Mighty Oaks maintain the pressure on leaders Spain
ROMANIA kept alive their slim hopes of automatically qualifying for the 2019 World Cup after a less-than-impressive 25-15 win over Russia in Cluj.
The scores were tied at 15-15 with just under 10 minutes to go after Ramil Gaisin ran in an intercept try from halfway but two late scores, from Paula Kinikilau and Eugen Capatana, ensured the Oaks kept the pressure on Spain at the top of the qualification table.
Lynn Howells’ side are now three points ahead of Spain in the race to join the likes of Ireland and Scotland in Pool A, but Los Leones have one qualification match more to play in the remaining two rounds of the Rugby Europe Championship and are still firm favourites to go to Japan as Europe 1.
Too much aimless kicking made for a poor spectacle as both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball in the sub-zero temperatures. What would have frustrated Romania’s coaches is that the two times they did manage to pass the ball down the line, from left to right, they scored with ease. On this showing they will struggle to beat Samoa home and away if they do venture down the play-off route.
As for the Bears, their World Cup dream is over. But they put up a good fight considering they were rocked by the shock resignation of head coach Alexander Pervukhin in the build-up to the match.
Having gone behind to a sixth-minute penalty try Russia looked to be in for a long afternoon but they remained defensively strong for the remainder of the half and forced the Oaks into countless errors.
A turnover won inside their own 22 sparked a counterattack that led to their first try on the halfhour mark, scored by centre Dmitry Gerasimov after he joined the back of a powerful maul. Yury Kushnarev missed the straightforward conversion but slotted a penalty four minutes later to hand the visitors an 8-7 lead. Romania, however, edged in front at the break when scrum-half Valentin Calafeteanu slotted his first attempt at goal.
Romania’s failure to look after the ball continued to hurt them at the start of the second half but they finally found some rhythm in their play, nine minutes in, with replacement wing Stephen Shennan strolling in unopposed after a simple draw-and-pass move.
The Oaks kept Russia pinned back inside their own half for long periods but couldn’t add to their score. Entering the last ten minutes the outcome of the game was thrown into doubt when Jack Umaga dropped Florin Vlaicu’s pass and Gaisin struck. The conversion brought Russia level and suddenly it was game on again.
Shortly after, winger Shennan scored to put Romania back in front before Capatana burrowed his way over deep into stoppage time to secure the win.
With the World Cup their priority and no qualification points at stake for their game against Georgia, Spain rested virtually their entire frontline team for the trip to Tbilisi and their reserves went down to a 23-10 defeat.
The Lelos led only 9-3 at the break thanks to three penalties from Ioseb Matiashvili to one in reply from Mathieu Peluchon. Georgia’s scrum power led to a penalty try in the 52nd-minute. Spain were first to cross, after the Lelos had lost a man to the sin-bin for repeated infringements, before the Georgia forced their way over with the last play of the game through replacement Giorgi Melikidze.
Germany’s woes continued in Brussels with a 69-15 defeat to fellow strugglers Belgium.