2015 World Rugby Nations Cup Preview

The 2015 World Rugby Nations Cup kicks off on Friday, with representative sides from Argentina, Namibia, Spain, and hosts Romania taking part. It is the 10th year of the Tier 2 competition, with previous editions including sides from Ireland, South Africa, France, Georgia, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, and Uruguay.

Namibia, Spain, and Romania will field full senior sides, while the second string ‘Argentina XV’ side is effectively an ‘A’ side, previously known as the Jaguars. Both Romania and Namibia will be using this as preparation for the World Cup, while few if any of the Argentina side are expected to make the World Cup roster. Spain has not qualified for this year’s World Cup.

The entire tournament will take place at the National Stadium in Bucharest.

FIXTURES
June 12 – Namibia v Argentina XV (17:00 local)
June 12 – Romania v Spain (20:00 local)

June 17 – Argentina XV v Spain (17:00 local)
June 17 – Romania v Namibia (20:00 local)

June 21 – Spain v Namibia (17:00 local)
June 21 – Romania v Argentina XV (20:00 local)

 

ARGENTINA XV

This will be the seventh time Argentina has sent a side to the Nations Cup, of which they have won once, at the inaugural event in 2006. Only Romania has more appearances at the tournament. They did not compete last year, instead travelling to Georgia to compete in the Tbilisi Cup.

With most of Argentina’s best players staying at home to prepare for the touring French Barbarians, a group of fringe players have been sent to Romania. Eight players from the group have captured senior honours, but only just, with fullback Tomás Carrió the most capped player on five. Carrio is also one of five players who travelled to Fiji under the Pampas banner to compete in the Pacific Challenge in March. Santiago García Botta, who today became the latest player to sign a Super Rugby contract for next season, was also part of that group.

Other notables in the side include prop Roberto Tejerizo, who recently lined up for the Barbarians against both Ireland and England. Loose forward Anibal Panceyra Garrido is a former World Sevens standout who is now committed to XVs, and centre Brian Ormson, also a capable flyhalf, captained the Pumitas in the 2011 IRB u20 World Championship.

The group will be coached by former players Felipe Contepomi and Ricardo Le Fort. Contepomi won 87 caps in a sterling career that spanned 15 years and four World Cups, while Le Fort won 16 caps at hooker and took part in both the 1991 and 1995 World Cups. 21-year-old scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou will captain the side.

FORWARDS
Santiago García Botta (Belgrano), Lucas Martínez (Lomas), Nicolás Mirande (Tucumán), Guido Randisi (Duendes), Roberto Tejerizo (T.L.T.), Tomás Baravalle (Jockey Rosario), Facundo Bosch (C.U.B.A.), Gerónimo Albertario (Pucará), Franco Baldoni (B.A.C.R.C.), Manuel Plaza (Jockey Salta), Martín Chiappesoni (Rosario), Lucas Maguire (C.U.B.A.), Aníbal Panceyra Garrido (Tala), Gonzalo Paulín (Tala), Miguel Urtubey (Newman)

BACKS
Lucas Alcácer (S.I.C.), Gonzalo Bertranou (capt., Los Tordos), Cristian Nacassian (Tala), Juan Léon Novillo (Tucumán), Juan Ignacio Brex (San Cirano), Juan Cappiello (Pucará), Brian Ormson (Pucará), Joaquín Paz (Córdoba Athletic), Bautista Álvarez (Hindú), Franco Cuaranta (Tala), Augusto López (Tucumán), Tomás Carrió (Duendes)

Coaches: Felipe Contepomi & Ricardo Le Fort

 

NAMIBIA

The Welwitschias will play in their fourth Nations Cup, having last participated in 2011. They won the tournament in 2010, when it was also held in Bucharest. There are 10 players in the squad who took part in their last appearance, with four of those stretching back to their first venture in 2007.

Namibia has selected a relatively experienced senior side, though they will be without several leading players including Super Rugby standouts Torsten van Jaarsveld and Renaldo Bothma, and UK stars Jacques Burger and Chrysander Botha. With Rohan Kitshoff also unavailable, it will be France-based no8 P.J. van Lill who leads the side.

Other experienced players include hefty prop Johnny Redelinghuys, towering second row Nico Esterhuyze, former Wasps back row Tinus du Plessis, and versatile halfback Eugene Jantjies, all of whom played a part in both the 2007 and 2011 World Cups. Of the new generation, hooker D.G. Wiese comes from the Western Province academy, and Janco Venter is a highly rated second or back row for the Maties club at Stellenbosch University.

The team is led by inspirational coach Danie Vermeulen, who holds a unique spot in being the only wheelchair-bound coach in international rugby. He had been capped four times by Namibia at prop and played Super Rugby for the Cats when he was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident in 2000.

