Romania secured a 31-21 victory over Canada in men’s international rugby, with scrum half Alin Conache playing a pivotal role by contributing 16 points through kicks.
The defeat suffered by Canada at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf is anticipated to result in the team dropping at least one position in the global rankings, currently holding the 24th spot.
Canada’s upcoming matches include facing No. 11 Georgia in Batumi followed by a clash against No. 20 Portugal in Coimbra on November 22. Georgia had previously defeated the 15th-ranked U.S. Eagles with a score of 43-30 in Batumi earlier on the same day.
Tries were scored by Ovidiu Cojocaru, Cristi Chirică, and Tevita Manumua for Romania. Conache managed four penalties and two conversions during the match. On the other hand, Mason Flesch, Piers Von Dadelszen, and Barnaby Waddell found the try line for Canada, with Peter Nelson adding three conversions. Waddell, a player at Bridgend Ravens in Wales, scored a late try in the dying moments of the game.
Romania has historically dominated Canada with an 8-3-0 record in their favor. The Oaks have emerged victorious in eight of their last nine encounters, with Canada’s sole win being a 35-22 result at Ottawa’s TD Place Stadium in July 2024. Canada’s only other victories against Romania were during the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.
Canada struggles to catch up after early setback
Romania took an early lead in the match, securing a 3-0 advantage in the third minute with a penalty kick by Conache following a penalty against Canada’s Matt Oworu. Conache continued his accuracy with another penalty in the ninth minute after Canada committed an infraction during a lineout.
Adding to their lead, Romania extended the score to 9-0 in the 15th minute as a result of a scrum penalty against Canada. Although Canada responded with a try from Flesch in the 28th minute, narrowing the margin to 12-7, Conache’s missed kick towards the end of the first half prevented further scoring.
The second half saw Romania strengthening their lead with Cojocaru scoring a converted try in the 42nd minute, extending their lead to 19-7. Despite Canada’s efforts, a disallowed try due to obstruction prevented them from closing the gap.
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