Romania pick most experienced team to tackle France
Monday 21 September 2015 14:12, UK
Romania named their most experienced ever World Cup team for the Pool D game against France at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.
Mihai Macovei leads a starting side with an average age of over 29 and a combined 684 Test appearances.
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Coach Lynn Howells made one change from the team that played in their last warm-up match, a 21-16 defeat by Tonga in Bucharest, with Mihaita Lazar at loosehead prop in place of Andrei Ursache.
Tighthead prop Paulica Ion - who has played for Bath, London Irish and London Welsh - and fly-half Danut Dumbrava will equal the Romania record of playing in four Rugby World Cups and Ovidiu Tonita could join them if he comes off the bench.
"The back line has pretty much picked itself with the experience they have, the forwards however have given me more of a headache," Welshman Howells said.
"The first game is always the most important and the lads I've picked are in the best shape and used to playing at the top level."
Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Madalin Lemnaru, 13 Paula Kinikinilau, 12 Florin Vlaicu, 11 Adrian Apostol, 10 Danut Dumbrava, 9 Florin Surugiu; 1 Mihaita Lazar, 2 Otar Turashvili, 3 Paulica Ion, 4 Valentin Poparlan, 5 Johannes van Heerden, 6 Valentin Ursache, 7 Viorel Lucaci, 8 Mihai Macovei (c).
Replacements: 16 Andrei Radoi, 17 Andrei Ursache, 18 Horatiu Pungea, 19 Ovidiu Tonita, 20 Stelian Burcea, 21 Valentin Calafeteanu, 22 Ionut Botezatu, 23 Csaba Gal.
