Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
In a match for the hardened fans, Rugby World Cup 2023 qualified Romania and Chile clash in Bucharest on Saturday. The test match is not the first between the Stejarii and Los Cóndores but it is the first time that they meet as teams qualified for the World Cup.
How both came to qualify is stirkingly different. Chile made it through the gauntlet of facing three competitors from RWC 2019 and re-writing the script by eliminating Canada and qualifying by sending the USA into repechage. World Rugby’s wish of a competitive USA is far from being realized as Chile have utilized a domestic high performance system, foreign coaching expertise and a homegrown player base.
Romania qualified at the expense of Spain. Not for the first time, a saga of backstabbing between European federations saw Spain being reported for breaching player eligibility. The outcome saw Spain disqualified and replaced by Romania.
Romania nonetheless competed with a player not eligible but cleared to play. Jason Tomane’s involvement made matters all the more sour for Spain. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Charles Piutau now plays for Tonga and Australia’s Jack Demspey now plays for Scotland.
Chile has no such history of poaching players via eligibility laws. Chile has progressed on hard-work and merit. With a junior system that is working well, even RWC regulars Romania can learn from Chile.
Historically, Romania was one of rugby’s most homegrown test teams. Every player on Romania’s roster at RWC 2011 was born and raised in Romania. This was not the case at RWC 2015 when four of Romania’s players were foreign born and raised. Increased experimentation led to a killer blow with Romania disqualified from RWC 2019.
Part of the reason for Romania utilizing player eligibility laws is because the junior system and the country’s system by and large is weak compared to others both in Europe and in general terms. Lifting the level of the player base has had the consequence of Romania capping players from countries including New Zealand, South Africa, and Tonga.
The Romanian line-up to face Chile will see a new player. The uncapped Atila Septar has been named to start on the wing. The former France u20 player joins New Zealander Hinckley Vaovasa in the back-three.
Chile’s line-up is close to that which qualified for the World Cup and may well be identical to that which takes to the field at the World Cup. That said, Pablo Huete has returned but has not been selected to face Romania. As a former Top 14 player and professional in New Zealand’s domestic competition, this is a notable selection.
Chile are led by the hard-working Martín Sigren. The England-based flanker is to be joined by Ignacio Silva and Alfonso Escobar in a proven back-row. Many Selknam wins were earned with the trio wearing the 6, 7 and 8 jerseys.
Chile enter the match with a powerful front-row. Salvador Lues, Tomás Dussaillant, and Matías Dittus, give Los Cóndores what is a genuinely solid scrum. Clemente Saavedra, and Javier Eissmann start ahead of Huete to lock the scrum.
Two players to have risen in recent years start in the halves. Marcelo Torrealba, and Rodrigo Fernández have scored tries and assisted in others. Meanwhile, there is a continuation of the shuffling of the back-line as Pablo Casas plays wing, Iñaki Ayarza, and Matías Garafulic in the mid-field and Santiago Videla starts at fullback.
Chile have never played a test match before in Romania. The only prior test match between the Stejarii and Los Cóndores took place in June 2019. Romania were comfortable 27-11 winners in Valparaíso.
Rugby is the winner before the first tackle has been made. A battle in Bucharest between Romania and Chile in the year for both play in the World Cup in France is, based on the name, what World Rugby ought to strive for.
TEAMS
ROMANIA
1 Vasile Balan, 2 Tudor Butnariu, 3 Alexandru Gordas, 4 Florian Rosu, 5 Johannes van Heerden, 6 Mihai Macovei (capt.), 7 Cristi Chirica, 8 Damian Stratila, 9 Gabriel Rupanu, 10 Tudor Boldor, 11 Atila Septar, 12 Vladut Popa, 13 Alexandru Bucur, 14 Marius Simionescu, 15 Hinckley Vaovasa
Replacements: 16 Ovidiu Cojocaru, 17 Alexandru Savin, 18 Victor Leon, 19 Marius Ifrimiciuc, 20 Kamil Sobota, 21 Florin Surugiu, 22 Nicolas Onutu, 23 Robert Neagu
CHILE
1 Salvador Lues, 2 Tomás Dussaillant, 3 Matías Dittus, 4 Clemente Saavedra, 5 Javier Eissmann, 6 Martín Sigren (capt.), 7 Ignacio Silva, 8 Alfonso Escobar, 9 Marcelo Torrealba, 10 Rodrigo Fernández, 11 Pablo Casas, 12 Iñaki Ayarza, 13 Matías Garafulic, 14 Nicolás Garafulic, 15 Santiago Videla
Replacements: 16 Augusto Bohme, 17 Javier Carrasco, 18 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 19 Santiago Pedrero, 20 Joaquín Milesi, 21 Lukas Carvallo, 22 José Larenas, 23 Raimundo Martínez
Date: Saturday, November 05
Kick-Off: 5:30pm (RO); 12:30 (CL)
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest, RO)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (UK)
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace (UK), Ben Breakspear (UK)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (ZA)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
06-08-2019 – Chile 11-27 Romania (Valparaíso, CL)
