Oaks front up for Pumas challenge
Romania head coach Romeo Stefan Gontineac has named his team for the Oaks’ second Rugby World Cup Pool B match – against Argentina at Invercargill’s Rugby Park Stadium – on Saturday.
Gontineac has, wisely, named an unchanged pack from the line-up that ran Scotland close on Saturday, but he has made dramatic adjustments to his backs division.
Fullback Iulian Dumitras and outside centre Csaba Gal are the only survivors – in their same positions – from the side that went down 24-34 to the Scots, with changes on the wing, inside centre and at halfback.
One of those changes is positional, however, with Tiberius Dimofte shifting from inside centre to flyhalf. The new faces are right-wing Madalin Lemnaru, inside centre Constantin Gheara, left-wing Ionel Cazan and scrumhalf Florin Surugiu.
Surugiu and Cazan are not totally new to the World Cup, having warmed the bench against Scotland.
Romania: 15 Iulian Dumitras, 14 Madalin Lemnaru, 13 Csaba Gal, 12 Constantin Gheara, 11 Ionel Cazan, 10 Tiberius Dimofte, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Daniel Carpo, 7 Ovidiu Tonita, 6 Mihai Macovei, 5 Cristian Petre, 4 Valentin Ursache, 3 Paulica Ion, 2 Marius Tincu (captain), 1 Mihaita Lazar.
Replacements: 16 Bogdan Suman, 17 Silviu Florea, 18 Valentin Poparlan, 19 Daniel Ianus, 20 Valentin Calafeteanu, 21 Marin Dumbrava, 22 Florin Vlaicu.
Date: Saturday, September 17
Kick-off: 15.30 (03.30 GMT)
Venue: Rugby Park, Invercargill
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
