Romania’s World Cup Warm-Up Fixtures include match against USA

Romania has confirmed three warm-up matches ahead of Rugby World Cup 2023. The Stejarri will play one home test match and two away test matches in August. The Americas is included with Romania’s first match in August to be against the USA in Bucharest.

The match is the second confirmed match for the USA in August. The Eagles missed out on qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2023. The USA were eliminated at the final hurdle by Portugal. The outcome is that RWC 2023 will be the first Men’s Rugby World Cup without a North American competitor.

The USA’s non-involvement in the World Cup does not mean no warm-up activities. The Eagles will face Georgia in Tbilisi on August 19. That match is expected to be one of three. The first is the confirmed match against Romania in Bucharest on August 05. Game two is likely to be against Portugal.

The Stejarii will have home advantage against the USA at the Arcul de Triumf National Rugby Stadium in Bucharest. Kick-off is confirmed for 8pm local time. It is to be Romania’s first of three matches. Subsequent warm-up fixtures will be against RWC 2023 competitors Georgia and Italy. Both will be away matches.

The Arcul de Triumf National Rugby Stadium is well known to teams from the Americas. Romania played host to Argentina in a test match in 2021 at the venue. The Stejarii hosted Chile and Uruguay in 2022.

Romania and the USA have previously met in nine test matches. The Eagles have a superior record with Romania having won two of the nine test matches. The most recent match took place in Ghencea in 2018. The USA were 31-5 winners.

Matches between Romania and the USA are contested for the Pershing Cup. The trophy is in memory of General John Joseph Pershing, who organized the Military Olympics, the “Inter-Allied Games”, in 1919. As part of the competition the USA were 21-0 winners.

Romania’s will compete in Pool B of Rugby World Cup 2023. They will play matches in Bordeaux and Lille. First up for the Eastern Europeans will be a match against the world no 1 Ireland on September 17.

 

RWC 2023 WARM-UP FIXTURES – ROMANIA

August 05        vs  (Bucharest, RO)

August 12        vs  (Tbilisi, GE)

August 19        vs  (TBA, IT)

 

 

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 – POOL B

 

September 09 vs    (Bordeaux, FR)

September 17  vs    (Bordeaux, FR)

September 30 vs    (Lille, FR)

October 08     vs     (Lille, FR)