Romania names squad to play USA and Canada

Romania have named a squad of 33 players to prepare for their upcoming tour of North American. The Oaks will take on the USA Eagles in Chicago on July 5, followed by Canada in Ottawa on July 12. Preparations include a 10-day training camp in France that includes a controlled scrimmage opposite Les Bleus in Marcoussis this coming Saturday.

Roughly two-thirds of the squad that traveled to the 2023 World Cup are included, 19 players in all. The most experienced are hooker Ovidiu Cojocaru, No8 Cristi Chirica, and fullback Marius Simionescu, all of whom have captained the Oaks in recent test matches. Former New York hooker Rob Irimescu is also in the squad having earned 10 caps since making the move to Baia Mare.

Head Coach David Gérard has also included four uncapped players, among them France-based lock Yanis Horvat. Promising Castres hooker Stefan Buruiana and highly rated loose forward Adrian Mitu will also travel after making their senior debuts in the Rugby Europe Championship.

The past year was challenging for the Oaks, who won just 3 of their 12 matches in 2023 under former coach Eugen Apjok. They began this year’s REC with wins over Poland and Belgium before falling to Portugal, Georgia, and Spain. Romania are currently ranked 20th in the world, just ahead of Canada and three spots behind the USA.

 

PROP
Vasile Balan (Steaua) 21 caps
*Gheorghe Gajion (Mont-de-Marsan, FR) 11 caps
*Iulian Hartig (Bassin D’Arcachon, FR) 17 caps
Cosmin Manole (Dinamo) 3 caps
*Alexandru Savin (Rapid) 34 caps

HOOKER
Stefan Buruiana (Castres, FR) 1 cap
George Ilincuta (Steaua) uncapped
*Rob Irimescu (Baia Mare) 10 caps
*Ovidiu Cojocaru (Dinamo) 38 caps

SECOND ROW
Yanis Horvat (Albi, FR) uncapped
*Stefan Iancu (Baia Mare) 14 caps
*Marius Iftimiciuc (Carcassonne, FR) 25 caps
Andrei Mahu (Massy Essonne, FR) 4 caps
Ionut Muresan (Timisoara) 16 caps

BACK ROW
*Cristi Chirica (Dinamo) 37 caps
Adrian Mitu (Pau, FR) 3 caps
*Vlad Neculau (Timisoara) 20 caps
*Dragos Ser (Timisoara) 21 caps
Kamil Sobota (Dinamo) 11 caps

SCRUMHALF
*Alin Conache (Steaua) 14 caps
*Gabriel Rupanu (Timisoara) 29 caps

FLYHALF
Daniel Plai (Timisoara) 28 caps
*Hinckley Vaovasa (Dinamo) 21 caps

CENTRE
*Alexandru Bucur (Timisoara) 17 caps
*Mihai Graure (Dinamo) 3 caps
*Fonovai Tangimana (Rapid) 29 caps
*Jason Tomane (Baia Mare) 19 caps

WING
Edouard Carp (Steaua) uncapped
*Tevita Manumua (Timisoara) 9 caps
Ovidiu Neagu (Dinamo) 5 caps
Corrado Stetco (Timisoara) uncapped

FULLBACK
Paul Popoaia (Baia Mare) 15 caps
*Marius Simionescu (Timisoara) 37 caps

*member of RWC 2023 squad