November Internationals 2024 – Romania vs Uruguay – ARN Guide

20th in the world host 19th as Romania take-on Uruguay in Bucharest on Saturday. The fixture is the third and final for both teams this month. Uruguay is on a two-match winning-streak against Romania. Uruguay will need confidence going in to the match with regular names missing and Romania having shown good form against Tonga and Canada. Both teams are in the process of preparing for Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. Expansion to 24-teams makes Stejarii and Los Teros a must watch for serious rugby followers.

 

FORM GUIDE

Current World Ranking: 20 (64.13 points)
2024-11-16 – Romania 35-27 Canada (Bucharest, RO)
2024-11-09 – Romania 25, Tonga 15 (Bucharest, RO)
2024-07-12 – Canada 35, Romania 22 (Ottawa, CA)
2024-07-05 – USA 20, Romania 22 (Bridgeview, US)
2024-03-17 – Spain 40, Romania 33 (Paris, FR)
2024-03-02 – Georgia 43, Romania 5 (Tbilisi, GE)

Current World Ranking: 19 (65.94 points)
2024-11-16 – Japan 36-20 Uruguay (Chambéry, FR)
2024-11-16 – Spain 33-24 Uruguay (Madrid, ES)
2024-07-10 – Uruguay 28-43 France (Montevideo, UY)
2024-07-20 – Uruguay 07-79 Argentina (Punta del Este, UY)
2024-07-27 – Uruguay 19-31 Scotland (Montevideo, UY)
2024-11-09 – Spain 33-24 Uruguay (Madrid, ES)

 

LINE-UP CHANGES vs

2 Ovidiu Cojocaru replaces Stefan Buruiana
3 Gheorghe Gajion replaces Vasile Balan
4 Yanis Horvat replaces Nicolaas Immelman
7 Vlad Neculau replaces Cristi Chirica
9 Gabriel Rupanu replaces Alin Conache
12 Taylor Gontineac replaces Jason Tomane
15 Paul Popoaia replaces Ovidiu Neagu

3 Ignacio Péculo replaces Diego Arbelo
4 Felipe Aliaga  replaces Ignacio Dotti
8 Manuel Diana replaces Carlos Deus
11 Bautista Basso moves from 14; replaces Ignacio Facciolo
12 Joaquín Suárez replaces Juan Manuel Alonso
14 Gastón Mieres replaces Bautista Basso

 

+ MOST CAPS

– A Savin (38); O Cojocaru (36); G Rupanu (33); F Tangimana (32); V Balan (25); M Iftimiciuc (25); H Vaovasa (25); V Neclau (23)

vs LEAST CAPS

– K Altinok (0); M Tweddle (0); Y Horvat (3); C Chiriac (4); A Mitu (4); T Sikuea (4)

NOTES

• Romania have won 9 of the previous 13 test matches against Uruguay; however, Uruguay won the past two.
• The teams faced-off in three test matches in 2022 with Uruguay winning one in Montevideo and the other in Bucharest.
• Uruguay are searching for a first win this month, this year and since the beating Namibia at the World Cup.
• Los Teros lost 36-20 against Japan and 33-24 against Spain. Romania have beaten both Tonga and Canada this month.
• Romania’s regular captain Marius Simionescu is injured.
• Uruguay has an inside center injury crisis. Andrés Vilaseca, Tomás Inciarte and Juan Manuel Alonso are all out. Roster members Baltazar Amaya and the uncapped Federico de Los Santos are also sidelined.
• Regulars Santiago Arata, Manuel Ardao, Felipe Etcheverry, Nicolás Freitas, German Kessler, and Facundo Gattas are not touring.
• Romania are coached by former French second-rower David Gérard. The French connection does not end there as Gheorghe Gajion, Taylor Gontineac, Marius Iftimiciuc, Yanis Horvat, Andrei Mahu, and Adrian Mitu play their rugby in France.
• Center Taylor Gontineac was born and raised in France. His father is from Romania and was captain.
• Romanian Tight Head Gheorghe Gajion is from Moldova and won 13 caps before defecting to Romania under eligibility law changes.
• Additional non-homegrown players are from Ireland, Tonga and New Zealand. Irishman Matthew Tweddle is set to debut. Romania’s three World Cup Tongans Tangimana Fonovai, Tevita Manumua and Taliauli Sikuea are also to face Uruguay as is New Zealander Hinckley Vaovasa.
• Uruguay’s 23 players are all homegrown.
• Uruguayan captain Manuel Leindekar and replacement prop Diego Arbelo plays in France. Ignacio Dotti, Guillermo Pujadas, and Ignacio Péculo play Major League Rugby. The 18 others play for Peñarol and / or Los Teros 7’s.
• Ovidiu Cojocaru, Gheorghe Gajion, Hinckley Vaovasa also started for Romania in the most recent test match against Uruguay. Seven Teros from that day are in the starting lineup again: Mateo Sanguinetti, Ignacio Peculo, Manuel Leindekar, Santiago Civetta, Manuel Diana, Gastón Mieres, Felipe Arcos Pérez.
• Ícaro Amarillo, Ignacio Álvarez, Juan González, Joaquín Myzska and Joaquín Suárez are recent additions to the Senior roster. They are next-generation arrivals for Uruguay’s new Rugby World Cup cycle.
• The match is Gastón Mieres’ last. He will retire from Los Teros on Saturday.
• Stejarii captain was ruled out on game day. Tudor Butnariu replaces Ovidiu Cojocaru with Ștefan Buruiană entering as a replacement and the team now led by flanker Vlad Neculau.

