EVERY SELF-RESPECTING sporting event that is played in pools always has a ‘Pool of Death’. If you are a follower of Romania, or especially a member of their squad at this Rugby World Cup, you will be in no doubt as to the unlucky team forced to exist in so forbidding an environment. Poor Romania.
When the 2023 World Cup began, Pool B had lined up South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania, and you really did fear that the Eastern Europeans would suffer terrible damage with that kind of fixture list – their opening fixture against Ireland in Bordeaux ended 82-8 to the Irish.
Yet perhaps younger readers of Rugby World might have no idea as to the celebrated history of Romanian rugby, and some of us are absolutely mortified that potentially such a great rugby nation has fallen on such hard times. It may be difficult to believe but there was a time not so long ago when Romanian rugby was hardly ever out of the news.
They were for years the best team in Europe outside the Five Nations. They lost to the All Blacks in a controversial match when they had two tries disallowed and they also beat Scotland. They were effectively professional players before the game went pro as the state funded two clubs in Bucharest, Steaua and Dinamo, and most of the squads came from those clubs, with a leavening of players who had established themselves in French rugby.
But before the revolution in the country in 1989, Romanian rugby had already been in the news. On an amazing day in Bucharest in 1983, they thrashed the Welsh team under the late Eddie Butler by 24-6, one of the most sensational results for decades, and six months later they saw off Scotland.
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Rugby World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Rugby World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RUGBY RANT
Writer Sam Larner rails against rugby's scheduling of fixtures
"The list of highlights is endless - I wouldn't change a thing"
The Wales great who also represented the Scarlets and Lions with distinction
SIX OF THE BEST
MANOR PARK have played a blinder by Nutting out So many teams in one massive weekend
Back with a bang!
The first sell-out since Covid in the final year at the Hong Kong Stadium... we bore witness to a madcap Hong Kong Sevens
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
A globetrotting, jet-heeled, kick-blocking, defender bamboozling star. Keeping up with Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe will make you dizzy
MY DAY OFF..ADAM RADWAN
THERE IS a symmetry to Adam Radwan’s favourite hobby. A player renowned for his remarkable athleticism, leaping like a salmon to score by the corner flag, likes nothing better than spending a day fly fishing on the River Tyne.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
LORENZO PANI had it all planned out. If he managed to score a try in Cardiff, he would reach for the trademark ‘Siuuu!’ celebration of his footballing idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
WHAT'S UP WITH ULSTER
Mid-Season changes to leadership, poor form on the pitch and a lot of confused looks from fans Tom English digs into troubled times at the Irish province
ROSSLYN PARK SEVENS
With blockbuster numbers, high skill and a fired-up crowd of players, former pupils and parents, this traditional event is as strong as ever
TOP 12 FINISHERS
It's try-time as we run down a list of our favourite scorers across the global game down the years