Romania turn it around against Canada

Romania captain Mihai Macovei’s two second-half tries led a remarkable comeback to seal a 17-15 win over Canada in an exciting World Cup Pool D match.

Van der Merwe became the first player from a tier-two nation to score a try in four successive World Cup matches, with his effort coming after scores against Ireland, France and Italy.

But Romania’s bold decision to forsake penalty kicks for attacking lineouts and scrums paid off.

With Canada a man down after Jebb Sinclair was sin-binned, Macovei got his second try.

Canada’s players appealed for a double-movement, but referee Wayne Barnes – standing close by – awarded the try after asking for a television referral.

The Oaks have one final match against Italy in Exeter on October 11 and could still finish third in the group with a victory to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.

Van der Merwe also scored in Canada’s defeats by Italy, France and Ireland.

It proved costly as less than four minutes after the restart, Hassler bulldozed his way past three Romanian defenders to slide over for his fourth worldwide try and Nathan Hirayama, taking over kicking duties, added the extras to give Canada a 15-0 lead. A calm Vlaicu stepped up to send the ball through the middle of the uprights giving Romania an incredible come from behind win.

Van Der Merwe showed his clinical finishing skills, side-stepping left and then cutting back right for his fourth try of the tournament and 20th in tests to make it 8-0 after 33 minutes. The Canadians were no doubt thinking at that stage of pushing for a bonus-point win, and an outside shot at third place.

The loss of Sinclair took its toll as a massive Romanian scrum then a penalty on the Canadian 10m line.

“The Canadian team will be the same as we have experienced; France and Ireland certainly tried to get the ball as wide as they could against us and I don’t expect anything different from Canada”, said Howells.

“We will need to be at our best to beat them”.

“When you look at the games we’ve played – three games in 13 days – it’s a challenge for any team”.

Scrumhalf Gordon McRorie landed only one of three penalties and missed a conversion in the first half.

Romania: Catalin Fercu: Madalin Lemnaru, Paula Kinikinilau, Florin Vlaicu, Ionut Botezatu; Michael Wiringi, Florin Surugiu; Mihai Macovei, Viorel Lucaci, Valentin Ursache; Johannes van Heerden, Valentin Poparlan; Paulica Ion, Otar Turashvili, Mihaita Lazar.

It was a scrappy early on, not helped by the wet conditions caused by a downpour before kickoff.

Vlaicu converted to reduce the gap to eight before Canada’s Hirayama missed a penalty and Romania set about piling the pressure on their opponents’ line again. “But it’s a pretty nervous camp at the moment, they just want to go out there and play”.

Romania’s Florin Vlaicu celebrates his match-winning penalty. “They’ll have a beer but it won’t be to any great extent”.