PREDICTION

The resurgence of Uruguay since returning to the Rugby World Cup in 2015 coincides with the regression of Romania. Los Teros‘ wins vs Fiji in 2019 and Namibia in 2023 happened with Romania missing a World Cup, for the first time, through disqualification and going winless in the latter tournament. Uruguay’s three wins over Romania have also all happened since 2015. In addition, the past three matches between Stejarii and Los Teros were decided by margins of +5, +6 and +8 points. Bitterly cold conditions loom. This may restrict attacking opportunities. Romania hold the favorites tag to win at home in Bucharest.

 

LINEUPS vs

ROMANIA
1 Alexandru Savin, 2 Tudor Butnariu, 3 Gheorghe Gajion, 4 Yanis Horvat, 5 Andrei Mahu, 6 Cristi Boboc, 7 Vlad Neculau (capt.), 8 Adrian Mitu, 9 Gabriel Rupanu, 10 Hinckley Vaovasa, 11 Tevita Manumua, 12 Taylor Gontineac, 13 Mihai Graure, 14 Taliauli Sikuea, 15 Paul Popoaia

Replacements: 16 Ștefan Buruiană, 17 Ciprian Chiriac, 18 Vasile Balan, 19 Marius Iftimiciuc, 20 Matthew Tweddle, 21 Kemal Altinok, 22 Alin Conache, 23 Tangimana Fonovai

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Manuel Leindekar (capt.), 6 Santiago Civetta, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Ícaro Amarillo, 11 Bautista Basso, 12 Joaquín Suárez, 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Gastón Mieres, 15 Juan González

Replacements: 16 Joaquín Myzska, 17 Diego Arbelo, 18 Mateo Perillo, 19 Ignacio Dotti, 20 Carlos Deus, 21 Ignacio Álvarez, 22 Mateo Viñals, 23 Ignacio Facciolo

 

MATCH DETAILS

Date: Saturday, November 23
Venue: Stadium National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Kickoff: 6pm (RO); 1pm (UY)
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy; Cold. 5°C  Wind 14 km/h.
Broadcasts: ESPN; Disney +

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Adam Leal (England)
Assistant Referees: TBA (2 England Appointments)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wales)

 

COMPLETE RESULTS – vs (1987-2024)

2022-11-13 – Romania 16-21 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2022-07-17 – Uruguay 26-20 Romania (Montevideo, UY)
2022-07-17 – Uruguay 22-30 Romania (Montevideo, UY)
2021-11-07 –  Romania 29-14 Uruguay (Verona, IT)
2018-11-24 – Romania 20-27 Uruguay (Baia Mare, RO)
2016-11-06 – Romania 36-10 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2016-06-13 – Romania 40-0 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2014-06-14 – Romania 34-16 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2012-06-08 – Romania 29-9 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2010-11-27 – Romania 39-12 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2010-11-13 – Uruguay 21-21 Romania (Montevideo, UY)
2009-06-12 – Romania 17-11 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)
2008-06-11 – Romania 10-6 Uruguay (Bucharest, RO)

 

HEAD TO HEAD vs (2008-2022)

ROMANIA Wins 9
URUGUAY Wins 3
DRAW 1