FORWARDS
Johan Coetzee (Brive), A.J. de Klerk (Wanderers), Jaco Engels (United), Johnny Redelinghuys (Wanderers), Casper Viviers (United), Rathony Becker (Western Suburbs), Callie Swanepoel (Wanderers), D.G. Wiese (Western Province), Nico Esterhuyze (Wanderers), Tjiuee Uanivi (Brive), Janco Venter (Maties), Leneve Damens (Wanderers), Tinus du Plesis (Wanderers), Masau Forbes (Western Suburbs), P.J. van Lill (capt., Dax), Roderique Victor (Western Suburbs)

BACKS
Eneill Buitendag (Wanderers), Eugene Jantjies (Dinamo), Shawn Kaizemi (Western Suburbs), Theuns Kotzé (Bressane), J.C. Greyling (United), Heinrich Smit (NWU Pukke), Danie van Wyk (United), Conrad Marais (Béziers), David Philander (Spotswood United), Johann Tromp (Wanderers), Russell van Wyk (Western Suburbs)

Head Coach: Danie Vermeulen

 

ROMANIA

The Oaks appear for a record 9th consecutive year, having won twice, in 2012 and 2013. Their only absence was in the first rendition in 2006, when the Nations Cup was held in Portugal. Since then the tournament has been hosted every year in Bucharest.

Where last year Romania entered a development side, this year they field virtually their full strength national team, with few exceptions. Of those named in January’s World Cup Long List, only forwards Marius Sirbe, Daniel Carpo, Ovidiu Tonita, and winger Madalin Lemnaru could be considered absentees.

The enlarged training squad includes four uncapped players, including three foreign players who qualify on residency, namely South African duo Randall Morrison and Jody Rose, and Michael Wiringi of New Zealand. Alexandru Porojan is the other, and he will join the squad along with fellow outside backs Stephen Hihetah and Sabin Stratila once finished with national 7s duty.

Four members of the squad ply their trade in the French Top 14, with another five based in the Pro D2, including captain Mihai Macovei. Star fullback Catalin Fercu of Saracens is the lone representative of the Aviva Premiership. Former Wales assistant Lynn Howells is in his fourth year as head coach of the side.

Edit: Romania have made changes to their squad on 06/12, amendments below:

FORWARDS
Vlad Badalicescu (CSM Bucuresti), Paulica Ion (Perpignan), Mihaita Lazar (Castres), Constantin Pristavita (Baia Mare), Horatiu Pungea (Lyon), Alexandru Tarus (Timisoara), Andrei Ursache (Carcassonne), Mihai Adascalitei (Dinamo), Andrei Radoi (Ealing), Otar Turashvili (CSM Bucuresti), Marius Antonescu (Tarbes), Alin Coste (Carcassonne), Marian Drenceanu (Timisoara), Valentin Poparlan (Timisoara), Stelian Burcea (Timisoara), Viorel Lucaci (Steaua), Mihai Macovei (capt., Massy), Randall Morrison (Timisoara), Vlad Nistor (Castres), Valentin Ursache (Oyonnax)

BACKS
Valentin Calafeteanu (Timisoara), Florin Surugiu (CSM Bucuresti), Dan Dumbrava (Steaua), Jody Rose (Timisoara), Michael Wiringi (Baia Mare), Robert Dascalu (Steaua), Csaba Gal (Cluj), Florin Ionita (Steaua), Florin Vlaicu (CSM Bucuresti), Adrian Apostol (Baia Mare), Ionut Botezatu (Baia Mare), Ionut Dumitru (Steaua), Stephen Hihetah (Doncaster), Alexandru Porojan (Steaua), Catalin Fercu (Saracens), Sabin Stratila (Steaua)

Head Coach: Lynn Howells

 

SPAIN

Los Leones enter the Nations Cup for the first time, having played in the Tbilisi Cup last season. They are the only country involved this year that will not take part in the World Cup this September, having failed to qualify via the European Nations Cup.

Spain have struggled to maintain consistency in their squad selection with most of their best players opting to fulfill professional club duties in France, and will again field a largely inexperienced side in Romania. ENC captain Jesus Recuerda, Bordeaux hooker Beñat Auzqui, and Montauban winger Sébastien Ascarat are unavailable, while halfbacks Sébastien Rouet and Mathieu Bélie are missing from the initial squad named two weeks ago.

Jaime Nava, whose 52 caps are 35 more than the next senior member of the squad Juan Anaya’s total, will lead the side that contains six uncapped players. Bordeaux supply two promising youngsters to the side, 20-year-old prop Ángel Durango and once-capped midfielder Gauthier Minguillon. Toulon academy scrumhalf Facundo Munilla has also shown promise, having already won 4 caps before his 20th birthday.

The team is coached by former national team hooker and captain Santiago Santos, who won the last of his 45 caps in 1992. He was appointed to the role in July of 2013, taking over from Bryce Bevin.

FORWARDS
Ángel Durango (Bordeaux), Joe Hutchinson (Bressane), Fernando López (Massy), Javier Sanz (Bathco), Juan Anaya (Bathco), Francisco Blanco (Cisneros), David Barrera (Tricastin), Anibal Bonan (Bagnères), Tomás Urbaitis (Bathco), Francisco Cloppet (Pozuelo), Javier de Juan (Bathco), Jose Luis Del Valle (Cisneros), Manuel Mora (Valladolid), Jaime Nava (Périgueux), Adam Newton (Alcobendas)

BACKS
Gregory Maiquez (Bressane), Facundo Munilla (Toulon), Brad Linklater (Getxo), Marcos Puig (Santboiana), Thibaut Álvarez (Aubenas), Federico Casteglioni (Gernika), Gauthier Minguillon (Bordeaux), Ignacio Contardi (Mâcon), Pierre García (Stade Rodez), Sergi Aubanell (Aurillac), Antoine Sánchez (Pozuelo)

Head Coach: Santiago Santos