Uruguay win the battle of Bucharest against Romania

Uruguay ended 2024 on a high by winning the battle of Bucharest. Los Teros were 23-21 winners over Romania at the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf on a very cold November Saturday evening. The victory marks Uruguay’s first since beating Namibia in Lyon at Rugby World Cup 2023. It was the third consecutive Uruguayan win over Romania and fourth overall since the inaugural test match between Uruguay and Romania in 2008.

Los Teros started strongly, in Bucharest. Santiago Álvarez, who had a fine game directing play very well for Uruguay from scrum-half, slotted an early penalty. 3-0 became 10-0 on nine minutes. In his last tango for Los Teros, Gastón Mieres scored the opening try. A counter-attack saw Uruguay running 85 meters with Felipe Arcos Pérez proving an assist for Mieres to score.

Referee Adam Leal awarded Romania with a lineout penalty on 12 minutes. Gabriel Rupanu opened Romania’s scoring. Uruguay hit-back with a penalty to Santiago Álvarez though Romania were enjoying a period of solid rugby. They scored their first try from a  lineout to maul move on 18 minutes with hooker Tudor Butnariu scoring.

Rupanu brought the scores level at 13-13 on the half-hour mark. Uruguay had opportunities to score late in the half. Waves of raids resulted in Leal yellow carding Taylor Gontineac. Los Teros missed out on points. Rupani scored again early in the second-half to give his country a 16-13 lead.

Uruguay regained the lead on 57 minutes with a sleek try. From a rolling maul, Santiago Álvarez went left and found Felipe Arcos Pérez. Ignacio Álvarez timed his run to slice through and link with Arcos Pérez. With the conversion, Uruguay led 20-16.

Further opportunities at tries came but were not taken by Los Teros. In response, Romanian pressure mounted and Tongan Taliauli Sikuea scored down the right wing side. Critically, his try went unconverted by Rupanu.

Romania’s 21-20 lead lasted until late in the game. The home side conceded a penalty on 77 minutes which Santiago Álvarez slotted for the lead. From there the South Americans held on to the ball after the kick-off and booted the ball to the sideline for the win.

The final whistle ends the November Internationals for both Romania and Uruguay. Attention now turns to Rugby World Cup Qualifiers. Romania take-on Germany in Bucharest on January 31. Uruguay take-on Paraguay in their first RWC 2027 Qualifier early in the second half of 2025.

 

SCORING vs

ROMANIA (21)
Try – T Butnariu (18′); T Sikuea (69′)
Con – G Rupanu (19′)
Pen – G Rupanu (12′, 30′, 47′)
YC – T Gontineac (40′)

URUGUAY (23)
Try – G Mieres (9′); I Álvarez (57′)
Con  – S Álvarez (9′, 57′, 78′)
Pen – S Álvarez (5′, 14′)

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  HIGHLIGHTS

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wales)