Romania aiming to move forward

Romania v Ireland: There is little doubt Romania arrive in Ireland with their expectations jacked up a little bit higher than in previous years when it was a case of leading them towards the Lansdowne Road abattoir.

Yesterday at Wanders RFC as cold rain blew across the pitch during their second session of the week, the team looked little like one being led by a nose ring for the slaughter.

Having beaten Canada 24-22 last week, the visitors are not expecting to rattle Ireland's cage too much but they are expecting to front up to the home side in a robust way and in doing so hope to indicate that their graph in world rugby is heading upwards.

Their director of rugby, Robert Antonini, readily accepts, at least for Irish public consumption, Ireland will win the match but he insists it will not be a roll-over as they line out with much the same side that beat the Canadians.

There are just two changes to the side, one because of injury and one tactical. At scrumhalf Tarbes's Petre Mitu replaces Lucien Sirbu, who moves to the bench, and at outside centre Ionut Tofan steps up to face Ulster's Andrew Trimble as Romeo Gontineac remains sidelined with injury.

Romania's strength clearly lies with their front eight, all of whom play professionally with French clubs. The frontrow are from Biarritz, Brive and Pau, the secondrow from Agen and Tarbes, and the backrow from Grenoble, Pau and Perpignan.

Led by Agen captain and secondrow Sorin Socol, there is no mystery to how they will shape up to Ireland despite efforts to play a more open game.

Once again, however, they have chosen 19-year-old Catalin Fercu at fullback. He was the captain of the Romanian team that played in the IRB's World Championship in Durban earlier this year and also nipped in for a try against the Canadians last week.

Given the freezing conditions in which the Canadian game was played, even a cold snap this weekend should not overly concern the visitors, who lost 45-17 to Ireland in the World Cup two years ago. Ireland ran in five tries to Romania's one.

"The young player (Catalin) was so proud and so happy to play this kind of game and in the list of 22 we have eight players who play in domestic clubs," said Antonini. "It is a very good experience for them (amateur players) to train with the professional players. There is also a good friendship between them and the players from Romania."

The mix is slowly becoming more professional and less amateur but in players such as in Biarritz prop Petru Balan, the home side will expect some rugged exchanges. "We are trying to change (from a pack-orientated side)," says Antonini.

"We have tried to change during training sessions but it is difficult regarding our strengths and regarding the players themselves. They want to play with the forwards and I personally asked with the coaches to open the game much more.

"I think that is good against Ireland because there is no risk because everybody knows that we shall lose."