Blues means he has to return to New Zealand before their final pool match against Tonga, says occasionally he and the coaching team have to wield the stick in training – but that has been rare.

“I think this group have great potential. If they stick together, in four years’ time they will really blossom,” he said.

“It is a change of generations, the average age of the team is very low and around 12 of the squad were born outside Romania.

“There are Romanians, Tongans and Samoans so it is a real mixture of talent.

“Their progress from a month ago is impressive.

“They know how to express themselves and do not mind the tough stuff or going into the dark places.”