With only one of the 20 Rugby World Cup 2011 finalists yet to be
decided, the tournament line-up is four matches away from
completion.
Only four teams are left in the race for the final slot in
Pool B of the tournament in New Zealand and after this
weekend's repechage clashes between Romania and Tunisia and
Uruguay and Kazakhstan only two nations will be left in contention.
Generally the repechage matches in the final stages of the
RWC qualifying process provide intriguing contests, and the two
matches make no exception. The match between Uruguay and Kazakhstan
is their first ever encounter, while Romania and Tunisia have not
played each other for nearly 20 years.
Kazakhstan's spectacular advance in the IRB ranking has
seen them climbing to an all-time high of 26, having now deposed
Korea of the Asian Union eternal runner-up tag, with the ambitious
Hong Kong also left behind. Though Uruguay, ranked 22 and former
RWC contenders in 1999 and 2003 are favourites, it is not beyond
the realms of probability to see Timur Mashurov and his men
producing an upset in Montevideo.
Romania favourites
Similarly, Romania, currently ranked 19, are hot favourites
to prevail over Tunisia, in the 34th position in the rankings. The
two nations have played each other four times, the last of which
was in 1993 in Bucharest when Romania prevailed 51-0. Tunisia
however, did manage to spoil the Romanian party in 1986 in
Monastir, when they won 17-15.
The two teams reach the crucial RWC 2011 qualifying match in
Buzau, Romania by markedly different routes. The Romanians finished
the IRB Nations Cup with a meaningful win against a strong and
purposeful Italy A in Bucharest in June. Roughly at the same time
Tunisia had to acknowledge defeat by 23 points to six at the hands
of rejuvenated Morocco in the final of the Africa Cup at El Menzah
Stadium in Tunis. In marked contrast to their poor 2009 season,
Romania finished unbeaten in the 2010 round of the FIRA-AER
Championship, followed by a surprising, yet thoroughly deserved
runner up position in the IRB Nations Cup in June 2010.
Both sides have recently changed their coaching staff.
Frenchman Serge Lairle is no longer in charge of Romania and Danie
de Villiers has returned to South Africa after Tunisia lost 10-21
to Namibia in the final of the African section of the RWC
qualifiers. The Tunisian team is now temporarily coached by Mohamed
Sahraoui, the Tunisian Federation development manager, while the
Romanians have appointed the duo Romeo Gontineac and Steve
MacDowall, who took over in the final stages of the European
qualifying process against Ukraine.
Intriguing scrum half battle
Injury to key players as well as the need to give the
overseas professionals time off, has forced Romania to play without
its heavy brigade of Ovidiau Tonita, Marius Tincu, Bogdan Balan,
Silviu Florea, Ion Paulica, Sorin Socol, Bogdan Zebega as well as
without fly half Iulian Dumitras on paternity leave. Though veteran
scrum half Lucian Sirbu is likely to start the game, the news that
the talented Valentin Calafeteanu has recovered from injury must
have pleased the Romanian coaches.
The athletic Calafeteanu, who is playing for the Romanian
club Arad, is a genuine international class performer, sorely
missed since he broke his arm in the closing stages of the match
against Russia at Soci. It will be interesting to see how the two
Romanian scrum halves will handle live-wire 24-year old Sabri Gmil,
the new Compiegne club scrum-half, very much the playmaker of this
young and enterprising Tunisian side.
In addition to Calafeteanu, a seasoned performer at 25,
coaches Gontineac and MacDowall have invited several youngsters
including Ionel Badiu, Valentin Popirlan, Gabriel Conache, Ionel
Cazan and Madalin Lemnaru to prepare alongside the senior side.
"With so many senior players out of action for a number of
reasons, we have selected a fairly young team, with great
potential, but inexperienced nevertheless," Coach Gontineac
said.
"One of the main objectives is to bring them back to
earth, to concentrate on basics and apply the game plan. We must
learn to walk before we can run and this is our job with this young
team We must identify the leaders and give them responsibility in
the new more complex game plan."