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Two evenly matched sides will close out their calendar year in Bucharest on Saturday when Romania play host to Uruguay at Ghencea Stadium. The two sides are neck-and-neck on the official World Rugby Rankings, with Romania just one spot ahead of Uruguay in 17th place.
They have become familiar foes in recent years with eight tests in all since their first encounter in 2008. The Oaks have beaten Los Teros in all but one match – a 21-all draw at Montevideo in November 2010 as part of the World Cup Repechage competition. Their most recent contest was November 2016 with Romania winning 36-10.
Romania come into the game looking to bounce back after being summarily beaten by the US Eagles last weekend. Thomas Lièvremont has resisted hitting the panic button and instead named a nearly identical side that shows only three changes, two enforced.
The most significant sees the return of captain Mihai Macovei. He lines up at blindside flank, replacing Johan van Heerden. Eugen Capatana starts at hooker in the absence of Andrei Radoi, and Vladut Popa deputises for Catalin Fercu at outside center. Uncapped midfielder Alexandru Bucur is in line to make his test debut as a replacement.
Uruguay meanwhile have struggled to keep the pace in their tour, dropping all three matches including a drubbing at the hands of Fiji at Hartpury College. Despite the one-sided result Esteban Menses has made only two changes.
Facundo Gattas starts at hooker with Manuel Ardao recovering sufficiently to take a spot on the bench. Ardao was carried off the field early in the second half against Fiji, while Gattas himself is only recently back to fitness. Rotation on the flank sees Juan Diego Ormaechea replace Leandro Segredo.
With a battle up front anticipated there are six forwards on the Teros bench. Segredo is the extra man with Manuel Diana and Diego Magno the other back five options in the scrum. Agustín Ormaechea joined the squad during the week and the World Cup scrumhalf is named as backup to starter Santiago Arata.
Slightly chilly temperatures await Uruguay in Bucharest and their scrum is in for a test after being shoved off the ball against the Fijian pack. While the Oaks were convincing winners in their last meeting, this one is almost too close to call with Los Teros owning an advantage in test experience but conceding size and strength in some positions.
Look for Romania to take an early lead on the back of their bigger forwards. Uruguay will stay in the game, however, and the quality of their bench will shine through in the final quarter to steal a famous win on the back of Felipe Berchesi’s golden boot.
ROMANIA
1 Ionel Badiu, 2 Eugen Capatana, 3 Alex Gordas, 4 Adrian Motoc, 5 Marian Drenceanu, 6 Adrian Ion, 7 Mihai Macovei (capt.), 8 Cristi Chirica, 9 Florin Surugiu, 10 Daniel Plai, 11 Ionut Dumitru, 12 Fonovai Tangimana, 13 Vladut Popa, 14 Vladut Zaharia, 15 Ionel Melinte
Replacements: 16 Florin Bardasu, 17 Alexandru Savin, 18 Constantin Pristavita, 19 Johan van Heerden, 20 Razvan Ilisescu, 21 Tudorel Bratu, 22 Florin Vlaicu, 23 Alexandru Bucur
URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Facundo Gattas, 3 Juan Rombys, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Manuel Leindekar, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Juan Diego Ormaechea, 8 Alejandro Nieto, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 11 Gastón Mieres, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Juan Manuel Cat, 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Rodrigo Silva
Replacements: 16 Manuel Ardao, 17 Matías Benítez, 18 Juan Echeverría, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Manuel Diana, 21 Leandro Segredo, 22 Agustín Ormaechea, 23 Joaquín Prada
Date: Saturday, November 24
Kick-off: 14:00 local (04:00 Pacific, 07:00 Eastern, 09:00 Montevideo)
Venue: Ghencea Stadium, Bucharest
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Assistants: Craig Maxwell-Keys (RFU) & Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Broadcasts: Telekom Sport, DirecTV
