Romania Triumphs Over Canada in Men’s Rugby

Romania’s victory over Canada in men’s international rugby play was fueled by scrum half Alin Conache’s impressive 16-point performance. The game took place at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, where Romania emerged victorious with a final score of 31-21, causing Canada, ranked 24th, to potentially drop in the world rankings.

Following this defeat, Canada is set to face off against Georgia, ranked 11th, in their upcoming match in Batumi. Subsequently, they will play against Portugal, ranked 20th, on November 22 in Coimbra. Georgia had earlier secured a victory against the 15th-ranked U.S. Eagles with a score of 43-30 in Batumi.

Ovidiu Cojocaru, Cristi Chirică, and Tevita Manumua scored tries for Romania, while Alin Conache contributed with four penalties and two conversions. On the other hand, Mason Flesch, Piers Von Dadelszen, and Barnaby Waddell scored tries for Canada, with Peter Nelson successfully converting three attempts.

Notably, Romania’s win improved their historical record against Canada to 8-3-0. The Oaks have dominated recent encounters, winning eight out of the last nine matches, with Canada’s sole victory being a 35-22 win in July 2024 at Ottawa’s TD Place Stadium. Canada’s two other victories over Romania were at the 1991 and 1995 World Cups.

Early Lead Secures Romania’s Victory

Romania dominated from the start, securing an early 3-0 lead within the first three minutes through a Conache penalty. The lead extended to 9-0 by the 15th minute, with Conache capitalizing on penalties committed by Canada at the lineout and scrum.

Despite a brief response from Canada with Flesch scoring a try in the 28th minute, Romania maintained control, heading into halftime with a 12-7 lead. The second half saw Romania extending their lead further, with tries from Cojocaru, Chirică, and Manumua, solidifying their victory over Canada.

Canada struggled throughout the game, facing penalties and a yellow card for high tackles, allowing Romania to capitalize on these opportunities to secure their win.

Canada’s struggles in 2025 continued with the loss, bringing their record to 1-6-0 for the year. Despite the challenges, all of Canada’s November opponents have secured spots in the 2027 World Cup, with Canada having qualified through the Pacific Nations Cup.

The match also marked the last international appearance of Romania’s Cojocaru, who was honored before the game. Romania’s recent matches in South America had ended in defeats, but their victory over Canada marked a positive turn for the team.

In a symbolic gesture for Remembrance Day, the Canadian team wore custom jerseys featuring a poppy on the left sleeve to pay tribute to the occasion.